Historical account of the family of Frisel or Fraser, particularly Fraser of Lovat

FAMILY OF ERASER. 13
engagement and promises. A citizen of Berwick had appealed from the
adjudication of Baliol's officers for administering justice in Scotland. The
latter opposed so gi'oss a mockery of his authority ; but the haughty re-
ply of his lord paramount silenced opposition, and left nothing to the
timid sovereign but forbearance and assent. Notwithstanding this check,
Bishop Fraser continued his patriotic career undaunted. By his com-
mand Sii" WUliam Wallace put all the EngUsh out of then- church be-
nefices in Scotland. * Wliatever truth may be in the assertion, that the « Crawford's Lives
invasion of Edward, and the miseries thereby entailed on Scotland, were
the offspring of the Bishop's insinuations, "" it is ceitain he now made h Caledonia, i. eie.
ample amends for Ms past faults. Yet it may not be improper to haz-
ard tlie conjecture, that the letter addressed by him to Edward, ' 7th ' Foedera, ii. 1090,
Hailes's Ann. I.
October 1290, was rather the offspring of an earnest deske for the pre- 196-7:
vention of civil war, than the crafty poUcy of a disloyal citizen bent on
the overthrow of his country. The epistle may breath the language of
a courtier ; but it is to be hoped a speedy and successful termination to
Baliol's pretensions, and the removal of intestine discord, were the mo-
tives for an act so pregnant with danger. The Scottish statesmen had
yet to be made acquainted with the crafty temper and ambitious policy
of Edward. Winton teUs us, that it was to this prelate the Bishops of
St Andrew's owed their privilege of coining money ; he having obtain-
ed this liberty from King Alexander III. in the year 1283. '' He grant- " Winton's chro-
ed the church of Kuktoun, near Stirhng, to the monks of Cambusken- ""^ ^ ^' ^^'
neth, and his grant was ratified by his successor.
In tlie year 1295, Baliol negotiated a fatal alliance with Philip the
French King, by which the latter agreed to give him his niece, the eldest
daughter of Charles Count of Anjou, in marriage for his son and heir.
William Fraser, Bishop of St J7idrew's, Matthew Bishop of Dunkeld,
Sir John de Souhs, and Sir Ingeram de Umfraville, were the Scottish
commissioners, (says Lord HaUes), " who concluded this original treaty,
the ground-work of many more equally honoui'able and ruinous to
Scotland."' Ftr^%Ji'i;"v ,
Edition, J819. Vol.
' I. p. 28*.