led be thame, in foro contradictorio, vpoun thair awin perfute, Barbara Johneftoune is declairit ffrie of the haill factis lybellit, the Affyfe can nawayis ffyle hir. As lykwyis, Williame Maxwall and Elizabeth Steuart are ffund Clene and innocent of the deidis and factis lybellit; that the famyn was nocht done of thair caufing, command, (or) affistance, but only of ratihabitioun,' eftir the committing of the factis: That thai can nawayis be convict, be the Affyfe, of the deidis lybellit, as done be thair caufing, command and affiftance, airt and pairt: And gif thai be clanget, as thai man be of neceffitie, of the premiffis, thay can nawayis be convict of this lybell, because ratihabitioun per fe nather is relevant, nor induces a cryme: And forder, befoir the Stewart of Annandaill, the haill pannel being accufet, as culpable of the factis and deidis lybellit, and thairfoir to haif incurrit the vnlawis for fchedding of bluid; thay ar Clanget be ane condigne Inqueift, and fund innocent, baith of the bluid and bludwyte ;3 as the Decreit, heirwith producet, beiris. In refpect quhairof, the Affyfe nawayis can ffyle or convict thame; and in cais thay do, Protestis for manifeft and Wilfull Errour. The Aduocat, for informatioun of the Affyfe, and to the effect thay be nocht led and inducet to commit Errour, acceptis the Decreit of Secreit Counfall producet be the pannell, togidder with the Testimoniall of the clangeing of the pannell befoir the Stewart of Annandaill, in fa far as the famyn makis for the perfewaris, and na vtherwayis: And first, allegis that the fummondis perfewit befoir the Lordis of Secreit Counfall was ffund relevant be the Lordis thairof, and the samyn ffund provin, in effect and fubftance, aganis the said Williame Maxwall and Elizabeth Stewart; and gif ony appeirance be of abfoluitour gevin in fauouris of ony of the defenderis, the famyn proceidit vpoune the Depofitiones of the Witneffes; becaus Depofitiones of Witnesses can haif na forder fayth nor* thay depone to knaw of thair certane knawlege; and thairfoir, that quhilk is nocht deponit be the Witneffis to be done, in thair prefence, ficht and certane knawlege, is nocht ffund provin, quhairupoune abfoluitour may be gevin: Bot becaus crymes, as thai ar vnavowabill of thame felffis, fa thai are devyfet and done fecreitlie, in fic maner as na Witneffis can knaw the famyn; and thairfoir, can nocht depone thairintill; thairfoir, be the lawis of this cuntrie, it is provydit, that crymes neidis nocht, nor may nocht be provin be Witneffis, bot are referrit to the knawlege of ane fuorne Affyfe; quhais determinatioun, according as thay ar perfuadit in thair confciences, is ane fufficient warrand to thame felfis, and ane just cause of convictioune of the pannell; and it is fufficient to thame to convict, gif thai find nocht cleirlie, thay can iuftlie quyte: And thairfoir, albeit the Witneffes knew nathing, that was firft vfet, and thairby thair Depofitiones 1 Confirmation or approval; from the Law Lat. ratihabere. 2 Steward, Senescallus. 3 The bloodwit was a fine paid for the shedding of blood. 5 Acquit. 6 Although. 4 Than. gaif occafioune of fum abfoluitour, for laik of probatioun be thame; yit that warrandis nocht the Affyfe; bot thai man ather ffyle, or commit Wilfull Errour, in respect of the notorietie of this Dittay; to witt, that the House of Neubie was tane, in maner contenit in the Summondis, be the perfones quha for the famyn hes bene continuallie fugitiue fenfyne; tua of thame being Williame Maxwellis feruands, and the vther thre his fpeciall freindis, haifing na entreis nather to tak nor keip the house for thame felffis, on thair awin refpect, bot only at the defyre and be the caufing and to the behuif of the said Williame and haill remanent defenderis: Quhilkis defenderis, pretending rycht to the said house and landis; as the verificatioune