[1702/6/49]¹

Judicial proceeding: case against advocates

The dean of the faculty of advocates and advocates appointed to appear and answer this day were called, and they appearing and her majesty's advocate's charge against them read, they moved they might have advocates to assist, whereupon they were allowed seven to assist them in their defence; and in their defence, having proponed peremptory defences and then recurring to dilators and a debate arising if this should be allowed, it was agreed that the defenders be heard both upon their dilator and peremptory defences, and that the advocate might answer to both before the parliament give their judgement in the case. Then both dilator and peremptory defences were read and, after a long hearing on both sides, the defenders removed and the question was put, sustain the dilators or reject them, and carried reject.

Thereafter the question was put, if the voting that the dean of faculty should sign in name of the faculty in a matter extrinsic to their ordinary administration and whether his signing accordingly be relevant to infer an arbitrary punishment or not, and carried in the affirmative.

The further insisting in the charge continued until the next sederunt of parliament.