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JAMES R.

JUSTICE, Juftice Clark and 3our deputes, We greit 30w weill. Having directit to continew the perfute of Thomas and Edward Nifbettis, for pe flauchter of vmqle James Carmichell, quhill the informatioun gewin vnto ws of pair committing of pat fact in pair awin defence, war fyrft tryed by our Counfall; from quhom we have reffauit ane cleir teftimony of pair innocency of pat fact: And being moft willing that Juftice be adminiftrat to all our lwving fubiectis: It is thairfore oure Will, that 30W affix and keip 3our Juftice Court against the saidis perfonis, att fic place as falbe maist convenient; and putt pame to pe knawledge of ane Inqueift; so that the accufatiounes and defences of both the pairteis may be weill confidered of by 30w, before that mater be adiudgeit: And that, nochtwithstanding ony command or directioune gewin by ws or our Counfall in pe contrair; as ze will anfuer to ws vpoun 3our office and obedience: Quhairanent pir presentis falbe 3our Warrand. Gewin at our Court of Royftoun, the xiij day of October, 1606.

And ficlyk, producet our fouerane lordis Letteris of Affyse and Dittay formet aganis the pannell; and tuik inftrumentis of the productioune thairof.—The pannell declairis, nochtwithstanding of thair innocencie of the Slauchter, they ar content to enter in cowmoning, and to offer fatisfactioune and affythement for the flauchter, at the ficht of freindis.-The perfeweris declairis, in respect that the bairne is minor quha perfewis; and thairfoir, the remanent perfeweris can nocht tak the burding of that mater vpone thame; and defyret proces. Thairefter Mr Alexander King, prelocutour for the pannell, producet his Maiefteis Warrand, direct to the Juftice, for continuatioun of this matter to the xxviij day of Januare nixt; quhairof the tennour followis.

JAMES R.

It is our pleaffour and Will, that se continew all actioune and proces before 30w, at pe inftance of pe kyn and freindis of vmqle James Carmichell in Dyfert, aganis Edward and Thomas Nifbettis, for pe Slauchter of pe faid vmqle James; committit in pe moneth of . . . . lastbypast; and nawyife proceid and grant ony proces thairin, before the xxviij day of Januar nixtocum: ffor pe quhilk 3our delay and continewatioun, thir prefentis falbe to 30w fufficient Warrand. Gewin at our Court off Quhytehall, the nynt of December, 1606. To our Ryt truftie and weilbelouit, oure Justice, Juftice-clark, and pair deputis.

It is anfuerit be the perfeweris, that the faid Warrand of continuatioun aucht nawayis to be respectit be the Juftice; bot nochtwithstanding thairof, the perfones now on pannell aucht presentlie to be put to the knawledge of ane Assyse; for tua cauffis : ffirft, In refpect of the former Warrand producet, quhairin tua speciall poyntis ar maist remarkable; ffirst, his Maieftie thairby hes declairit, that he hes reffauit na cleir testimony of thair innocencie, be the tryell' tane at Leyth, befoir the Counfall; and thairfoir, accoirding to his hienes good affectioun to juftice, of his certane knawledge and proper motiue directit the first Warrand: The nixt, is the command gevin thairin to the Juftice, with this qualite,' that he fall obey the famyn, nochtwithflanding of quhatfumeuir vther command thair gevin be his Maieftie or Counfall in the contrair. Secundo, the 1 Examination, precognition. 2 Qualification.

faid pretendit last Warrand is direct expres contrair the Act of Parliament 1592, quhilk fayis, it is ftatute and ordanit, be his Maiefteis fpeciall will and directioun, that na Warrand for continuatioun of Juftice Courtis fall be admittit be the Justice and his deputis, in tyme cuming. Laft, nocht only is it express aganis the faid Act of Parliament, bot aganis the daylie ordour and practik obferuet baith befoir the Lordis of Counfall, in Ciuill cauffis, and befoir the Justice in Criminal cauffis, that Warrandis purcheft be the fute of partie, finister informatioun, and for stay of Justice, fall nevir be refpectit; quhilk is also conforme to the cowmoun law. It is anfuerit, that the haill allegeances aucht to be repellit, in refpect of the Kingis Maiefteis Warrand.

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THE Justice, accoirding to his Maiefteis Warrand and directioun, continewis this matter to the xxviij day of Januare nixt: And ordanis the perfones on pannell to be wairdit within the Tolbuith of Edinburgh to the faid day,' and the Affyfe, fummond to this day, wairnit, apud acta, &c.

Cruel Slaughter.

Dec. 19.-JOHNNE and WILLIAME RUTHERFURD, fones to Stewin Rutherfurd in Chatto, boirne vnder James Ker of Greneheill.

