Merchinftoune, cawtioner for productioune of the faidis lettres: quhairvpoune he afkit actis and inftrumentis. [Mr Williame Hairt, Juftice-Depute.] Breaking into the Place of Boningtoun—Theft of Title Deeds, &r. Mar. 31.-JAMES WOD, ffear of Boningtoune, and Williame Wod of Latoune. Dilatit of the breking of the Place of Boningtoune, &c. PERSEWAR. Mr Thomas Hammiltoun of Drumcarne, Aduocat to our fouerane lord, for his hienes interes. Preloquutouris for James Wod, Mr Johne Ruffell, Mr Alexander King, Mr Laurence McGill, Capitan Andro Gray, Robert Gray. The Aduocat produceit his Maiefteis Warrand, fubferyuit with his hienes (hand,) ordaining him to infift in perfuit, &c. ; quhairof the tennour followis. REX, MR THOMAS HAMMILTOUNE of Drumcarne, our Aduocat, We greit 30w weill. It is our will, and We command 30w, that eftir pe fycht heirof, 3e compeir before our Juftice or his deputis, in our Tolbuith of Edinburgh, the last day of March inftant, in pe hour of caus; and infist in persuit of James Wod, fear of Boningtoune, and Williame Wod of Latoune, tane and dilatit of breking of pe Place of Boningtoun, and of pe treffonabill and thifteous fteilling and away-taking furth pairof, of certane ewidentis, writtis and pleneiffing, pertening to Patrik Wod, eldar of Boningtoune, and to pe Lady Vfane: As alfo, for contravening of pe Actis of Parliament in heiring of Mefs; and reffetting of Lueis..... ., ane Seminarie Preift: ffor pe quhilk thir prefentis falbe 3 our Warrand. Subferyuit with our hand, Att Halyrudhous, the laft day of March, 1601. (Sic fubfcribitur) JAMES R. Thairefter, the said Mr Thomas Hammiltoune produceit the Dittay following. DITTAY against JAMES WOD and WILLIAME Wod. 3 JAMES WOD, fear of Boningtoun, and WILLIAME WOD of Latoun; Ye ar indytit and accufit: fforfamekill, as it is ftatute and ordenit be our fouerane lordis Actis of Parliament, and speciallie, be ane Act maid in his hienes Parliament, hauldin and begun at Edinburgh, the xxix day of Julij I".Vc. lxxxvij yeiris, that incaice it fal happin ony landit men to be lauchfullie and ordourlie convict of the crymes of Thift, Reffett thairof or Stouth-reiff, in tyme cuming, thay fall incur the cryme and payne of Treffoune; that is to fay, tinfall of lyffe, landis and guidis; as the faid Act at mair lenth beris : And trew it is, that ye and ather' of yow, being landit gentilmen, accumpaneit with Thomas Daw, fmyth in Brechin, Alexander Daw, in Carreftoun, his brother, and vtheris your complices, laitlie, vpoun the xvj day of March inftant, came, vnder fylence and cloud of nycht, fra the citie of Brechin, to the Place of Boningtoun, pertening to Patrik Wod, eldar of Boningtoun, fader to yow the faid James; quhair Alexander Daw fchott the haill gettis5 of the faid place, and preiffit to pryife" the 2 There is no notice of this 1A strange corruption, for Ulysses-haven, in the shire of Forfar. branch of the Dittay having been insisted on, and no farther notice is taken. Birrel says, in his Diarey,' p. 54, The laft day of Marche, James Wood of Bonnytoun and his guid-brother Williame Wood tholit ane Affyze for being at the Mefs in Andro Napier's hous; but continewit the executioun.' 3 Name left blank. • Either, each. 4 5 Shot or unbolted the bars and bolts, or other fastenings, of the gates. 6 Made a strenuous endeavour. 7 To prize or wrench open by means of any lever, such as a pinch' or crow-bar, &c. 2 irne zett thairof, and to enter thairin perforce: And becaus ye could nocht pryife the said irne zett, ye pryfit vp ane ftainchell1 of ane laich volt windok, and enterit thairby to the faid place: And efter your entrie, ye opnit the haill duris, and schot the lokis of all the kiflis3 within the faid place, and speciallie of the Chartour kift, ftanding in the chalmer of dace1 of the faid place, perteining to your faid fader; ffurth of the quhilk ye treffonablie (and) thifteouflie ftall, concelit, reffett, ftouthfullie reft, and away-tuik, the haill evidentis being