A policy of a different kind, but equally beneficial, contributed much to the improvement of the country. The erection of such a number of religious houses, in the twelfth century, was attended with salutary effects; because the monks were drawn from England and fo reign countries, and of course brought along with them the arts exercised in these countries, to the great bene fit of the kingdom in which they now settled. These ecclesiastics had their dependents, to whom they grant ed parcels of land on the condition of service; and it must be confessed, that the church hands NS ( re the first that were improved, and in such a substantial way, that many of the ni to this day continue to yield more produc tive crops than the lands then in the hands of the barons, though at first sight there may appear no difference in their natural value. The monks along with them many craftsmen or artisans from foreign coun tries, and in this way the settling of every religious house may be considered as the plantation of a new to- bony of the Teutonic rat e amidst the Celtic inhabitants of North Britain.
The Succession War gave a shock to the prosperity of Scotland, from which it had not altogether recover ed, when the whole island was incorporated under one government. Were there the smallest doubt respect ing the consequence of the wars, which, with short in prevailed from the cud of the thirteenth to the middle of the fourteenth century, it might be re moved by a reference to the two valuations, called the Old and New Extent, in which NH evidence is disclosed concerning the deterioration or waste which had taki.n place in North Britain. The old extent, taken in the reign of William the Lion, is nearly double the sum returned under the new extent made up in 1369, alter the capture of David Bruce. But this difference of va lue will excite no surprise, \\ hen it is considered that the business of the inhabitants had been chiefly restrict ed to fighting and destroying one another, and to burn ing and plundering, instead of meliorating and enriching the country. The same conduct repeated in our day would lead to similar consequences ; for internal im provement is incompatible with a state of warfare. Few countries of Europe were more prosperous and happy than Scotland at the death of Alexander Ill. and few have suffered more calamities than devolved on that kingdom by his premature decease. The long and hive terate hostilities which billowed, wasted the opulence of the country, and entailed a degree of penury on its inhabitants, which has only of late been completely sur mounted.
During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, rural economy continued to languish, especially upon the estates of the barons, where the profession of a soldier was regarded as of greater importance than that of a cultivator of the ground ; but the ecclesiastical lands were considerably improved, and the tenants of them were generally much more comfortable and happy than those upon the estates of laymen. The le_birmation of religion, beneficent as it was in other respects, rather checked than promoted agricultural improvement ; be cause the change of property, which then occurred, oc casioned a similar change of tenantry, and almost took husbandry out of the hands of ilia only class of people by whom it was practised upon correct principles. The dissolution of the monasteries and other religious houses, was also attended by religious consequences in the first instance ; though latterly the greatest benefit has been derived from tythes and church lands having come into the hands of laymen. It is probable, had not these cir
cumstances occurred, that the mile would have still remained in force, and Scottish husbandry have continued under a burden, which sinks and oppresses the cultivator of the sister country. But tythes having got into the hands of lay titulars, or impropriators, were in general collected or farmed with such severity as to occasion the most grievous complaints, not only from the tenantry, hut also from tin numerous class of pro prienu s, a ho had wit been su fortunate as to pro( lire a share or the general spoil. This, added to the desire shown by the crow n, to resume the grants made when its power was comparatively feeble, oc.:( asioned the celebrated submission to Charles 1., which ended in a settlement, that in modern times has pro i( highly belie not only to the interest of proprietors, but like wise to the improvement of the nation. the, in fact are a hurden, which to all intents and purpost s operate as a tax upon industry, though it was a lung time be fore the beneficial consequences of withdrawing them were fully understood, or even discerned in this conn ive.
Tie accession of James to the crown of England, is understood to have been unfavourable to the agricultural interest of Scotland ; inasmuch as the nobles and gentry being by that event led into great expenses, raised the rents of the tenantry considerably, whilst the very eir cninsto.nce which occasioned the rise, contributed to lessen the means ot the tenant for fulfilling his engage ments. Scotland, however, was much benefited by the soldiers of Cromwell, who were chiefly English yeomen, not only well acquainted with husbandry, but, like the Romans at a former period, studious also to improve and enlighten the nation which they had subdued. The soldiers of Cromwell's army were regularly paid at the rate of Si/. per day, a sum equal at least to the money value of two shillings our currency ; and as this army lay in Scotland for many ears, there was a great circu lation of money through the country. Perhaps the low country districts were at that time in a higher state of improvement than at any period since the demise of Alexander III. The improvement then introduced, does not altogeth( r rest upon conjecture, but is supported by many facts. In the counties of Lanark, Renfrew, Ayr, and Kirkcudbright, the rentals of various estates were greater in than they were 70 years afterwards ; and the causes which brought about a declension in value are ascertained without difficulty. The large fines ex acted from country gentlemen and tenants in these coun ties, during the reigns of Charles 11. and his brother James, were ,boost sufficient to impoverish both proprie tors and cultivators, had they even been as wealthy as they are at the present clay._ In addition to those fines, the dreadful imprisonments, and other oppressive. mea sures pursued by those in pow er, equally contrary to sound policy and to justice and humanity, desolated large tracts, drove the oppressed gentry, and many of their wealthy tenants, into foreign countries, and extin guished the spirit of industry and improvement in the breasts of those who were left behind. A succession of had seasons soon after the cc volution, heightened these calamities. It is well known, that innumerable farms at that period remained unoccupied ; proprietors haying to search after tenants, who were aide to stock and cultivate the ground, with almost the same assiduity that must now be displayed by tenants who are out of possession.