Dilatit, accufet and perfewit be DITTAY,

FORSAMEKILL as, thay haifing confauit ane deidlie feid, rancour and malice aganis vmqle Thomas Bell in Spiddope-fute, in England, because he had hurt and lameit the said Williame, vnderstanding the faid vmqle Thomas to haif bene in his fomer-fcheill befyde the fellis, in the moneth of Junij, or thairby, laft bypaft, thay, vpoun cullour and in a counterfute forme, feinzeing thame felffis to be in feiking of ane kow that was tynt3 amangis the fcheillis, come to the faid vmqle Thomas Bell, in an howp callit Spittope-howp, quhair he wes, in fober and quyet maner for the tyme, with his wyfe and ane young lafs, milking thair ky; and thair, the faid William Rutherfurd, haifing ane grit grene kent and fquarit batoun5 in his hand, eftir fum wordis paft betuix the said Williame and the faid vmqle Thomas, he crewallie invadit him for his Slauchter, and gaif the faid vmqle Thomas ane crewall and deidlie ftraik in his heid, and claif the famin asunder: Off the quhilk ftraik he immediatlie thaireftir fell doun deid. Lyke as, the faid Johnne Rutherfurd, for quhais cause the said deidlie feid was confauit, ftude afyde, awaitting gif his brother had bene overthrawin, or the faid vmqle Thomas, to haif fortifeit and affiftit him. And immediatlie eftir the famin Slauchter wes committit, thay baith mett togidder at the nik of the fell, and hering the spraich' ryife, and the countrey to follow thame, thay baith fled in Ingland; quhair thay were fugitiue, quhills thair apprehenfioun for the faid Slauchter. And fa, the faid Slauchter wes committit be thame; and thay and ather of thame ar airt and pairt thairof, vpoun fett purpois, provifioun, auld feid and foirthocht fellony; in hie and manifest contempt of our fouerane lordis auctoritie and lawis, &c.

1 There is no entry on Record of further proceeding in this case; but it is likely the Nisbets compounded with the private prosecutors, and obtained Letters of Remission. 2 The summer scheills or scheillings on the ‘fells' or hills, were temporary huts, for the use of those who attended the cattle during their grazing on commons, &c. They are still kept up in many parts of Scotland. It is the practice to dismantle them at the end of the grazing season. Lost. Or hope, a sloping hollow between hills, a common term in the south of Scotland. Slack is synoni5 A large rung, staff, or bludgeon, and a batoun or stick made square, (i. e. with angular edges,) to give a more severe and deadly blow. Nik is a narrow cleft or opening, at the summit of two hills. 7 Hue and cry. By reference to the Works of Sir Walter Scott, it will be seen with what astonishing alacrity the country was 'raised,' on such occasions. The pannels showed no small address in effecting their escape. 9 Until.

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VERDICT. Eftir accufatioun of the pannell, be Dittay, of the crymes aboue writtin, quhilk wes grantit be the said Williame, and alluterlie' denyit be the faid Johnne, the Affyfe, be the mouth of..... Murray of Brochtoun, chancellar, fand and pronuncet the faid Johnne to be Cleane, innocent and acquit of airt and pairt of the Slauchter of the faid vmqle Thomas Bell, and of the haill heidis of the Dittay aboue writtin: And alse, ffand, pronuncet and declairit the faid Williame to be ffylit, culpabill and convict of airt and pairt of the said Slauchter.

SENTENCE. For the quhilk caufe, the faid Juftice-depute decernit and ordanit the faid Williame Rutherfurd to be tane to the Caftellhill of Ed', and thair, his heid to be strikkin from his body; and all his movable guidis to be escheit, &c.

Breaking into the Place of Torwoodlee — Taking Captive —

Murder-Stouthrief, &c.

Jan. 8, 1607.-JOHNNE ELLOTT of Cappfchaw.

Dilaitit, accufet and perfewit be George Hoppringill of Torwoidlie, James and Dauid Hoppringillis, as oyis, with the remanent kyn and freindis of vmq George Hoppringill of Torwoidlie, thair guidschir,3 of the crymes following, viz.

