justice and wisdom, poured in thither from all parts of the world, and said they saw in the country better and greater things than they had heard of from afar. Accordingly the country became so wealthy that Lombards came from the borders of Italy, bringing into the country untold gold and silver and precious stones, and made the King an offer to build and construct a city in the country on their own account, on Queensferry Hill or on an island near Cramond, if the King would see that they got the due and needful privileges and liberties. This would have been accorded to them had not death, which snatches all things away, so soon carried off the King from the world, leaving no lawful offspring from him to succeed to the throne. POPULAR SONG ON THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER III. +Source.+--_Androw of Wyntoun's Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland_, book vii., ll. 3619-3626. (This song, probably contemporary, is inserted by Wyntoun at the close of his account of Alexander III., under the heading "Cantus.") Quhen Alysandyr oure Kyng wes dede, That Scotland led in luẅe and lé,[28] Away wes sons[29] off ale and brede, Off wyne and wax, off gamyn and glé: Oure gold wes changyd in to lede. Cryst, borne in to Vyrgynyté, Succoure Scotland and remede, That stad is in perplexyté. [28] Law. [29] Plenty. THE EXPULSION OF THE JEWS (1290). +Source.+--_Walter of Hemingburgh's Chronicle_, vol. ii., pp. 20-22 (English Historical Society Publications.) The King held a Parliament at London after Easter ... and the Barons complained of the wickedness and perfidy of the Jews, in that they had impoverished many of the nobles by divers usuries and false scripts, and had corrupted the coinage throughout the whole land; therefore, it was ordained by the King and the Privy Council that, on a certain day between the hours of one and three, all Jews in every city should be seized and then expelled from the realm; a like zeal inspired all, for they thought to obtain great favour in the sight of God by cutting off from the faithful those who had risen against Christ. And this ordinance was carried into effect, for on the one day all Jews were seized, and before another appointed day, expelled. All their real property was confiscated together with their starrs[30] and obligations; but their remaining movables, with their gold and silver, the King allowed them to take away--which was a matter of displeasure to many. Among them were certain Jews of London, of the noblest and wealthiest in the city, who, since they had immense treasure, hired a great and lofty ship in the harbour, loaded it, went on board and departed. When they were descending the Thames and had now approached nigh to the sea, the master of the ship, without leave, anchored it in the midst of the waters, for he grieved to think of the kingdom being despoiled of such riches. When the tide ebbed and the ship was left on the sands, he said to the Jews,