Johnne Mcdowellis, his fones, that thay fall compeir befoir the Juftice or his deputis, the thrid day of the nixt Juftice-air of the Sherefdome of Kirkculdbrycht, or foner, vpone xv dayis wairning, to vnderly the Law,' &c. [Mr Williame Borthuik, Juftice-Depute.] Dec. 6.-DAUID MARSCHELL, meffinger. 6 Dilaitit of airt and pairt of the Slauchter of vmqle Richard Spens.2 Continued to the Justice-air of Air, tertio Itineris (vel fuper premonitione), xv dierum. Plegio, Roberto Stewart de Pitheveles.' [Mr Williame Hairt, Juflice-Depute.] Murder — Shooting of Hagbuts and Pistolets. Dec. 11.-JOHNNE JOHNNSTOUNE of Auchrynnie; James, Johnne and Dilaitit, accufet and perfewit off the crymes following, viz. PERSEWER, Alexander Irwing, as fader. PRELOCUTOURIS (for the pannell), Mr Laurence M'gill, The Laird of Corfindae. FORSAMEKILL as thai, with thair complices, with convocatioun of our fouerane lordis leigis, to the number of ten perfones or thairby, all bodin in feir of weir, with jakis, fecreitis, fteil-bonnetis, plaitflevis, fpeiris, lance-ftalffis, fuordis, quhingeris, gantillettis, hagbuttis, dagis and piftolettis, expreflie prohibeit to be borne, worne, vfet or schot with, be dyuerfe our fouerane lordis Actis of Parliament and Secreit Counfall, vnder dyuerfe panes, mentionat thairintill; haifing confauet ane deidlie feid, rancour and malice, caufeles, aganis vmqle Robert Irwing in Baddis, laitlie, in the moneth of Februar laftbypast, come to the toun and landis of the Kirktoun of Skene, qubair the faid vmqle Robert was for the tyme, accumpaneit with certane freindis and nichtbouris in the cuntrey, at ane bankett, making mirrie, lipning for na harme, iniurie or perfute of ony perfones, bot to haif levit vnder Godis peax and our fouerane lordis; thair, about ten houris at evin, vnder filence and clud of nycht, enterit within the faid hous of the Kirktoun of Skene, quhair the faid vmqle Robert was, as faid is, and schot and dilaschet thair hagbuttis and piftolettis at him, quhairwith thai fchot him throw the body; and thaireftir, with thair fuordis, hurt and woundit him in dyuerfe pairtis of his body. Off the quhilkis fchotis and crewall ftraikis, the said vmqle Robert depairtit this lyfe; and sa, was maift crewallie flane and murdreift, vnder nycht, be the faidis perfones; and thai, and ilk ane of thame, ar airt and pairt of the famyn Slauchter and Murthour, committit vpoun fet purpois, prouifioune and foirthocht fellony; in hie and manifeft contempt of our fouerane Lord, his hienes auctoritie and lawis. VERDICT. The Affyfe, be the mouth of Robert Watfoune in Auchincloche, ffand, pronuncet and declairit, all in ane voce, the faidis Johnne, &c. to be Clene, Innocent and Acquit of airt and pairt of the Slauchter of the faid vmqle Robert Irwing; and haill remanent poyntis of the faid Dittay. 1 James Gordoune, burges of Kirkcubreycht (and 26 others) amerciat in payne of ane hundreth merkis,' each, for not appearing to pass upon the Assise of the Mcdowells. See Jul. 25, 1605. Hamesucken - Slaughter. Dec. 11.-Mr ROBERT IRWING of Moncoffer, Dauid Gray in the Lyn, quhartene. Dilaitit of the crymes vnderwritten, viz. PERSEWARIS, Johnne Forbes of Mylnebowie, as father; Patrik Forbes, James Forbes, brether; Sir Thomas Hammiltoune of Monkland, Aduocat. PRELOQUUTOURIS for the pannell, the Erle of Home, the Maister of Marschell, the Maister of Moirtoune, Mr Johne Ruffell, Mr Robert Lyntoune. FORSAMEKILL as thai, with thair complices, with convocatioune, &c. laitlie, vpone the tent day of Februar lastbypast, haifing consauet ane deidlie feid, rancour and malice aganis Johnne Forbes younger in Mylnebowie, be thame felffis and thair complices, of thair speciall causing, fending, hounding out, reffetting with the bluidie hand, airt, pairt-taking, command, affiftance and ratihabitioune, come be way of Hame-fukkin to James Hallis duelling hous at the Kirk of Skene, quhair the faid vmqle Johnne Forbes was for the tyme, doand his liefull effaires and buffines, traisting na evill, &c.; and thair violentlie brak vp the durris of the said hous, enterit within the famyn, fet vpone the said vmqle Johnne, and maist crewallie and vnmercifullie flew the faid vmqle Johnne, be geving of him of dyuerse bluidie woundis, in the wambe; and thai and ilk ane of thame ar airt and pairt, &c. The perfeweris paffis fimpliciter fra the perfute of Mr Robert Irwing, for the crymes contenit in the Letteris.