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†Becaus of the grite delay in actionis criminall throw the not halding of justice airis twyise in the yeir, according to the auncient and lovable ordour established be divers guid lawes and actis of parliament maid of befoir, considering the ordiner judgement in criminall causis is only now at Edinburgh, quhair particular dyettis ar sett for certane speciall and heichast crymes, the punisment of uther offensis quhairby the commoun weill is greitlie grevit left to the justice airis that verie senedill haldis and thairthrow ar becumin contemptable; thairfoir, and for eise and releif of the subjectis that ar sa frequentlie inquieted be cuming in convocatioun to dayes of law and to pas upoun assysis in Edinburgh, quhair the courtis ar oftymes continewit in hinderance of justice and to the grite truble and neidles expensis of the kingis lieges, it is thairfoir statute and ordanit be our soverane lord, with avise of his thre estaittis convenit in this present parliament, that justice airis salbe haldin twyise everie yeir in tyme cuming ower all the schires of this realme in the monethis of Aprile and October, begynnand in the moneth of October nixtocum gif convenientlie it may be. And be ressoun the mater can not be orderit and overtane attanis be ony few number to pas successivelie oure all the haill realme frome ane schyre to ane uther, that oure soverane lord sall caus his justice generall mak aucht deputis, or ellis his hienes sall mak sa mony be his awin commissionis under the testimoniall of the grite seill, of sum of the senatoris of the college of justice or certane weill experimentit advocattis that ar maist able for travell, appointand tua oure everie quarter of the realme, quhilk contenis sevin sherefdomes or thairby, with ane depute of the thesaurairis and ane uther of the justice clerkis; and that the stewartries and baillieries cum to the heid burrowis of the sherefdomes quhairin thay ly befoir the cuming of the quhilkis justices, deputtis, dittayes salbe uptakin and the personis inditit arreistit in maner heirefter specefiit, quhilkis justices sa directit salbe ressavit at thair entrie in the schire be the sheref principall or his sufficient depute, as alsua be the wardanis within the wardanries or thair deputis, being knichtis or gentilmen landit, with the friehaldaris of the same sherefdome, that salbe wairnit be the sheref to that effect be proclamatioun for convening at the place and tyme appoyntit, quhilkis sall convoy the saidis justices deputtis to the heid burgh of the schire and accompany thame during thair remaning thair and quhill thai be out of the boundis of the said schire and ressaveit be the nixt sheref or his depute; and upoun the morne efter the cuming of the saidis justice deputtis to every heid burgh of the schire, gif the day be lauchfull, and failyeing thairof, the nixt lauchfull day, thay sall begin and fense thair air, call the suitis and put the offendouris, gif ony be alreddy in prisoun, to the knawlege of ane assyis and as thai be fund culpable or innocent, to minister justice upoun thame conforme to the lawes of the realme, thairefter, to call the pleges and cautioneris of personis that hes fund souirtie to underly the law the thrid day of the air or soner, upoun xv dayes warning; and thridlie, the personis newlie indytit and arreistit and do justice lykwayis upoun thame, and that thai direct thair preceptis for summoning of assyisis, ane or ma, ilk persoun under the pane of fourtie pundis, and having endit thair justice airis, they sall deliver the extract thairof, subscrivit with thair handis, be indenture to the thesaurair or his depute, quhilkis sall caus uptak the sowmes contenit in the said extract and mak compt of the sowmes contenit thairin at the nixt chekker befoir the auditouris thairof, in the first end of quhilkis sowmes salbe allowit to the thesaurair or his depute the charges and expensis of the justices and clerkis as the samin salbe modifiit and appoyntit be the lordis, auditouris of his hienes chekker, or ony fyve of thame. And to the effect that all excutionis and arreistmentis requisite may be dewlie prepairit befoir the cuming of the saidis justice deputis, it is statute and ordanit that oure soverane lord, with avise of his chancellair, thesaurair and justice clerk, sall nominat and gif commissioun to honorable and worthie personis, being knawin of honest fame and estemit na mantenaris of evill or oppressioun, and in degree erlis, lordis, baronis, knichtis and speciale gentilman landit, experimentit in the lovable lawes and custumes of the realme, actuall induellaris in the same schires, to the nowmeris heirefter limitat according to the boundis and quantitie of everie schire: that is to say, within the cuntries and schirefdome of Orknay and Zetland, xiiij; within Inverness and Cromartie, xxj; Narne, vij; Elgin and Forres, vij; Bannff, vij; Abirdene, xxj; Kincardine, vij; Forfare, xiiij; Fyff, xiiij; Kinross, vij; Clakmannane, vij; Perth, xxj; Striviling, vij; Dunbartane, vij; Linlythgw, vij; Edinburgh principall, vij; constabularie of Hadingtoun, vij; Berwick, vij; Roxburgh, xiiij; Selkirk, vij; Peiblis, vij; Lanerk, xiiij; Renfrew, vij; Ergile, vij; Bute, vii; Air, xxj; Wigtoun, vij; Dumfreis, xxj; quhilkis