of tua feuerall dependances for the samyn befoir the Lordis of Seffioun, heirwith producet, beiris. The faidis defenderis, expreflie aganis the Act of Parliament maid anent the flauchter and trubbilling of parteis, in perfute and defence of thair actiones, being the 219 of the Kingis xiiij Parliament, and vtheris Actis maid thairanent, intyfet and caufet the faidis ffugitiues violently to Affage and tak the said house, perfew, invaid and demane' the faid Robert Johneftoune and his affiftaris being thairintill, in maner contenit in the fummondis; quhilk being committit be thame, thay nather pretendit nor retenit ony richt or poffeffioune thairof; bot only keipit the famyn, quhill2 Williame Maxwall come to thame in all haift; to quhais behuif thay haifing tane the faid house, thay incontinent delyuerit the famyn to him; quha fend thame away vpone his awin horfe, and his freindis that come with him. And as to the Gentilwomen, the faid fact being lykwayis done to thair behuif, thay reffet and hid the committeris, being of intentioun and preparatioune to commit the famyn; and thai ran out of the ane into the vther; and thairby fuppryfet the faid Tour, vpone the occafioun, to the behuif, and of the ratificatioune foirfaid: Lykas, be the Decreit, it is fund to be done of the ratificatioun of the faid Williame Maxwall and Elizabeth Stewart; quhilk ratihabitioune, of Law, in ane matter done to the behuiff of ony man, is compairit and pwneischet as ane preceiding command, be the first Law de vi et vi armata, in the xiiij paragraph, in thir wordis: rectius enim dicitur in maleficio ratihabitionem mandato comparari;' to wit, it is richtlie faid, that ratihabitioune in crymes is richtlie comparet to ane preceiding command: And the thrid Law of the faid Tit. in the tent paragraph, in thir wordis, cum procurator armatus venit, et ipfe dominus armis dejiciffe videtur, fiue mandauit, fiue ut Julianus ait, ratum habuit;' that is to fay, quhan ane mannis fervand cumis airmit, his maifter is reput to haif expellit or reiectit with airmes, quhither he commandit, or, as Julian fayis, he ratifeit the famyn. And thairfoir, feing thir fervandis and freindis come airmet and did this violent deid, be ratihabitioun of the pannell, togidder with the 1 Treat, use, handle. 2 Until. Decreit finding the samyn, makis thame giltie thairof. Lyk as, the Act 151 of the Kingis 12 Parliament, makis ane criminall Summondis to be relevant, gif it beiris that the defenderis ar airt and pairt of ane relevant cryme; and it is trew that that cryme is fund relevant be the Juftice, and remittit to the Affyfe; and the notorietie of the pannellis being airt and pairt thairof is befoir deducet, feing thair knawlege of the faid fact, thair benifeit rypet' thairby, and ratihabitioune thairof, is manifeft. And as to the clengeing producet, the famyn makis aganis the producer; becaus the perfeweris, as pairtie grevit, and the Kingis Aduocat, for his hienes entreis, being neceffar and only parteis, and the defenderis knawing thair awin giltines, purchest and deducet ane led Tryell, befoir thair awin ffreindis, being bayth Judges and Affyfouris; na pairtie haifing entreis being prefent nor wairnit thairto. In refpect quhairof, gif the Affyfe Clenge, the perfeweris proteftis for Wilfull Errour.-The Aduocat afkit inftrumentis of the fweiring of the Dittay be the perfeweris, in presens of the Affyfe; as lykwyis the taiknis producet, alfo fuorne be thame. It is anfuerit for the pannell, to the alledgeance immediatlie preceiding, that the Aduocat wald haif the Affyfe, quha kennis3 nathing of the factis and deidis lybellit, bot the commone bruit, and be thair awin allegeance, to ffyle, nochtwithstanding that the multitude of the Witneffes producet be the perfeweris could nawayis preve the fact; thay being Witneffes, duelleris vpone the landis, and round about the famyn; and