-The perfones accufet denyis the haill Dittay, and haill circumstances thairof; alfweill of the Slauchter as of the beiring of piftolettis. Mr Johnne Ruffell, prelocutour for the pannell, declairis, that Dauid Gray and Andro Many war absent fra the Slauchter; and Dauid Gray, the tyme of the committing thairof, was fleipand in his bed, and knew nathing of the doing thairof, quhill' it was done. VERDICT. The Affyfe, be the mouth of the faid chancillar, all in ane voce, ffand the faidis Dauid, &c. to be Clene, Innocent and Acquit, &c. [APUD LYNLYTHGOW, Mr Williame Hairt of Levelandis, Juflice-Depute.] Treason—Declining the Jurisdiction of the Secret Council – Holding a General Assembly of the Kirk, after being charged, &t. Jan. 10, 1606.-Mr JOHNNE FORBES, Minister at the Kirk of Airfurd, (Moderator,) Mr JOHNNE WELSCHE, Minifter at Air, Mr ROBERT DURIE, Minister at Anftruther, Mr ANDRO DUNCANE, Minister at Carraill, Mr ALEXANDER STRAUCHANE, Minifter at Creiche, Mr JOHNNE SCHERPE, Minister at Kilmany. 2 Dilaitit, accufet and perfewit be Sir Thomas Hammiltoun of Monkland, knyt, 1 Until. 2 As the circumstances are so very fully detailed in the course of the following proceedings, it seems to the Editor only to be necessary to refer the enquiring reader to Wodrow's Church History, pp. 506-516; Hailes' Memorials and Letters, James I. pp. 1-4; Cook's History of the Church of Scotland, II. 160, &c. An elaborate account of this remarkable struggle is also given, by he learned Dr M'Crie, in his interesting Life of Andrew Melville, Vol. II. p. 201, &c. Aduocat to our fouerane Lord, for his hienes entreis, off the crymes of Treffone specifeit in the DITTAY following, viz. 2 FORSAMEKILL as, be the firft Act of our fouerane lordis Parliament, baldin at Edinburgh in the moneth of Maij, Im. Vc. fourscoir four yeiris, it is ftatute and ordanit, that our Souerane Lord, his airis and fucceffouris, be thame felffis and thair Counfallis, ar, and in tyme cuming falbe, Judges competent to all perfones his hienes fubiectis, off quhatfumeuir eftait, degre, functioun or conditioune that euir thay be, of spirituall or temporall, in all matteris quhairin thay or ony of thame falbe apprehendit, fummond or charget, to anfweir to fic thingis as falbe inquyret of thame, be our faid Souerane Lord and his Counfall; and that nane of thame, quhilk fall happin to be apprehendit, callit or fummond, to the effect foirfaid, prefume ar tak vpone hand to declyne the Judgment of his hienes, his airis and fucceffoúris, and thair Counfall, in the premiffes; vnder the pane of Treffone: NOCHTWITHSTANDING it is of verridie, that the faidis Mr JOHNNE FORBES, &c. being charget be our fouerane lordis Letteris, raifit at the inftance of his Maiefteis Aduocat, for his hienes entreis, to compeir befoir his Maieftie and the Lordis of Secreit Counfall, vpone the xxiiij day of October lastbypast, to haif anfuerit for thair vnlauchfull and contemptuous convening, proceiding and halding of ane pretendit Generall Affemblie,1 at Aberdene, the fecund day of July lastbypaft; and appointing of ane new Generall Affemblie, to be haldin at Aberdene, the laft Tyfday of September thairefter; without the confent, and eftir the expres refufeall of the Laird of Lowrieftoun, his Maiefteis Commiffioner, being than prefent in Aberdene; and in contempt of the charges of Hoirning, lauchfullie execute vpone the first day of the said moneth of July laftbypast, at the faid mercait croce of the burgh of Aberdene, difchargeing, in our fouerane lordis name, all convening and halding of ony fic Affemblie, at that tyme and place, vnder the pane of rebellioun; and aganis the will and command of the Lordis of his hienes Secreit Counfall, fignifeit to the faidis Minifteris be the Counfallis Letter than delyuerit to thame be the said Laird of Lowrieftoun, befoir thair faid proceiding, beiring, that becaus thair Lordfchipis vnderftuid that the halding of ane Affemblie, thair, at that tyme, wald heichlie offend his Maieftie, and be estimat be his bienes ane heich contempt, thairfoir it was thair Lordfchipis will and