[1484/2/16]¹

Judicial proceeding: process of forfeiture of William, lord Crichton, John Liddale and others

In the parliament of our most excellent prince and lord, the lord James III, by the grace of God most illustrious king of Scots, held and begun at Edinburgh, in the tolbooth thereof, on Saturday 21 February 1483 [1484], before the noble and very mighty lords Thomas [Erskine], lord Erskine, Laurence [Oliphant], lord Oliphant, Robert [Fleming], lord Fleming, William [Borthwick], lord Borthwick and Alexander [Lyon], lord Glamis, justiciars and commissioners of our said lord the king for the matters below-written specially constituted to this purpose, the court of parliament was constituted.

[1484/2/17]²

On which day William [Crichton], lord Crichton, being often called by a royal summons and the tenor thereof, directed thereon under the testimony of the royal great seal - as lawfully summoned, which was plainly evident from the execution and recording of William Cumming, royal pursuivant, sheriff in this matter, in writings under his own seal, publicly shown and read in the present parliament, and by the endorsement of Alexander Hepburn of Whitsome, sheriff of Edinburgh, also shown and read in that place - to answer to our said lord the king, or his justiciar, in the present parliament, for his treasonable art, part, counsel and assistance given and shown to Alexander [Stewart], formerly duke of Albany, in his treasonable sending and dispatch of James Liddale, formerly of Halkerston, knight, into England with treasonable writings, muniments and instructions towards a treasonable alliance of Englishmen in the treasonable opinion of the said Alexander against our aforesaid lord the king and his kingdom; and for the treasonable counsel and assistance given and shown to the said Alexander in the treasonable receiving, holding and delivering of a pursuivant of the king of England, called Bluemantle, with treasonable writings and instructions to enemies in England; and for treasonable art, part and counsel given and shown to the same Alexander in his treasonable entry and passage into England without royal licence, for the treasonable inbringing of the said enemies [who are] in England, to the treasonable destruction of the king's person and his realm; and for the treasonable sending of diverse letters to the said Alexander in England, sent by a certain Thomas Dixon, a chaplain, after the forfeiture of the said Alexander; and for the treasonable fortifying and garrisoning of the castle of Crichton; and for the treasonable counsel and assistance given to the persons being in the said castle, treasonably withholding the same castle against royal mandates directed to them, treasonably perpetrated by the said William, lord Crichton after a royal pardon was earlier graciously granted to him for his great many treasonable actions and rebellions against our said lord the king and his realm. Which William, lord Crichton being thus often called and not compearing, the said lords commissioners continued the said cause of summons to the following day, with continuation of days, in the same form and effect as now is, without prejudice to parties.

[1484/2/18]³

On the same day John Liddale, elder son of James Liddale, formerly of Halkerston, knight, being often called by a royal summons and the tenor thereof, directed thereon under the testimony of the royal great seal - as lawfully summoned, which was plainly evident from the endorsement of the said summons made by Alan Dempster and Paul Kinloch, sheriffs of Fife depute, read out there in the present parliament - to answer to our said lord the king, or his justiciar, in the said parliament, for his treasonable art, part, counsel and assistance given and shown to Alexander [Stewart], formerly duke of Albany, in his treasonable sending and dispatch of the said James Liddale, knight, into England with treasonable writings, muniments and instructions towards the treasonable alliance of our English enemies in the treasonable opinion of the said Alexander against our said lord the king and his kingdom; and for the treasonable counsel and assistance given and shown to the said Alexander in the treasonable receiving, holding and delivering of a pursuivant of the king of England, called Bluemantle, with treasonable writings and instructions to enemies in England; and for treasonable art, part and counsel given and shown to the said Alexander in his treasonable entry and passage into England without royal licence, for the treasonable inbringing of the said enemies [who are] in England, to the treasonable destruction of the king's person and his realm; and also for the treasonable fortifying and garrisoning of the castle of Halkerston; and for the treasonable art, part and counsel given and shown in withholding the said castle of Halkerston against royal mandates under the king's privy seal directed to the persons at that time being in the same castle for the deliverance of the same, treasonably perpetrated by the said John Liddale. Which John Liddale being thus often called and not compearing, the said lords commissioners continued the said cause of summons to the Monday next to come, with continuation of days, in the same form and effect as now is, without prejudice to parties.

[1484/2/19]⁴

On the same day David Purves being often called by a royal summons and the tenor thereof, directed thereon under the testimony of the royal great seal - as lawfully summoned, which was plainly evident from the endorsement of the said summons made by Oliver Lauder of that Ilk, sheriff of Berwick depute, and by a public instrument read out there in the present parliament - to answer to our said lord the king, or his justiciar, in the said parliament, for his treasonable art, part and counsel and assistance given and shown to Alexander [Stewart], formerly duke of Albany, in his treasonable fortifying and garrisoning of the castle of Dunbar, and treasonably surrendering the same castle to enemies in England; and for the treasonable entry and passage into England with the said Alexander in his treasonable opinion, for the treasonable inbringing of Englishmen to the treasonable [destruction of the king's person] and his realm. Which said David being thus often called and not compearing, the said lords justiciars and commissioners continued the said cause of summons to the following day, with continuation of days, in the same form and effect as now is, without prejudice to parties.

[1484/2/20]⁵

On the same day Gavin Crichton, George Crichton, James Cockburn, the son of James Cockburn of Clerkington, William Haldane, John de Crichton, William Goldsmith, James Forman called Dalrymple, James Robison, Alexander Haldane, John Thomson, Donald Crichton, Alexander Heslop, David Crichton, George Pringle, George Cordance, John Redheuch, Thomas Pentcaitland, Patrick Wilson, John Wilson, Patrick Heslop, Thomas Heslop, William Heslop, John Chalmer, Patrick Robison, Robert Dalziel, Thomas Logan, John Logan, William Logan, William Rowle, Thomas Dewar, 'squint-eyed Nick', John Crichton, John Sanderson, Richard Smith, Robert Burn, William Robison, David Atkinson and Bartholomew de Crichton being often called by a royal summons and the tenor thereof, directed thereon under the testimony of the royal great seal - as lawfully summoned, which was plainly evident from the endorsement of the said summons made by Alexander Hepburn of Whitsome, sheriff of Edinburgh, read out there in the present parliament - to answer to our said lord the king, or his justiciar, in the said parliament, for their treasonable fortifying and garrisoning and also withholding of the said castle of Crichton; and for the treasonable art, part and assistance thereby shown by the said persons treasonably fortifying, supplying and withholding the said castle against royal mandates directed to them, and against acts of parliament; and upon a great many other treasonable crimes and rebellions perpetrated by the said persons against [his] royal majesty and his kingdom. Which persons being thus often called and not compearing, the said lords justiciars and commissioners continued the said cause of summons to the Monday next to come, with continuation of days, in the same form and effect as now is, without prejudice to parties.