The foreign trade of Scotland was most prosperous during the reign of James the Fourth. Fish, wools, and hides were the principal exports. By this time coal, which is first mentioned towards the end of the thirteenth century, was in general use. There were also lead and iron mines; and gold was found, though not in any large quantities. Of this native gold James the Fourth struck some beautiful coins, which were called bonnet pieces, because they bore the image of the King wearing a bonnet. The state of the people at this time was one of almost serf-like dependence on their lords. But great as the power of the nobles was, there were no forest or game laws in Scotland, nor did they enjoy any privilege of peerage. An offender against the law, if he could be brought to justice, had to "thole an assize," like any peasant, however high his rank might be. =38. Education and Literature.=--In early times all the education that was within the reach of the people had been offered to them by the Church. Schools were founded and maintained in several towns by the great monasteries, and there was provision made for the education of the choristers attached to the several cathedral churches. In later times there were Grammar Schools founded by the burgh corporations. In 1496 an Act was passed requiring all "barons and freeholders" to keep their sons at these schools until they should be "competently founded," and have "perfect Latin," under pain of a fine of twenty pounds. A book, purporting to be the _History of Scotland_, was written in Latin by _Hector Boece_, the first Principal of the University of Aberdeen. The greater part of this book is purely imaginary. The Latin "_Scotichronicon_" of _Fordun_, was continued by _Walter Bower, Abbot of Inchcolm_, down to the middle of the fifteenth century. Besides the two kings James the First and Fifth, there were other notable poets in Scotland in the middle of the fifteenth century. _Blind Harry_, the _Minstrel_, then did for Wallace what about a century before Barbour had done for Bruce, by putting together all the popular stories of his deeds in a spirit-stirring poem that bears his hero's name. _William Dunbar_, a friar of the order of St. Francis, wrote a poem called _The Thistle and the Rose_, to celebrate the marriage of James the Fourth with Margaret Tudor. This, and the _Golden Terge_, and the _Dance of the Seven Deadly Sins_, are the best among his writings. _Gawin Douglas_, afterwards _Bishop of Dunkeld_, the son of that Earl of Angus who was nicknamed Bell-the-Cat, also wrote several poems in the beginning of the sixteenth century. Those best known are _King Hart_, the _Palace of Honour_, and a translation of Virgil's _Æneid_. Some years after Douglas wrote, _Sir David Lyndesay_, the companion of James the Fifth's childhood, and the mourner of his untimely death, directed many clever satires against the abuses in the Church, the vices of the clergy, and the follies of the court.