plefour, that the faidis Minifteris fould nocht hald ane Affemblie, at that tyme, nor mak ony indictioune of ane new Affemblie, but fuffer the famyn to defert. As lykwayis, the faid Mr JOHNNE WELSCHE, Minifter at Air, being charget to haif comperit befoir the Loirdis of his hienes Secreit Counfall, the said xxiiij day of October lastbypast, to haif anfuerit for his vnlawfull refoirting to the said burgh of Aberdene, vpone the fourt, fyft and faxt dayis refpective, of the faid moneth of July laftbypaft; and vnderstanding, as it was maift nottour and manifeft to all men thair, how vndeutifullie and contemptuouflie the faidis Minifteris procedit, in the halding of thair said vnlauchfull pretendit Generall Affemblie, to the contempt of his Maiefteis authoritie, and of the directioune of the Lordis of his hienes Secreit Counfall, in maner aboue fpecifeit; neuertheles, the faid Mr Johnne Welfche, without all ordour, forme, neceffitie or preceiding exampill, conveinit vnlawfullie with ane number of his complices, within the Kirk of the faid burcht of Aberdene, the time foirfaid, and Ratiefeit and approvet the proceidingis of thair faid bretherene foirfaid, in balding of thair faid vnlauchfull Affemblie, and making indictioun of ane new Affemblie, as said is, and tuik inftrumentis thairupoune. And in refpect of the premiffis, all the foirfaidis Minifteris, being charget as faid is, to compeir befoir the Lordis of his hienes Secreit Counfall, to haif hard and fene it ffundin and declairit, that thai had verrie contemptuouflie convenit thame felffis, and proceidit in thair faidis actiones, the tyme foirfaid; and thairfoir, the faid Affemblie, and approbatioun thairof, declairit vnlauchfull, and fua to be repute and haldin in tyme cuming; and thay to be puneifchit in thair perfones and Of the Church of Scotland. "Sir Alexander Straiton of Laurenstoun, knight, one of the Commissioners for the Union of England and Scotland, July 11, 1604. A Letter of Gift and Pension, for all the dayes of his lyfetyme, of the blenche-deutie of the Lordschip of Scone, extending to 1000 merks, was Ratified by Parliament, July 11, 1606. Vid. Acta Parl. Straiton was appointed to represent the King, in Ecclesiastical Judicatories. guidis, for thair vnlauchfull convening, halding and approveing of the foirfaid Affemblie, in maner aboue writtin: AND the foirfaidis Minifteris, all compeirand befoir the faidis Lordis of Secreit Counfall, the faid xxiiij day of October laftbypast, to anfuer in the faid caufe, the famyn being ane actioun maift competent and propper to the Jurifdictioun of the Lordis of Secreit Counfall, because the famyn concernit the tryell and puneifchment of ane heich offence, contempt of his Maiefteis authoritie, and diffobedience of his Maieftie and Lordis of his hienes Secreit Counfall: Neuertheles, the foirfaidis Minifteris, and ilk ane of thame, treffonabillie declynit the judgement of his Maieftie and Lordis of his hienes Secreit Counfall fimpliciter, be thair Declinatour, subscryuit be everie ane of thair handis, and gevin in be thame, in Judgement, befoir the faid Lordis; to the quhilk, it being replyit be the said Aduocat, that the famyn fould be Repellit, in refpect of the faid Act of Parliament, declairing all fic Declinatouris to be null, and the proponeris thairof to incur the pane of Treffone: And, in respect of the quhilk anfuer and reply, your faid Declinatour was repellit be the faidis Lordis of Secreit Counfall, all in ane voce: The faidis Minifteris, neuertheles, perfiftit fa obftinatlie thairin, that eftir the famyn was repellit be the faidis Lordis, as faid is, quhairby thai could nocht pretend ony probable dout or ignorance of thair Jurifdictioun, the faidis Minifteris gaif in thaireftir, thair remanent Defenffis, in writt, vnder proteftatioun alwayis, that thai adheirit to thair faid Declinatour: Be proponeing qubairof, as alfo be adhering to the fame Declinatour, eftir that it was Repellit, thay, and euerie ane of thame, hes committit Treffone, and fould incur the panes thairof. PERSEWER, Sir Thomas Hammiltoun, Aduocat to our fouerane lord. THE LORDIS OF SECREIT COUNSALL, vnderwritten, declairis thay will affift the Juftice, as ASSESSOURIS in this caufe. Johnne Erle of Montroife, ASSESSORS. Collectour to his Maieftie, James Lord of Balmyrrienoche, Mr Johnne Preftoun of Pennycuik, Mark Lord Neubottill, Sir Richard Cokburne of Clerking- Sir Robert Meluill of Mourdocar- Sir James Douglas of Quhitting- Alex' Maifter of Elphingstoune, ..... Dauid Lord Scone, Comptroller to his Maieftie, It is allegit be the pannell, that thai aucht to haif bene charget vpone xl dayis wairning, feing thay ar to be accufet for crymes of Treffone.