158 CASE OF THE POST-NATI OF SCOTLAND. 



That both in these times the subjects of Gas- 

 coigne, and Guienne, and Anjou, were naturalized 

 for inheritance in England, by the laws of England, 

 I shall manifestly prove; and the proof proceeds, as 

 to the former time, which is our case, in a very high 

 degree &quot; a minore ad majus,&quot; and as we say, &quot; a 

 &quot; inulto fortiori.&quot; For if this privilege of naturaliza 

 tion remained unto them when the countries were 

 lost, and became subjects in possession to another 

 king, much more did they enjoy it as long as they 

 continued under the king s subjection. 



Therefore to open the state of this point. After 

 these provinces were, through the perturbations of 

 the state in the unfortunate time of king John, lost 

 and severed, the principal persons which did adhere 

 unto the French, were attainted of treason, and 

 their escheats here in England taken and seized. 

 But the people, that could not resist the tempest 

 when their heads and leaders were revolted, con 

 tinued inheritable to their possessions in England ; 

 and reciprocally the people of England inherited and 

 succeeded to their possessions in Gascoigne, and 

 were both accounted &quot; ad fidem utriusque regis,&quot; 

 until the statute of &quot; prarogativa regis ;&quot; wherein 

 the wisdom and justice of the law of England is 

 highly to be commended. For of this law there are 

 two grounds of reason, the one of equity, the other 

 of policy ; that of equity was, because the common 

 people were in no fault, but as the Scripture saith 

 in a like case, &quot; quid fecerunt oves ista? ?&quot; It was 

 the cowardice and disloyalty of their governors that 



