II.—SCOTLAND.
A Precept for the Publication of the Statutes of Robert I. A. D. 1318, is prefixed to the Copy of those Statutes in the Antient Monastic Register of Aberbrothick.—The Rubric, “Mandatū &c.” is apparently the Work of the Copyist. This Precept is in the following Words:
In the Reign of David II. A. D. 1366, a Parliamentary Ordinance was made in the following Words “Item quod Dominus Noster Rex faciat omnia et singula prenotata sub sigillo suo in scripto redigi et per singulos Vicecomites publice proclamari.”
In a Miscellaneous Manuscript of Scottish Law, in the Advocates’ Library at Edinburgh, marked W. 4. ult. supposed to have been written in the Reign of James III., there is a Precept for the Publication of certain Acts passed in the first Three Parliaments of James I, in pursuance of the Act 1425, commonly intituled “Anent the Executioun of the Actis of Parliament maid of befoir.” The Precept is in the following Words:
James be þe grace of Gode King of scottis till Justice sais ald̵meñ ⹒ þar balȝes ande til all oþr leil liegꝭ ande subdittꝭ to þe knawleg̃ of quhā þir pñt l̵res cūis greting̃ wit ȝe þat in our ꝑliamēt at Perth̴ diu͛se tymes haldin thru þe expresse coñsal ⹒ ꝯsent of þe [fre[1]] estatꝭ of our kinrik throu þe autorite of our kingdom̃ þir wtin writtin statutꝭ war mad & formyt of þe quhilk forsuth statutꝭ þe tenor folowys in wlgar tung̃.
Here follow the Statutes.
Quharfor to ȝow we bid ⹒ ꝯmand þat þr forsaide statutꝭ in our next court wtin ȝor balȝerꝭ to be haldī ⹒ in oþr placꝭ quhar oftast hapnis ꝯgegac͠on of pepil opinly ȝe ger be rede ⹒ cryit and alsua in þe court of p͛latꝭ erlis barounis ⹒ of al oþr hafand courtꝭ ye quhilkꝭ we will þt be ȝow þe Copy be gevin of þr statutꝭ sa þat þai haf na mat͛ þaī til excuse of þe ignorans of þaī Comandand mar atour ⹒ straitly iniunand þat alswell ȝe as our oþr subiectꝭ ⹒ lieg̃meñ þr forsaid Statutꝭ in al þar poyntꝭ ⹒ Articlis̃ vnmoffabily ȝe ⹒ þai kep ⹒ obserf vnd̵ all payn þe quhilk aw or may cū þrof or folow Gevin vnd̵ þe vitnes of our gret seill at edinburgh þe xx day of Apill þe ȝer of or Lord Mccccxxvj and of or kinrik þe xxi ȝer.
In the same Manuscript, and in some others, there is a similar Precept for the Publication of certain Statutes enacted by a Parliamentary Commission in 1432.[2] This Precept is in the following Words:
James be the grace of gode king of Scottꝭ til all and sindry bischoppis abbotꝭ priouris clerkꝭ Erlis baroñis lordꝭ of Regaliteis vassalis Justicis sreffꝭ ꝓvestꝭ balȝeis m̃ist͛is and ledarꝭ of þe law within burgh̴ ⹒ vtouth̵ and til all vthiris officiarꝭ oure liegꝭ ⹒ subiectꝭ to quhais knawlege þir oure lr̃es sal cum greting ffor quhy þat oute of oure last ꝑliamēt haldyñ at Perth̴ in þe moneth of October last passit be þe ordinance of oure [fre[1]] estatꝭ þare was deput c͛tane ꝑsonis at tyme ⹒ place conueniable quhē vs suld like to assemble to ordane ⹒ ꝯmoñ apon c͛tane statutꝭ ꝓfitable for the cōmon gude of oure Realme We with̴ the forsaid ꝑsonis assemblit for stanching of the fellone slaucht͛is and barganis þat is apperande ⹒ for the abreging of the law in swilk case has ordanit ⹒ statute ī the forme ⹒ maner as eftir folowis þat is to say.
Here follow the Statutes.
Quharfor to ȝu al ⹒ syndri sais balȝes ⹒ m̃ist͛is wtin burgh̴ ⹒ vtouth̴ straytly we bide ⹒ ꝯmand þt þe forsad statutꝭ ȝe kep ⹒ ger be kepit ī all furm̃ ⹒ effec as is befor wittyn vnd̵ þe payn forsaid gevī vnd̵ or piue seil at Perth̴ þe xxvij of Mayi ⹒ of or regne þe xxvii ȝer.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Other MSS. read thre.
- ↑ In the Edition 1566, these Statutes are placed between those of a Parliament in July 1426, and those of a General Council in March 1427, without any appropriate Date; having prefixed to them, the first or introductory Part of the abovementioned Precept, but without its conclusion. In the Editions 1597 and 1681, the Precept is altogether omitted, and the Statutes are given as a Continuation of those of the Parliament 1426.