-The Aduocat anfueris, that it is daylie practik, in bringing the perfones put in waird to pannell, to put thame fummerlie to ane Tryell; and speciallie, the practik of the Laird of Bonytoune, quha was tane and put in waird for the breking of his fatheris house and cofferis, and fteilling and away-taking of his fatheris euidentis, &c., was brocht fra the waird to the bar, and put to ane Affyfe. THE Justice Repellis the allegeance, and flindis forder proces :-Quhairupone the Aduocat afkit inftrumentis. It is forder allegit be Mr Thomas Hoip, prelocutour for the pannell, that this matter can nocht pass to ane Affyfe, vpone the declinatour gevin in be thame aganis the fummondis perfewit contrair thame, befoir the Lordis of Secreit Counfall, in fa far as thay ar persewit vpon the first Act of Parliament, haldin in May 1584 yeiris; becaus the meaning and intentioune of the faid law is only to eftableifche the Kingis Maiefteis royall power and Jurifdictioune ouer all perfones; quhilk the pannell, in all humilitie and fubmiffioune, confeffis: And albeit the faid law appeiris to be generall, and vniuerfallie to comprehend all matteris, yit the samyn can nocht be vniwerfallie vnderstuid; becaus, quhairsoeuir a law speikis generallie, gif vpone the generall speiking, ony abfurditie or incommoditie may follow, quhilk may tak away former lawis, or confound diftinct and diuerfe' jurifdictiones, eftableifchet be lawis of befoir, the famyn, in that caice, man be restrictit to thais matteris that may fall vnder the compts of the law; quhilk speciallie aucht to haif place, quhair the matter is odious: But fa it is, gif this law war vniuerfallie vnderftuid, of all matteris, it fould follow, that the Jurifdictiones of the Secreit Counfall, the Lordis of Seffioune, and Justice Generall, quhilkis ar fupreme, Jurifdictiones Ciuill fould be counfoundit, infafar as the woirdis of this law being attendit, na perfone being convenit befoir the Lordis of Secreit Counfall for ane cryme quhilk is competent to the Juftice, or for ane ciuill debt, quhilk is competent to the Seffioune, micht nocht, nor could nocht, without the perrell of the Law, allege that the Lordis of Secreit Counfall ar nocht Judges competent in Criminall or Ciuill cauffis: Bot this is fic ane inconuenient, and fa impropper for the caife, mynd and intentioune of the law, that thair is na perfone will mak queftioune thairin: And as this war competent in the diftinct Jurifdictioune of the Lordis of Secreit Counfall, Seffioun, and Juftice, fua the famyn is alfe competent in Jurifdictioune Ecclefiafticall, quhilk is an feuerall and diftinct Jurifdictioune be the self, haifing the Warrand and grund of the word of God, and being authorizet be his Maiefteis lawis; fpeciallie, be ane Act of Parliament maid in anno Im.V.lxxix, ane vther in the lxxxj and lxxxij yeiris; fua that the pannell, being than convenit befoir the Lordis of Secreit Counfall, in ane matter quhilk was altogidder Ecclefiafticall, pertening to the Jurifdictioun of the Kirk, quhairof the cheif poynt confiftit vpoun the lawfulnes or vnlawfulnes of the Affemblie haldin be thame, thay micht lauchfullie, without the perrell of this law, haif gevin in thar Declinatour, declyneing the faidis Lordis of Secreit Counfall, as nawayis Judges competent of the vnlawfulnes or lawfulnes of the Affemblie; and in doing thairof, thay could nawayis, nor can nawayis be decernit to haif committit aganis the faid law; feing the faid law, poffibillie, can nocht be extendit bot to fie caiffes quhilk hes nocht ane fpeciall, ane feperat, or diftinct Jurifdictioun, be the felff; 1 Separate. Plead. This verb is almost universally made use of throughout these Records, and indeed in nearly the whole of the Forensic proceedings of that period, chiefly in that sense. 3 R VOL. II. 2 |