although its importance in this respect was lessened by the fact that the hereditary revenues were secured without the possibility of interference, and it was not till the close of its history that the Scottish Estates used the English rallying cry of redress before supply.[15] In treating of the subject we propose first to discuss the origin of the Scottish Parliament, its membership, and its methods of transacting business, for on these, in the first place, the power of any assembly must depend. Afterwards the question may properly be asked: What value can we ascribe to the Parliament as an element in the life of the nation? I.--ORIGIN, MEMBERSHIP, AND METHOD 1. The two most important dividing lines in Scottish history between the tenth century and the sixteenth are the reign of David I (1124-1153) and the War of Independence, which forms a distinct period not less in constitutional than in political history. Before the reign of David I, the Scottish kings had a council of seven mormaers or earls; but it is difficult to assign to these any definite status or power, and we are unable to speak definitely of a General Council till the mormaers had become feudal barons. The change is to be attributed to the work of David I. His Saxon mother, St. Margaret, had made many changes in her husband's kingdom, and, by bringing Scotland into line with other European nations in ecclesiastical matters, had prepared the way for her son, who was to place his people under the sway of the great feudal impulse which was transforming the nations of Europe. Under David, the new influences were Norman rather than Saxon. Norman adventurers, like those who had made for themselves kingdoms in England, in Italy, and in the Holy Land, came to the Scottish court, and received grants of land in the south and east of Scotland. In this connection, we find, first of all, names which were to be the most illustrious in the annals of the country. To David I the Bruces owed their lands of Annandale, and the Fitzalans, who were to become the royal house of Stewart, received from him their earliest possessions in their future kingdom. By such grants of land Scotland was transformed from a tribal into a feudal country, and there arose a royal council formed on the normal feudal theory. The "sair sanct for the crown" completed his work by adding five to the four already existing bishoprics, and by founding the great abbeys which were to gain for him the honour of popular canonization. Thus bishop and abbot and prior could come with earl and baron to take counsel for the weal of the land. Burghs arose and became prosperous; but two centuries had to elapse ere the burgesses found a place among the advisers of the king.