FORSAMEKILL as the said Johnne Ellote of Copfchaw, Robert Ellote, callit Mairtenis Hob, and Jok Airmeftrang, callit the Lairdis Jok, with thair complices, with convocatioun of the haill Clannis of the Airmeftrangis, Ellotes, Batiefones, Grahames and remanent Clannis, duelland alfweill on the Inglis as Scottis Bordouris, all cowmone thevis, outlawis and brokin men, to the number of thre hundreth perfones or thairby, bodin in feir of weir, with jakis, fpeiris, fteil-bonnetis, lance-ftalffis, hagbutis and piftoletis, expreflie prohibeit to be borne, worne, vfet or fchot with, be dyuerfe our Actis of Parliament and Secreit Counfall, in the moneth of December, the yeir of God Im.Vc. threscoir aucht yeiris, (1568,) come fordward, in hofteill maner, baith on horfe and fute, to the Place of Torwoidlie, and thair, vnder filence and clud of nycht, with foir-hammeris and geiftis,5 dang up the zeittis of the faid Place, and be force and violence enterit within the famyn; and tuik the faid vmqle George [Hoppringill] furth of his bed, and convoyit him away, as captiue and priffoner with thame, to the Skaldeneife, within the Sherefdome of Selkirk; and thair maift crewallie and vnmerciefullie Murdreift and flew the faid vmqle George: Committing thairthrow, nocht only crewall and abhominabill Murthour and Slauchter, bot alfo Vfurpatioun of our fouerane lordis auctoritie vpone thame, in taking of the faid vmqle George Hoppringill captiue, but7 power or commiffioun, he being our fouerane lordis frie lege. AND ficlyke, at the famyn tyme, the faid Johnne Ellott and remanent perfones, with thair complices, to the number aboue writtin, at the tyme foirfaid, brak up the haill kistis, cofferis and lokfast houffis within the said Place, and thiftiouflie ftaw, conceillit, reffet and away-tuik with thame, furth of the faid Place of Torwoidlie, and stabillis thairof, fevintene horfis pertening to the faid vmqle George, price of the piece ourheid3 ane hundreth pundis money; togidder with the fowme of ane thoufeand pundis of gold and money furth of the faid vmqle George Hoppringillis purfe. ITEM, thre filuer peices, wey1 Altogether, wholly. 2 Grandchildren. A personage well known to the public, from various anecdotes contained in the Border Minstrelsy, and the graphic story contributed by Sir Walter Scott, in that exquisitely beautiful Annual, THE KEEPSAKE,' for 1829; to which publication (pp. 186-192) the Editor refers for interesting Notices of this Border worthy, his family and associates. Forehammers, and joists or beams. Broke up the gates. 7 Without power. 9 The nature of these massive pieces of plate is not elsewhere specified. They convey a favourable idea of the wealth and splendour in which many of the Border Chieftains lived.

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3 Grandfather.

8 Overhead, on an average.

and fourfcoir vnces of filuer or thairby, price of the vnce fourtie fchillingis. ITEM, tua duffane of filuer fpvnes, ilk fpwne weyand tua vnce of filuer, price of the vnce fourtie fchilling: Togidder with the haill bedding, naiprie, clething, abuilzementis, inficht and pleniffing being within the faid place, worth the fowme of fyve thousand merkis money of this realme, had and transpoirtit away with thame, and difponit thairvpoun att thair pleafour.

THE Juftice decernit and ordanit Williame Elliot of Fallinafch, cautioner and fouertie for the entrie of the said Johnne Elliot of Capschaw, to be amerciat and vnlawit for his non-entrie, in the payne of fyve hundreth merkis: And als, adiudget the said Johnne to be denunceit our fouerane lordis rebell, and putt to the horne; and all his movabill guidis to be escheit and inbrocht to our fouerane lordis vfe, as fugitiue fra his hienes lawis, for the faidis crymes.'

Justice=Depute appointed.

Jan. 20.-THE quhilk day Mr ROBERT COKBURNE, Aduocat, was creat Justice-DeputE; and gaif his ayth de fideli administratione, during his office.

[Mr Robert Cokburne, Juftice-Depute.]
Liability Anent the General Band.

Jan. 21.-SIR JAMES JOHNNESTOUNE of Dunskellie, kny' (of that Ilk). Compeirit the Laird of Johnneftoune, and producet the Warrand vnderwrittin, superscryuit be his Maieftie; quhairof the tennour followis.

JAMES R.