salbe the kingis commissioneris and justices in the furtherance of justice, peax and quietnes, togidder with foure of the counsall of every burgh within the selff, quhilkis salbe constant and continewall uptakeris of dittay, gevand, grantand and committand to thame full power to tak inquisitioun and mak dittay be thair awin knawlege or be a sworne inqueist or sworne particuler man of all personis suspectit culpable of the crymes and defaultis contenit in the table to be maid be the thesaurair, justice clerk and advocate annext to this present act devidit in tua sortis; and all personis dilatit as culpable in the first degree, the saidis juges and commissioneris sall othir apprehend and commit to ward (gif convenientlie thai can), or ellis sall deliver thame in portuus to the crowner of the schire every moneth anis, to be arreistit and put under suirtie be him or his deputtis to the nixt justice air to be haldin twyise in the yeir be the kingis justices deputtis directit frome his hienes in maner befoir specifiit; and upoun all personis dilaitit and suspect as culpable of the uther cryme and defaultis in the secund degree, the saidis justices and commissioneris in the schyris sall proceid and do justice thame selffis at thair courtis and metingis to be kepit foure tymes every yeir: that is to say, at the first day of Maii, at the first day of August, at the first day of November and at the first day of Februare, or utherways at ony tyme, thrie of thame being togidder and alwayes sitting in the tolbuyth of the heid burgh of the schire, and that thai remane at every ane of the saidis foure tymes in the yeir thre dayes togidder, or langair or schortair as thai find occasioun, with power to thame to direct thair preceptis and portuus to the crowneris and thair preceptis to schireffis or officiaris of armes to summound assyisis, ilk persoun under the pane of ten pundis, as alsua to send thair extractis to the thesaurair efter everie ane of thair four metingis to the effect the panes and unlawis thairin contenit may be takin up, quhairof compt, rakning and payment salbe maid at the nixt chekker and the charges and expensis of the saidis justices and commissioneris allowit thairin in sic quantitie as salbe modifiit and appoyntit be the lordis of his hienes chekker betuix and the first day of November nixtocum. And incais of dissobedience or contempt, that thai notifie the samin to the kingis justice deputis at the saidis justice airis, and gif thai alsua sall find thame contempnit and dissobeyit onywayes, to signifie the same to oure soverane lord and his secreit counsall, quha sall provide for punisement of the contempt be force, to the terrour and example of utheris offendouris to commit the lyk in tyme cuming, and the saidis justices of bayth sortes for the space of ane yeir and further induring oure soverane lordis will to induir.
Item, his hienes ratifeis the act maid anent the punisement of hocharis of oxin, horsis and guidis in tyme of laubouring, with this additioun: that quhatsumever persoun or persones cuttis and distroyis pleuch and pleuch geir in tyme of teling or wilfullie distroyis and cuttis growand treis or cornis salbe callit thairfoir befoir the justice or his deputis at justice airis or particuler dyettis and punissit thairfoir to the deid as thevis; and the samin pane to be extendit and strik on brekaris of milnes or stikkaris, goraris and sellaris of oxin and horsis in tyme of leiding of cornis or fewall.
Item, it is statute and ordanit that officeris of armes committand falsett or oppressioun of the lieges in executioun of thair office salbe callit thairfoir befoir the justice or his deputis at justice airis or particular diettis and punissit to the deid incais thai be fund culpable.
Item, that all deforcearis of officiaris in executioun of thair office be summoned upon xv dayes warning, civilie or criminallie, at the optioun of the pairtie, persewar, and thair lyffis and guidis to be in the kingis will thairfoir.
Item, it is statute and ordanit that, seing in tymes bipast lettres of lauborrowis being gevin with this word, 'complices', be the clerkis of sessioun, hes importit and daylie dois import greit skaith, damnage and heirschip to sindrie of his hienes lieges be plane collusioun betuix the pairties, purchessouris, and officeris, executouris of the same, that thairfoir na lettres of lauborrowis be grantit in tymes cuming be ony clerk with power to charge complices and that cautioun be fund to the justice clerk and his deputtis that lettres of lauborrowis in tymes cuming to be grantit salbe dewlie execute upoun all personis contenit thairin, ather personalie or at thair duelling places, and be oppin proclamatioun at the mercat croce of the heid burgh of the schire quhair the pairties duellis, betuix aucht houris in the morning and xij houris at none, symmer and winter, in oppin tyme of day, in presence of famous witnesses specialie designit, and copies affixit upoun the yettis or durris of the duelling housis of the personis contenit thairin, with the haill names, and ane uther on the mercate croce under the pane of ijC merkis; and willis and declairis that this be alsua obiservit in all criminall lettres and utheris quhatsumever that importis tinsell of lyff and movable guidis.
