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On this day in 1320, the Declaration of Arbroath was drawn up by the monks of Arbroath Abbey.

The declaration was a letter, in Latin, from the Scottish nobles to Pope John XXII, affirming their determination to maintain Scotland's independence. The document is also seen as the first example of a contractual monarchy, with the nobility asserting the right to dethrone King Robert I should he submit to England. The Declaration of Arbroath is widely regarded as being the inspiration behind the American Declaration of Independence in 1776.

On 6 April 1773 James Mill, the Scottish philosopher and historian was born. Mill was the chief associate of Jeremy Bentham, the founder of Utilitarianism, a school of radical philosophy. He was also author of 'Elements of Political Economy', thought to be the first English book on economics and father of the philosopher, John Stuart Mill.

Today's recipe: declare your appreciation of Arbroath with the king of smoked fish. .