ane grit number of thame come to the deid, and yit thay wad nocht tak it vpone thair confciences to depone ony thing by the verritie; fua, the Affyfe, quha kennis far lefs, can nocht convict vtherwyis nor accoirding to the first probatioun. As to the fecund pairt of the allegeance, the famyn contenis only ane repetitioun of the Dittay and taikinis, and mereitis na forder anfuer nor is anfuerit ofbefoir. As to the thrid pairt, beiring that Ratihabitioune equo paratur mandato, and allegeing the first and thrid lawis de vi et vi armata; to that, it is anfuerit, that as, in criminalibus, Ratihabitioune is never relevant per fe, fua the famyn can be comptit na cryme, nor na grund to convict the pannell; ffor in crymes, thair is thre thingis to be confidderit, airt, pairt, and ratihabitioune: Airt, is command, or devyfe, or counsell of doing of the deid; quhairof we ar declarit innocent: Pairt, is participant of the ffact; quhairof we ar lykwayis declairit innocent: Ratihabitioune, is allowing of the ffact, eftir the famyn be committit; quhilk is nawayis drawin bak to ony of the premiffes, in criminall matteris: And albeit the faid Williame had allowit in taking of the house, eftir it was tane and the deid committit, yit that makis thame nocht giltie of the ffactis or deidis committit be the perfonis takeris of the house, the tyme befoir or eftir the taking thairof. And feing the Witnesses 1 Reaped. 2 Tokens, evidence. 3 Knows. Excepting the common report or talk of the country. Fr. bruit. 5 Past, besides. 6 Than. examinat, be thair grit ayth, hes maid the pannell Innocent and clene of the ffactis lybellit; as lykwayis, thay ar declairit Innocent, be ane condigne fuorne Inqueift, befoir thair Judge-ordiner; the Affyfe can nawayis ffyle thame, except thay commit manifest Errour, and declair contrair to the probatioun alreddie led and deducet, and depone contrair to thair awin conscience and knawledge. SPECIAL VERDICT of the Affife. THE ASSYSE removet altogidder furth of Court to pe Counfall-hous, quhair pai, be pluralitie of voittis, electit and choifit the faid Alexander Fairlie of Braid in1 Chanceller of the faid Affyfe; and pairefter reffonit and voittit vpone the haill heidis and poyntis of the faid Dittay; and being ryplie and at lenth advyset pairwith, and with the haill taikines and writtis producet for verificatioune pairof, allegeances and anfueris maid, hinc inde, in the faid matter; thay re-enterit agane in Court, quhair thay, be pe mouth of pe faid Alexander Fairlie, ffand, pronuncet and declairit the faidis Williame Maxwall, Barbara Johnneftoun his fpous, and pe faid Elizabeth Stewart hir moper, to be ffylet, culpabill and convict, as followis, viz. THE faid Williame Maxwall of Gribtoun, to be ffylet, culpabill and convict off airt and pairt with the faidis Eduard Maxwall, broper to pe Laird of Couhaithe, Thomas Jardane callit of Birnok, James Jardane, fervand to the faid Johnne Lord Hereis, Johnne McBrair and Robert Johnneftoune callit of Brwme, of the violent taking of the faid Tour and ffortalice of Newbie; committit be the faidis fyve perfones, the tyme contenit in the faid Dittay. THE faid Elizabeth Stewart, to be ffylet, culpable and convict off pe reffet of the faidis fyve perfones, quha committit pe crymes specifeit in the faid Dittay, and of the Ratihabitioune of pe violent taking of pe faid Tour and ffortalice of Newbie: AND pe faid Barbara Johnnefioune to be ffylet, culpable and convict of the Ratihabitioune of the violent taking of pe said Tour and ffortalice of Newbie, be pe faidis fyve perfones takeris pairof. AND ficlyk, ffand and declairit pe faidis Williame Maxwall, Barbara Johnneftoune his fpous, and pe faid Elizabeth Stewart hir moper, to be Clene, Innocent and Acquit of the haill remanent crymes and poyntis contenit in the foirfaid Dittay, viz. of airt and pairt of pe vfurpatioun