thairin; and findrie vther writtis furth of ane vther kift, within the Galrie of the faid place, and opnit the haill remanent kiftis and cofferis being thairin; ffurth of the quhilkis lykewyife, ye treffonablie and thifteouslie ftall, ftouthfullie reft, reffett and away-tuik nyne pair of scheitis, foure buird-clathis,5 twa dofone and twa of feruiettis, ane pair of blankettis of fustiane, and ane peace of vnbleichit linning claith: And efter that the haill kiftis wer opnit, and that ye wer paking vp the writtis and plenneiffing foirfaid, within the faidis buird-claithis, Matho Wod in Croftis, James Wod his fone, and Dauid ......, ane rynner boy to the Maister of Ogilvie, came to the Place of Boningtoun to yow, and helpit to pak vp the graith: Lykeas, ye the faid Williame Wod of Latoune, with Matho Wod, James Wod and Dauid. . . . . ., and ilkane of yow, thane thifteouslie convoyit away and bure vpoun thair bakis, the haill plenneiffing aboue writtin, writtis and evidentis, togidder with ane lytill coffer with writtis, pertening to the Lady Vfane, furth of the faid Place of Boningtoun, towardis the Place of Bofchene; quhair ye wes reffett be Johne Ogilvie, feruand to the Maifter of Ogilvie, and be yow the faid James Wod, fear of Boningtoune, haifing borrowit the said Place of Bofchene to that purpois: And vpoun the Thurifday thaireftir, being the xix day of this inftant, ye thifteouslie transportit and convoyit the faidis euidentis, writtis and plenneiffing, fra the faid Place of Bofchen to the Place of Inchture; quhair ye the faid James Wod, be your felff, and vtheris of your caufing, reffett the famin: And fwa, ye and ather of yow ar art and pairt of the thifteous breking of the faid Place of Boningtoune, and of the treffonabill and thifteous fteiling, conceling, awaytaking and ftouth-reiff, furth thairof, of the plenneiffing, writtis and euidentis aboue writtin, pertening to the faid Patrik Wod of Boningtoune, fader to yow the faid James, and to the said Lady Vsane; and of the reffett thairof: Of the quhilkis crymes, ye, being landit gentilmen, and being ordourlie and lauchfullie convict, ye and ather of yow hes incurrit the cryme and pane of Treffoune, viz. tinfall of lyffe, landis and guidis: To the taking that ye and ather of yow ar airt and pairt of the faidis crymes, ye haif confeft the famin be your Depofitiounis; as the famin, fubfcryuit be your bandis, beris. The famin day, the Laird of Latoune, efter reding of the Dittay produceit be the Aduocat, declarit that he wald becum in the Kingis Maiefteis Will for the famin: Quhairvpoun the faid Mr Thomas Hammiltoun afkit inftrumentis. The parteis, requiring that this mater mycht continew to the morne, THE JUSTICE repellis, and ordanis proces. The preloquitouris for James Wod defyrit that thay may haif licence to propone declinatouris aganis ony Affeffour that he fall speir att.-It is alledgeit be the faid James Wod and his preloquutouris, that na proces can be led aganis the faid James; becaus he is challangeit vpoun crymes of Treffoune, and that he is nocht fummond vpoun fourtie dayes, to vnderly the law for the faid cryme, quhilk aucht to be; in refpect he is nather tane in flagranti crimine, nor putt 1 Stancheon. 4 The presence chamber, or room of state. Properly speaking, it is that part of a hall which was raised higher than the rest; the place of honour. Chawmer o' dais' is still used to signify a parlour, in remote parts of the country. 5 Table-cloths. Servets, towels, or table napkins. verb to tyne, or lose. 2 The window of a low vault or cellar. 8 In token, evidence, or proof. 3 Chests. Loss; from the to the horne. To the quhilk it is anfuerit, that it is nocht neceffar to warn him vpoun fourtie dayes, becaus he is accufat of Treffoune, and brocht fra the Kingis waird to the bar. THE JUSTICE ffindis proces, and repellis the alledgeance; quhairvpoun my Lord Aduocat afkit inftrumentis. It is alledgeit, that the Dittay is nawyis relevant, becaus it is difconforme to the Act of Parliament; becaus the Act of Parliament is anent commoun thift, reffett of thift, or ftouth-reiff; and trew it is, that the propofitioun of the Dittay is nocht fa fett doun, but only vpoun fimpill thift; quhair that the wordis of the Act of Parliament is extendit only to commoune thift, commoun reffett, commoun ftouth and reiff.