mer, vol. ii. p. 26, 845. There cannot
be the least question, that the homage usually paid by the kings of
Scotland was not for their crown, but for some other territory. The only
question remains, what that territory was. It was not always for the
earldom of Huntingdon, nor the honor of Penryth; because we find it
sometimes done at a time when these possessions were not in the hands of
the kings of Scotland. It is probable that the homage was performed in
general terms, without any particular specification of territory; and
this inaccuracy had proceeded either from some dispute between the
two kings about the territory and some opposite claims, which were
compromised by the general homage, or from the simplicity of the age,
which employed few words in every transaction. To prove this, we need
but look into the letter of King Richard, where he resigns the homage of
Scotland, reserving the usual homage. His words are, "Saepedictus W.
Rex ligius homo noster deveniat de omnibus terris de quibus antecessores
sui antecessorum nostrorum ligii homines fuerunt, et nobis atque
haeredibus nostris fidelitatem jurarunt." Rymer, vol. i. p. 65. These
general terms were probably copied from the usual form of the homage
itself.

It is no proof that the kings of Scotland possessed no lands or baronies
in England, because we cannot find them in the imperfect histories
and records of that age. For instance, it clearly appears from another
passage of this very letter of Richard, that the Scottish king held
lands both in the county of Huntingdon and elsewhere in England; though
the earldom of Huntingdon itself was then in the person of his brother
David; and we know at present of no other baronies which William held.
It cannot be expected that we should now be able to specify all his fees
which he either possessed or claimed in England; when it is probable
that the two monarchs themselves and their ministers would at that very
time have differed in the list: the Scottish king might possess some
to which his right was disputed; he might claim others which he did
not possess; and neither of the two kings was willing to resign his
pretensions by a particular enumeration.

A late author of great industry and learning, but full of prejudices,
and of no penetration, Mr. Carte, has taken advantage of the undefined
terms of the Scotch homage, and has pretended that it was done for
Lothian and Galloway: that is, all the territories of the country n