to withdraw his claim of superiority, and his action with relation to Alexander III.’s homage was well known.  But the sensitiveness which their late king had shown in the face of Edward’s earlier claims was shared by the Scots lords, and shrinking from recognising facts which they ought to have faced before they solicited his intervention, they begged for delay and drew up remonstrances.  Edward granted them, a respite for three weeks, though he swore by St. Edward that he would rather die than diminish the rights due to the Confessor’s crown.  He had already summoned the northern levies, and was prepared to enforce his claim by force.  His uncompromising attitude put the Scots in an awkward position.  But they had gone to Norham to get his help, and they were not prepared to run the risk of an English invasion as well as civil war.  Most of the claimants had as many interests in England as in Scotland, and a breach with Edward would involve the forfeiture of their southern lands as well as the loss of a possible kingdom in the north.  When the magnates reassembled, the competitors set the example of acknowledging Edward as overlord.  Fresh demands followed their submission, and were at once conceded.  Edward was to have seisin of Scotland and its royal castles, though he pledged himself to return both land and fortresses to him who should be chosen king.

Edward then undertook the examination of the suit.  He delegated the hearing of the claims to a commission, of whom the great majority, eighty, were Scotsmen, nominated in equal numbers by Bruce and Balliol, the two senior competitors, while the remaining twenty-four consisted of Englishmen, and included many of Edward’s wisest counsellors.  In deference to Scottish feeling, Edward ordered the court to meet on Scottish territory, at Berwick, and appointed August 2 for the opening day.  Meanwhile the full consequences of the Scottish submission were carried out.  On Edward’s taking seisin of Scotland, the regency came to an end.  The nomination of the provisional government resting with Edward, he reappointed the former regents, and allowed the Scots barons to elect their chancellor.  But with the regents Edward associated a northern baron, Brian Fitzalan of Bedale, and the Scottish bishop, who was appointed chancellor, had to act jointly with one of Edward’s clerks.  Edward then made a short progress, reaching as far as Stirling and St. Andrews.  He was back at Berwick for the meeting of the commissioners on August 2.

The first session of the court was a brief one.  The twelve competitors put in their claims, and Bruce and Balliol supported theirs by argument.  However, on August 12, the trial was adjourned for nearly a year, until June 2, 1292.  On its resumption in Edward’s presence, the more difficult issues were carefully worked out.  A new and fantastic claim, sent in by Eric of Norway, as the nearest of kin to his daughter, did not delay matters.  The judges were instructed to settle in the first instance