-The Aduocat anfueris, that the alledgeance aucht to be repellit, in respect of the Actis of Parliament and Dittay; fpeciallie, feing thair is na thing obiectit aganis the tua poyntis of Dittay, anentis the ressett of thift and ftouth-reiff, quhilkis ar baith feuerallie (Separately) releuant.—It is anfuerit be the defender, that thay wordis of the Act of Parliament, anent reffett of thift, ftouth-reiff, man (must) be eiufdem nature with thift; that is to say, commoun thift: And forder, the haill ftrenth of this Dittay, fa far as is qualefeit aganis Bonningtoune, is qualefeit vpoun the alledgeit actuall deid of thift, alledgeit committit be him, quhilk of all neceffitie man be, be the Act of Parliament, commoune.-The Aduocat anfueris, that the wordis of the Act of Parliament ar confauit dif... and ewerie poynt thairof is relevant, lyke as the pannell is perfewit for the thift, ressett of thift and ftouth-reiff.—It is anfuerit be the pannell, that that word 'commoun' is vnderstand to be repetit in ewerie pairt of the dif. . . ; and as fimpill thift is nocht Treffoune, multo minus is fimpill reffett or fimpill ftouth-reiff, Treafoune; for thay man be eiufdem nature.—The Aduocat alledgis, that the said alledgeance aucht to be repellit, in respect of the wordis of the Act of Parliament. (2.) Forder, it is alledgeit be the defender, that the Dittay is nocht relevant, becaus it condifcendis nocht quhat landis the excipient hes; for, without it wer speciallie condifcendit vpoun, the Dittay can nawyis be relevant to infer Treffoune: And forder, gif the Aduocat wald condifcend, we mycht and wald allege, that gif ony Infeftment the defender had of thay landis, he wes, lang before the alledgeit committing of the cryme lybellit, denudit of thais landis, be Decreit of Redemptioun obtenit att the inftance of his fader; and we declair that the alledgeance is only proponit to elide that pairt of the lybell concerning Treffoune; vnder proteftatioun, that he nawyis grantis the cryme lybellit.-The Aduocat anfueris, that the alledgeance aucht to be repellit, in respect of the Dittay; ffor gif he haif land, the conclufioune anent the Treffoune ftandis relevant; and gif he want land, the reft of the Dittay will tak his lyffe and all his gudis.-It is anfuerit, that my Lord Aduocat man fay pofitiue, that he is landit, and condiscend quhat land he hes; ffor it man be lybellit and cognofcit be Affyife, quhidder he be ane landit gentilman or nocht; and ane prefumptioun can nocht be put to ane Affyife, bot (without) ane affirmatioun and ane speciall condifcending vpoun quhat land he hes; and the partie man be hard, to propone his defenffis aganis the famin.The Aduocat repetis his former anfuer. (3.) Forder, of all neceffitie, the Aduocat man condifcend vpoun the names of the landis, becaus gif he wald condifcend, that fame condifcending wald be ane fufficient exceptioun to the defender, to purge him of the haill Dittay; be reasoun that the euidentis, alledgeit ftollin, will be fund to be the euidentis of the landis quhairof he falbe condifcendit to be heretour; and swa, can nawyis be thift; for ane man can newir be callit and convict of thift, for fteilling of his proper guidis; that is contrar to the definitioun of thift, quhilk is contrectatio rei aliene, invito domino. The Aduocat repetis his former anfuer and the Dittay. (4.) ITEM, it is allegeit that the Dittay is nocht relevant, in respect that it condifcendis nocht, quhat euidentis and of quhat landis thay ar of; quhilk man be condifcendit vpoun, in respect the defender wald fufficientlie purge the haill Dittay and away-taking thairof, be fchawing that the faidis euidentis wer his awin proper euidentis.