[1592/4/94]¹

Anent deforceing and trubling of the kingis officiaris of armes

²Anent the supplicatioun gevin in to the kingis majestie and estaitis of parliament be his hienes advocat, in name of his majesties faithfull and trew subjectis wthin this realme, makand mentioun that nocht onlie his majesties officirs of armes in putting of decreittis obtenit befoir the juges ordinar to executioun ar heavelie trublit be deforceing of thame in executioun of thair offices and stryking of thame to the effusioun of thair bluidis, in hie and manifest contemptioun of oure soverane lord and his hienes auctoritie and lawes, bot also ane new unaccustumat contempt is laitlie cropin in and enterit wthin this realme that na persoun wthin the same, nather officiaris of armes, shereffis in that part, may travell with frie access to execute ony summondis and lettres direct furth in his majesties name for summoning of ony persoun or personis to compeir befoir the lordis of the college of justice or utheris jugeis wthin this realme without hazard and perill of thair bodies, to the greit hinderance of justice and prejudice of the trew subjectis of this realme quha ar willing to leve under his hienes obedience and to repair wrangis and injuries done to thame be ordor of law; beseikand, heirfoir, his majestie and estatis foirsaidis to have consideraoun of the premisses and to sett doun be act of this present parliament that all personis salbe harmeless and skathles in executing of ony summondis, lettres or precept, and in putting of decreittis to executioun under sic panis and punisement as his majestie and the saidis estaitis thinkis maist expedient for the maintenance of justice and punischement of the contempnaris thairof, as the said supplicatoun at mair lenth proportis. Quhilk being red, hard and considderit be his hienes and the saidis estaitis, and thay thairwth being ryplie advysit, oure soverane lord and his estaitis convenit in this present parliament, for remeid of the dalie hurtis and injurys ressavit be officirs of armes or shereffis in that part executand lettres or preceptis in our soverane lordis name and auctoritie, statutis and ordanis that incaise ane officir of armes or shereff in that part, or uther persoun quhatsumever the tyme of the executioun of ony sadis lettres or preceptis direct be his hienes or utheris jugeis wthin this realme, or in putting of decreittis to dew executioun, be deforceit in doing of the same, or be molestit, invadit or persewit to the effusioun of ther bluid be the persoun or personis quhome thai sall be persewit therof, summond or charge, or ony utheris of thair caussing and command, the deforcearis and persewaris of the officirs and utheris foirsaidis sall foirfalt, amit and tyne all and quhatsumevir thir guidis and geir moveable, and the ane half thairof sall apertene to oure soverane lord as eschaet, and the uther half to the partie at quhais instance the saidis summondis, lettres and preceptis ar direct and purchest; quhilkis executionis oure said soverane lord and estatis foirsadis decernis and declaris to be laufullie and ordorlie execute, notwtstanding the said deforcement and invasioun of the saidis officiaris and uthiris abonewrittin to be committit in maner foirsaid, the deforcement being first verifiet and prowin.