The towns gradually increased in their population and trade during the Scow-Saxon period. A comparison betwixt their state and condition in the twelfth century on the one hand, and in the fifteenth on the other, would evince their gradual progress. In the twelfth century, the revenue drawn from the towns was but during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, many annuities and pensions weie granted by the Scottish kings to their children and favourites, out of the mails of the burghs, and custom of their parts, both of which had greatly increased during these ages, notwithstand ing that adversity and happiness alternately prevailed. The towns, however, even in the fifteenth century, w ere but hamlets compared with those of the present times, when industry has invigorated and enriched the inhabit ants, and stimulated all ranks to provide more comfort able accommodation.
It may be remarked, that though the people, generally speaking, were but indifferently lodged, yet they were upon the whole well fed, except in those years of dearth and famine, which so often recurred in ancient times. In the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth centuries, the lower classes enjoyed a larger proportion of animal food than they do at present; whilst their chief beverage was beer and ale, brewed from the malt of oats. In these limes, cattle, sheep, swine, and poultry, were raised in abundance, and mostly consumed at home ; whereas in our day, from the increase of population, these articles are chiefly consumed in towns, modern prices exceeding the means of purchase in the hands of the country la bourer. The quantity of malt ground at the mills, and the number of breweries in every part of the country, attest the great quantities of ale made and consumed. None of the malt was manufactured into ardent spirits; but alehouses in the different villages were so early as the reign of David I., under the regulation of assize, ivhich is an evidence, that their numbers were great, and that the consumption of ale was extensive in these primitive periods.
During the Scoto-Saxon period, the kings were the greatest improvers of land, and afforded every degree f encouragement to those who forwarded the rural im provement of the country. This is attested by the char tularies. The barons partially followed their example, but the monks were the most skilful and diligent im provers. Being mostly brought from England, and other countries, they possessed more knowledge of rural matters than the native inhabitants, and having greater capital, and enjoying more quiet, they were naturally better fitted and disposed for agricultural exertions. They brought waste lands into an arable state, subdued wood-lands, made enclosures, and practised drainage,— pnpro‘cments much wanted in the then state of the country. Possessing the teind, or tenth sheaf of the clop in many cases, the quantity of manure made on thew lands was neLessaril) increased, and this increase 01 itsell, independent of the knowledge and capital w, hick they undoubtedly possessed, was sufficient to bring about a material change in the value of all lands, held by the regular and irregular clergy of Scotland, at the period under consideration.
From what we have stated, it may be inferred, that the rural economy of Scotland, at the end of the 13th century, was in a rapid state of improvement, especially in the low country districts to the south of the river Forth. It must, however, be remarked, that little of that imp•oveim nt was owing to the Celtic natives, nearly the whole of it being attributable to those foreigners, intro duced by the Scom-Saxon kings. From the reign of Edgar to the conclusion of the Saxon dynasty, nume rous bodies of Anglo-Saxons, Anglo-Nornrans, and Fle mings, settled in Scotland, and, from the generosity of the several monarchs, acquired vast possessions in many districts. Edgar, the first of the Saxon dynasty, forced his way to the throne by the decisive aid an English army, and ;the rwards gradually brought in a new people. whose polity was widely different from that of the abo riginal inhabitants. Alexander I., who married an Eng lish princess, likewise encouraged settlers of that na tion; but the reign of David I. was most propitious to adventurers from foreign countries. That prince, hay ing married an English countess, who had numerous vassals, was attended to the throne, in 1124, by a thou sand Anglo-Normans, to whom he dist, ibuted extensive landed possessions, and otherwise afforded protection and encouragement.
Numerous colonies of Flemings also settled in Scot land, and from this stock several of the first families of the country have sprung. The Celtic people had their hamlets, to which they gave descriptive names in their own language; hut when the Anglo-Normans were in troduced, their first object was to build a strong-hold or castle, around which the followers of the chief settled, and thus formed a village, and in some cases a town; in which practice they were much encouraged by the seve ral sovereigns, who wished to bridle and restrain the ferocity of the natives. The policy of the Scotch kings, during the Saxon dynasty. prompted the building of cas tles in every place where a convenient site occurred; and it was under the protection of these strong-holds, that towns arose, and industry began her career. Such a system of policy, however, was viewed by the aborigines w. ith indignation. Insurrections were often raised, and attempts made to burn and destroy the towns that were erected, and to lay waste the lands which belonged to the inhabitants. After the capture of king William, in 1174, when anarchy prevailed for some time, the new settlers fled to the king's castles for shelter ; and such had been the progress of colonization, that the towns and boroughs of Scotland were, at that period, chiefly inha bited by foreigners.