Broadside concerning prisoners tried before the Court of Justiciary

Commentary

This broadside begins: 'Trial & Sentence of all the prisoners who have appeared before the Court of Justiciary since its opening on Thursday the 18th of April, 1822.' The court was opened by Lords Pitmilly and Succoth, 'After a suitable prayer by the Rev. Dr Taylor of St Enoch's'.

This broadside was published by William Carse of Glasgow and offers an interesting insight into a fairly typical day in the Court of Justiciary in 1822. Over twenty people were tried and sentenced, mostly for fairly minor offences including housebreaking, theft and assault. The penalties for such crimes were often severe and could, at times, extend to execution. With the sheer numbers passing through the courts, it appears that many criminals were not deterred by the prospect of the death penalty.

Broadsides are single sheets of paper, printed on one side, to be read unfolded. They carried public information such as proclamations as well as ballads and news of the day. Cheaply available, they were sold on the streets by pedlars and chapmen. Broadsides offer a valuable insight into many aspects of the society they were published in, and the National Library of Scotland holds over 250,000 of them.

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