-The Aduocat repetis the Dittay for anfuer. (5.) ITEM, it is forder allegeit, that this Dittay can nocht be putt to the knawledge of ane Affyfe, becaus it man reffaue ane Ciuile precognitioune, quhilk is nocht1 -The Aduocat anfueris, that thair is na Ciuilitie in Treffoun, and the allegeance mereitis na anfuer.-The defender fayis, he will fay na mare at this tyme. ... (6.) ITEM, anent the feruiettis, non relevat, et eft res parvi momenti ; and per fe can work na thing. INTERLOCUTOR of Relevancy. THE Juftice findis the Dittay relevant; and remittis the famin to the tryell of ane Inqueift, nochtwithstanding of the haill alledgeances aboue writtin, proponit for the pannell; and to be verefeit to the Inqueift, as accordis. Vpoun the quhilk Interloquutour, the Aduocat afkit inftrumentis. ASSISA. Sir Patrick Creychtoun of Mr Patrik Balfoure of Pitcullocht, Johne Mathefoune of Brochtoune, 1 Left blank. the Affyfe; and of the productioun of the Act of Parliament; and of the productioun of the foure Depofitiounis, maid and subscryuit be the pannell; beirand the haill contentis of the Dittay. The Defender acceptis the Dittay, the haill verificatiounis and Judgeis Interloquutour, and repetis the haill allegeancis proponit of before, to be cognofcit be the Affyfe; And alledgis, to the Affyis, that seing the Act of Parliament is ane pairt of the Dittay, and the fundament and ground of the famin; and seing, the haill Dittay and verificatioun confiftis vpoun thift; in caise the Assyse find nocht the pannell giltie of Commoune Thift, proteftis, that he be chargeit of the faid Dittay and Act of Parliament; and ane cryme or poynt of Thift, of the law and practik of this realme, man newir be eftemit Commoun Thift; and ane perfoune can newir be convict of Commoun Thift, for ony ane alledgeit poynt or cryme; ffor he, of the law and practik of the realme, is eftemit ane Commoun theif, quha is convict of thre feuerall poyntis and crymis of Thift; quhilk is nather qualefeit in the Dittay nor verifeit. And forder, the Defender takis inftrumentis, that thair is na thing produceit to verifie him to be ane landit gentleman; and thairfore, of all neceffitie, man be clangeit of all poyntis of Treffoune; ffor except it had been relevantlie qualifeit in the Dittay, and fufficientlie inftructit, that the Defender wer ane landit gentilman, Treffoune could nather be inferrit nor concludit vpoun that dittay. Forder, the defender alledgis, that the remanent of the crymes contenit in the said Dittay, for the alledgit awaytaking of the euidentis and the Confeffioun maid be him of the famin, is na cryme of Thift; haifand confideratioun, that the euidentis is confeffit to appertene to his fader, to quhome he is eldest fone and apperand air; and the away-taking of his faderis euidentis, can newir import Thift; haifing confideratioun, that his fader, quhom-fra the euidentis is alledgeit tane, is na perfewar nor complenar ; and thair is na actioune that can be compitent for the awaytaking thairof, bot1 only ane fimple actioun of fpuilzie; ffor that wer ane dangerous preparatiue2 to the haill realme of Scotland, that quhen ane fone offendis his fader, ather be alledgeit away-taking of his euidentis, horfe or vther graith, the fader newir complenand nor fyndand falt with the doing of the said deid, that the committeris falbe convict of Treffoun or Thift, at the Aduocatis inftance. To the quhilk, it is anfuerit be the Aduocat, that the Affyse aucht nawyis (to) respect the alledgeance proponit, in fafar as this Dittay is confauit aganis William Wod of Latoune; becaus he nather proponis nor adheris to itt, bot hes ratifeit his Depofitiounis, and hes becum in his Maiefsteis will, for the haill poyntis of the Dittay; in refpect quhairof, in cais the Affyis onywyis clange, proteftis for Wilful errour. And in fafar as the alledgeance is proponit for Boningtoune, 1 Unless, excepting. 2 Precedent, example. 3 Cleanse, or acquit. |