JUSTICE, Juftice Clark and 3our deputis, We greit 30w weill. Forfamekill as it is knawin to we, that thair ar diuerfe Criminall perfuitis movit at pe inftance of findrie perfounes aganis Sir James Johnneftoune of Dunskellie, knyt, his kyn, freindis, pairt-takeris, men, tennentis, feruandis, and fic vperis, for quhom the (faid) Sir James is anfuerable, be pe Generall Band and law of our realme; and that, for diverfe crymes alledgeit committit be pame, befoir pe moneth of Apryll, Im.Vc. thre zeiris, quhilk wes pe tyme of owre repair hither: Albeit it be naper our will nor mynd, that the regour of pe lawis be profecutit aganis thais perfounes for ony crymes or offences committit be thame before pe foirfaid tyme; hoping that our lenitie fall move pame to keip our peax, and be pe moir obedient fubiects in tyme cuming: IT is pairfore our Will, and We command 30w, that pe on nawyis gif proces in any of pe faidis Criminall perfuitis alreddie movet aganis the faid Sir James, his kyn, freindis, pairttakeris, men, tennentis, feruandis, and fic vperis for quhom he is anfuerable, be pe Generall Band and lawis of our realme; nor that ze on nawyis direct any Criminall Letteris, for perfuit of pe faidis perfounes, or any of pame, in tyme cuming, for any cryme or offence allegeit committit be pame or any of pame, preceding pe moneth and tyme aboue specifeit; nor nawyfe gif proces pairvpoune heireftir: Difchargeing 30w pairof, and of all haulding of Courtis to pat effect, and of 3our office in pat pairt: Difpenfand alfwa with pe faidis perfounes and everie ane of pame, anent pair non-comperance att quhatfumewir dyettis. As 3e will anfuer to ws pairvpoun: Quhairanent thir prefentis falbe 3our fufficient Warrand. Gewin at our Court of Quhytehall, the faxt day of Apryll, 1606 zeiris.

THE JUSTICE Depute continewis the admitting of this Warrand to the fourt day of Februar nixtocum: And ordanit the perfoune that ffand cautioun for The denunciation and letters are recorded, at full length, on Jan. 9.

VOL. II.

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their entrie to this day, to find new cautioun for thair entrie to the faid fourt day of Februar nixtocum.

The famin day Sir James Johnnestoune (of Dunskellie, kn',) becom pledge and fouirtie for Johnne Grahame in Dryffe, Mungo Johnnstoun in Lokarbie, &c.

(Feb. 4.)-Sir JAMES JOHNNESTOUN of Dunfkellie, knyt, is amerciat for nocht entrie of the faidis fyve perfounis, for ilk ane of thame in the payne of ane hundreth merkis.' He is alfo amerciated in 1100 merks, for the non entry of Johnne Johnnestoun in Howgill, and ten others.'

THE Juftice adjudgeit the principall perfones nocht comperand to be denunceit our fouerane lordis rebellis, and all thair movabill guidis to be efcheit.

Cutting Growing Timber.

Jan. 28.-GEORGE HENDERSOUN in Wynningtoune.

2

Dilatit, accufit and perfewit be Robert Ellote of Reidheuche, of the crymes following, that is to fay,

THAT quhair, it is expreflie provydit, ftatute and ordanit be our fouerane lordis Actis of Parliament, fpeciallie, be ane Act of the ellevint Parliament, cap. lxxxij, that quhatfumewir perfoun or perfounis wilfullie cuttis doune and destroyis growand treis and coirnis, falbe callit and persewit thairfore, before the Justice or his deputis, at Justice-airis, or perticuler dyettis; and being convict thairof, to be pwneiffit as thewis to the death; as the faid Act at mair lenth beris. And trew it is, that the faid George Henderfoun, with his complices, expres contrair the tennour of the Act of Parliament, in the monethis of Junij, Julij, Auguft, September and October respectiue, at the leift, in ane or vther of the faidis monethis, in the yeir of God ITM.Vjc. and fyve yeiris; and ficlyke, att the ffeift of Martimes laftbypast, come to the faid Robert Ellottis wod, callit Birkwod, and thair, wilfullie, by3 the faid Robertis knawledge or confent, cuttit doun and diftroyit, at ilk tyme, the perticuler number and quantitie of growand treis following, to witt, ane hundreth grit growand birk treyis, thre hundreth grit growand allouris, thrie hundreth grit growand heiffillis, with foure hundreth grit growand fauch treis ;* quhilkis growand treis, the faid George and his complices had and transpoirtit away with thame, and difponit thairvpoune att thair pleafour; and the faid George is airt and pairt thairof.

PERSEWER, Robert Ellote of Reidheuche.

PRELOCUTOURIS for the pannell, Mr Thomas Henderfoune, Mr Johnne Dempster.

It is allegit be the pannel, that this matter can nocht be put to the knawlege of ane Inqueift, becaus the perfewer fchawis na fufficient entreis to perfew, nather is this perfute raifit at the Kingis Aduocatis inftance.-Anfuerit be the perfewar, that he referris the notorietie of his entreis to perfew for the cuting of the treyis lybellit, to the defenderis ayth; in respect that he knawis him to be fufficientlie infeft in the woid lybellit; and as to the fecund pairt, anent the Aduocattis compeirance, anfuerit, he may perfew without the Aduocatis compeirance. It is allegit be the pannell, that he can nocht be vrget, vpoune the

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