Scotland a fief of England
Preserved but no longer current.
Edward I founded his claim to the lordship of Scotland on four grounds, viz. — (1) the statement of certain ancient chroniclers that Scottish kings had' occasionally paid homage to English sovereigns from time immemorial. (2) From charters of Scottish kings: as those of Edgar, son of Malcolm, William, and his son Alexander II. (3) From papal rescripts; as those of Honorius III, Gregory IX, and Clement IV.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Scotland a fief of England” mean?
Edward I founded his claim to the lordship of Scotland on four grounds, viz. — (1) the statement of certain ancient chroniclers that Scottish kings had' occasionally paid homage to English sovereigns from time immemorial. (2) From charters of Scottish kings: as those of Edgar, son of Malcolm, William, and his son Alexander II. (3) From papal rescripts; as those of Honorius III, Gregory IX, and Clement IV.
Is “Scotland a fief of England” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.