I imagine the first question anyone will ask is what is a column called "Scottish Flotsam". I guess we will have to begin with what is "flotsam". Among the definitions of the word are "things washed ashore" or "miscellaneous trifles". Well, we believe you can find some great treasure on the ocean shore. But -- you will never know what you will find or its value. So we decided that is what this column is - flotsam. We wanted a place to put things that didn't fit anywhere else and might be of interest. Each item could be a column itself and might be some day but for now it will be the flotsam, which washes our way.

Now lets look at a Scottish King:

William succeeded his unmarried brother, Malcolm IV. He got his name because of the emblem he adopted for his armor. Armor encased a knight from head to toe and made him unrecognizable. Therefore, each knight adopted an emblem to be recognized by one another. William's was a "roaring, clawing beast of blood in red on a yellow background" - the Lion Rampant. This became the emblem of Scotland. William ruled for 49 years which made him the longest reigning monarch in Scotland up to that time.

Determined to recover Northumbria (lost to England in 1157), he supported the rebellion (1173–74) of the sons of Henry II of England. The result was that he was captured by Henry, who forced him to sign the Treaty of Falaise (1174), making Scotland a feudal possession of England. Released in 1175, he immediately asked the pope to declare the Scottish church free of English domination. A quarrel with the pope delayed the decision, but, in 1188, Pope Clement III declared the church in Scotland subject only to Rome. In 1189, William was able to buy annulment of the Treaty of Falaise from Richard I of England for 10,000 marks. After the succession (1199) of King John in England, William once more demanded the restoration of Northumbria but was finally forced (1209) by show of arms to abandon the claim. William put down several revolts within Scotland and furthered somewhat the process of feudalization in the kingdom. His alliance (1168) with Louis VII of France began a long friendship between France and Scotland, later to be known as the Auld Alliance. He was succeeded by his son, Alexander II.

Source: http://kids.infoplease.lycos.com

It is time to stop combing the library but we can not quit without some quotes from The Pocket Book of Scottish Quotations another great History bookshelf resident. Let's see what quotes we can find.

This month we continue with the subject of love.

If I ever really love it will be like Mary Queen of Scots, who said of her Bothwell that she could follow him round the world in her nighty.
Sir J. M. Barrie (1860-1937), What Every Woman Knows

... a certain delicious Passion, which in spite of acid Disappointment, gin-horse Prudence and bookworm Philosophy, I hold to be the first of human joys, our dearest pleasure here below.. . Thus with me began Love and Poesy.
Robert Burns (1759-1796), Letter to Dr. John Moore

What can a young lassie, what shall a young lassie,
What can a young lassie do wi' an auld man?
Robert Burns, What Can a Young Lassie Do Wi' an Auld Man?

She is a winsome wee thing,
She is a handsome wee thing,
She is a lo'esome wee thing,
This dear wee wife o' mine.
Robert Burns, My Wife's a Winsome Wee Thing

Bonie wee thing, cannie wee thing,
Lovely wee thing, wert thou mine,
I would hold thee in my bosom,
Lest my jewel I should tine.
Robert Burns, Bonie Wee Thing

My luve is like a red, red rose,
That's newy sprung in June;
My luve is like a melody,
That's sweetly play'd in tune.

But fair thou art, my bonie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a' the seas gang dry.
Till all the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun,
And I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands o' life shall run.
Robert Burns, My Luve is Like a Red, Red Rose

Cho crosda ris an dris.

As cross as a bramble.