ty barons, than the law alone, not supported by
these active qualities, was ever able to confer.

* Walsing. p. 374.

** Walsing, p. 377. Chron. Otterb. p. 261.

About the same time, fortune gave Henry an advantage over that neighbor,
who, by his situation, was most enabled to disturb his government.
Robert III., king of Scots, was a prince, though of slender capacity,
extremely innocent and inoffensive in his conduct: but Scotland, at
that time, was still less fitted than England for cherishing, or even
enduring sovereigns of that character. The duke of Albany, Robert's
brother, a prince of more abilities, at least of a more boisterous and
violent disposition, had assumed the government of the state; and, not
satisfied with present authority, he entertained the criminal purpose
of extirpating his brother's children, and of acquiring the crown to
his own family. He threw in prison David, his eldest nephew; who there
perished by hunger: James alone, the younger brother of David, stood
between that tyrant and the throne; and King Robert, sensible of his
son's danger, embarked him on board a ship, with a view of sending him
to France, and intrusting him to the protection of that friendly power.
Unfortunately, the vessel was taken by the English; Prince James, a
boy about nine years of age, was carried to London; and though there
subsisted at that time a truce between the kingdoms, Henry refused to
restore the young prince to his liberty. Robert, worn out with cares and
infirmities, was unable to bear the shock of this last misfortune; and
he soon after died, leaving the government in the hands of the duke of
Albany.[*] Henry was now more sensible than ever of the importance of
the acquisition which he had made: while he retained such a pledge, he
was sure of keeping the duke of Albany in dependence; or, if offended,
he could easily, by restoring the true heir, take ample revenge upon the
usurper. But though the king, by detaining James in the English court,
had shown himself somewhat deficient in generosity, he made ample amends
by giving that prince an excellent education, which afterwards qualified
him, when he mounted the throne, to reform in some measure the rude and
barbarous manners of his native country.

* Buchanan, lib. x.

The hostile dispositions which of late had prevailed between France and
England, were restrained, during the greater part of this reign, from
appearing in action. The jealou