J. F. Campbell Collection > Minstrelsy of the Scottish border

INTRODUCTION. Ixxxi
obleis us, our aires and successors of our lands and heretages, to our soverane
lord and his successors, that, within ten dayes after our subscription to this
present, we sail discharge, and be opjjin proclamation at the mercat-croces of
heid-burrowes within the shrifdomes, quherin the theives and limmers dwell,
as also, be particular intimation to themselfs, give up all bands of freindshiis,
kyndnes, oversight, maintenance, or assureance, if ony we have, with common
theives and broken clans or branches, unanswereable to his hienes lawes :
and sail, fra then furth, affauldlie and truelie, joyne and concurre together,
als Weill in action as in heart, to the pursute, with fire and sword, of all and
whatsumever within this realme, of whatsumever clane, qualitie, or surname,
who being charged, be opin proclamacione, to compeir to answer to com-
plaints, and to relieve ther masters at his majestic and true mens hands, are
or sail for ther disobedience be denunced fugitives and outlawes, together
with whatsoever ther pertakers, supliers, and recepters, and all sic other, as
frae the tyme they be denunced fugitives, sail furnish to them, ther wyfes or
families, meat, driuk, herbore, or other confort quhatsumever : As lykewayes
we bind and obleis us, in maner forsaid, that if any persone, dwelling within
our houses, upon our lands, within our tackes, steadings, roumes, portiounes,
ballieries, or other office or jurisdiction quhatsumever, commits ony of the
crymes before expreimit, or any uther punishable be lyfe or member, we, or
any of us, under quhom the said persone dwells, being required thereto be his
majesties letters, valentynes, or charges, or be his highnes consell or justice,
sail neither directlie, nor iudirectlie, give any warning or advertisement to
him, quherby he may eschew his taking ; but trewlie and effauldlie sail ap-
prehend, bring and present him to underly his tryell of the cryme quherof he
is dilatit, upon fiftein dayes warneing, without shift or excuse quhatsumever,
as we sail ansuer to his majestic upon our honors, and under the paynes con-
tained in the generall bond and acts of parliament quhatsumever; and sail
be comptable to our soverane lord and his hienes thesaurer, for their escheats,
in cace they be convict , and, in cace the persone or persons sa dilatit, becomes
fugitives, wherby we cannot apprehend them to be presentit, we sail expell,
put and hold them furth of our bounds, heretages, tacks and steidings, roumes,
bailliaries, and jurisdictions quhatsumever, togither with ther wyfes, bairnes,
and families, and sail take fra them their stocke and steiding, and put in
other persones to occupy the same ; and if it sail happin the saids malefactors
to resort or come again within our bounds, or be sufferit to remain therein,
with our witting, twelff hours togither, or to repair with our knowledge to
oppin mercat unapprehendit, in that cace we grant and confes us to be cul-
pable of quhatsumever crjTnes or skaithes coramittit be them at any time
before or therefter : And if it shall hapijen at any tyme heirefter, ony creatures,
rebells to our soverane lords authoritie, for criminall causes, to repair within
our bounds, or any pairt of the shirriiFdome, quharein we dwell, we sail be
readie to ryse and concurre, with our freinds and forces, to ther pursute, till
they be either apprehendit and presented to justice, or put out of the shirifi"-
dome quharein we dwell ; moreover, none of us herafter sail tryst or assure
with any declared theeves or fugitives, but quhensoever any effray of theeves