Item, it is statute and ordanit that all judges and amangis the rest the justice deputis keip the hour of caus in fensing and proceiding in thair courtis in tymes cuming as wes observit of auld, viz., at ellevin houris befoir none.
Item, it is statute and ordanit that quhair pairties ar maliciouslie chargeit to underly the law at particulair diettis befoir the justice and his deputtis, incais thai be fund innocent and clengit thairof, that thair expensis in tyme cuming for keping of the saidis diettis be modifiit be the justice, justice clerk and thair deputis beside the ordiner pane of thame that ar ather acquite or past frie.
Lykwayes, it is statute and ordanit that na officer nor officeris summoned ony ma personis upon assyisis in tyme cuming nor xlv personis, to be gevin† roll subscrivit be the partie, purchessar of the said lettres, or ane notair in his name, nor yit put out nor put in the saidis roll ony personis for gratitude or gude deid, under the pane to be callit thairfoir at particuler diettis befoir the justice or his depuitis and punist as commoun oppressouris to the deid, and that dittay be tane of all sic officeris as hes usit or sall use the same and thai to be callit and punissit thairfore as said is.
Item, it is statute that all custumeris and sercheouris commmittand fraud in thair office be owersicht of the transporting of forbidden guidis furth of the cuntrie for gratitude gevin to thame salbe callit thairfoir at justice airis and perticuler diettis and punissit in thair personis at oure soverane lordis will, and all thair movable guidis to be escheit to his hienes use, incais of thair convictioun.
Oure soverane lord, considering the wrang allegit sustenit be divers noble men and utheris liegis of this realme, being accuisit of tressoun be solisting, bosting and minassing of the assyis efter thai wer inclosit, the accusaris and utheris personis, thair favouraris, havand libertie to pas to the said assyse and to produce to thame sic writtis and witnesses and uther probatioun as thai pleasit to verifie the cryme outwith the presence of the pairties accuisit, quhairby the just defence of thair lyffis, landis and honouris wes takin away; thairfoir, oure said soverane lord, with avise and consent of the thrie estaittis of this present parliament, hes statute, declairit and ordanit that in all tyme cuming the haill accusatioun, ressoning, writtis, witnesses and uther probatioun and instructioun quhatsumever of the cryme salbe allegit, ressonit and deducit to the assyse in presence of the pairtie accusit in face of judgement and na uther wayes; and that all and quhatsumevir liegis of this realme accuisit of tressoun or for quhatsumever cryme salhaif thair advocattis and procuratoris to use all thair lauchfull defensis, quhome the judge sall compell to procure for thame incais of thair refuis, that the sute of the accusare be not tane pro confesso and the pairtie accuisit prejugeit in ony sorte befoir he be convictit be lauchfull tryell. And to the effect the saidis advocattis and procuratouris may the mair frelie and willinglie do thair office in the premisis, oure said soverane lord, with avise and consent foirsaid, annullis, casis and rescindis all and quhatsumever actis of parliament and uthers statuttis maid be him or ony of his predicessouris of befoir in contrair heirof.
Item, it is statute and ordanit that how sone the haill persute, defensis and anser thairto ar fullie hard be the assyis, gif ony of the saidis assyssouris hes ony doubt quhairof, thai wald be resolvit that thai propone the same oppinly in presens of the pairties in face of judgement befoir thai pas out of jugement thame selffis, and immediatlie efter that the said assyse hes chosin thair chanceller, the clerk of the justiciarie sall inclose the said assyse, thame allane or in ane hous be thame selffis, and suffer na persoun to be present with thame or repair to thame in ony wyse, nather clerk nor utheris under pretence of forder informatioun, resolving of onie dout or ony uther cullour or occasioun quhatsumever, bot that the said hous be haldin fast and na man present thairin bot the saidis assyisouris; and that they be not sufferit to cume out of the said hous for quhatsumever caus, or to continew the geving of thair sentence to ane uther tyme, bot that they be inclosit as said is unto the tyme thay be fullie aggreit and returne thair anser be the mouth of the said chancellair to the judge. And oure soverane lord, with avise foirsaid, decernis, declairis and ordanis that gif onie of the saidis accusaris, informearis of his hienes advocat or utheris personis quhatsumevir, pretend in ony wayes in tyme cuming to informe, solist, ressone, dispute, speik or repair to the said assyis efter thair removing furth of judgement and inclosing of thame in maner abonewrittin, or utherwys transgresis ony poynt of this present act, in that cais the pairtie accuisit salbe haldin and pronuncit cleane and innocent of thai crymes and tressonis than layit to his charge. And this present act salbe ane sufficient warrand to all assyssouris in criminall causis heirefter to pronunce the pairtie accuisit cleane and innocent incais ony of the premisis beis contravenit.