of our fouerane lordis authoritic, in befageing of the faid hous, convocatioun of his Maiefteis leigis, beiring and weiring of hagbuttis and piftolettis, contrair the tennour of the Actis of Parliament, Invaiding, schuitting, hurting and wounding of pe faidis Robert Johnneftoun, Eduard Johnneftoun and Airthour Johnneftoun, his hienes frie fubiectis; and Invaiding and taking of thame captiues and priffoneris, be way of Hamefukkin and ffoirthocht ffellonie, binding of pair handis behind pair bakis, and fchuitting and expelling thame violentlie furthe of the house and ffortalice foirfaid; committit be pe faidis fyve perfones, takeris pairof, pe tyme and in maner aboue writtin, mentionet in the faid Dittay. Jun. 25.-The Juftice continued the cafe to the 28th of Junij. Plegio, Alexandro Stewart de Gairleis, fub pena in Acto predict.' Jun. 28.-Alexander Stewart of Gairleis become pledge and fouertie for Williame Maxwall of Gribtoune, &c. to enter and prefent thame befoir the Justice and his deputis, in the Tolbuith of Edinburgh, the thrid day of Julij nixtocum, in the hour of caufe, to heir dome pronuncet vрone thame; vnder the panes following, viz. ffor the faid Williame, vnder the pane of V li. (£5000,) and for the faidis Elizabeth and Barbara coniunctlie, vnder the pane of vther fyve thoufand pundis. Jul. 3.-Alexander Stewart of Garleis of new becomes pledge and fouertie, that thai and ilk ane of thame fall compeir befoir the Juftice or his deputes, To the office of. quhair evir thay or ony of thame fall be charget, vpone xv dayis wairning, to heir and fie dome pronuncet, &c. ilk ane of thame vnder the pane of tua thoufand merkis. Maxwall binds himself to warrand releif and keip fkaythles' the faid Alexander Stewart. 6 Slaughter. Jun. 26.-JAMES GLEDSTANES of that Ilk. Dilaitit ffor airt and pairt of the Slauchter of vmqle Thomas Peiblis, burges of Peiblis; committit in the moneth of Februare, IV.lxj yeiris, vpone the landis of Kaidmure, befyde the faid burgh of Peiblis; vpone fet purpois, prouifioune and ffoirthocht ffellony. PERSEWERIS. Thomas and Johnne Peiblis, as fones; Johnne and Dauid Peiblis, fones to the faid Thomas, (Junior.) PRELOCUTOURIS for the pannell, Laurence Scott. The pannell tuik him to our fouerane lordis Refpett, producet be him, vnder his Maiefteis Priuie Seill, of the dait the... day of Junij inftant. It is allegit be the perfeweris, that the Respett producet be the pannell aucht nocht to be admittit, in respect the famyn is grantit contrair to the Act of Parliament; na Letter of Slanes being grantit be thame, for Affythement of the partie.—It is anfuerit be the pannell, the allegeance aucht to be Repellit, in respect of the Refpett; and that thai ar willing to fatisfie, conforme to the lawis of this realme, and offeris Cautioune to that effect.-Quhilk Refpett the Juftice admittit, and ordanit the said James to find cautioune, &c.: Lyk as, Johnne Gledftanes of Wynningtoun-hauch and Mr Johnne Rutherfurd, bailzie and burges of Jedburgh, become bundin and obleift, coniunctlie and feuerallie with the said James Gladftanes of that Ilk, his felff, to satisfie the partie for the Slauchter of the faid vmqle Thomas Peiblis. Murder under Trust. Jun. 27.-JAMES KYNNAIRD, fone to the Laird of Incheture,' Williame Dilaitit, accufet and perfewit be Siluefter Chopman in Kinclevin, conforme to our fouerane lordis Letteris, raifit and direct at the inftance of Marioun Chopman, as mother, Margaret Scherp, as fifter, the faid Siluefter Chopman and Thomas Chopman in Ragolny, as mother-brether,' with the remanent kyn and freindis of vmqle Johnne Scherpe, feruitour to the Laird of Ruthven, aganis the faidis Williame, &c. and als aganis James Ramfay in Flacraig-mylne; as thay that war culpable and giltie of the crymes contenit in the DITTAY following. 1 Vmqle Patoun Kynnaird. 2 Maternal uncles, mother's brothers. |