Agnews of Lochnaw

1 45 2.] THE FIRST HEREDITARY SHERIFF. 77
the wolfe and her quhelps three times in the year ; wl and, more-
over, " should see and provide that ilk man be armed according
to Ins estate and rent, and shall cause weaponshawings to be
made yearly after the Octaves of Pasche, and at the least four
times in the year." 2
So much for the powers of the old sheriffs-principal. As to
to their conduct, Skene well observes : " Scheriffs should be in
all and sundry parts of the realm for the acquieting of the people
by justice." " They should hold courts in lawful time, and con-
tinue the same according to law, so that actions and processes
begun before them shall no ways be delayed through their negli-
gence, fraud, or malice."
" All scheriffs should hold three head-courts in the year be
themselves in proper person ; all barronnes, knights, freeholders,
and stewards of bishops and earls should be present at the
scheriffs' courts, and the absent should be amerciat. And all
they that come shall remain till the same be ended, and shall
pass upon inquests and assizes and assist the scheriff."
The sheriffs had the nomination of their deputes, for whom
they were answerable, of whom it was expected that they
" should know and understand the laws of the realm and Acts
of Parliament, and not only be qualified by judgment to minister
justice, but have sufficient lands, goods, or gear of their own as
security, wherein they may be punished if found culpable in
execution of their office." Their inferior officers were termed
clerks and Serjeants.
" Sheriff-clerks should be honest, famous men, quha be them-
selves and their sufficient deputes shall be always resident
within the head borough of the shire." " The sheriff's serjeant
should have a horn and a ' reide-wand ' of three-quarters of a
yard long at the least ; with the sound or blast of the horn he
denounces disobedient rebels, pursues malefactors, and raises
the inhabitants of the country to concur and assist in taking and
apprehending them ; with the wand he relaxes them quha
1 Murray of Glendook, Collection of Statutes and Notes, fol., 1681.
■ 2 Act. Jac. I., p. ii. c. 41.