Stirling peerage

108 TRIAL OF ALEXANDER HUMPHRYS, OR ALEXANDER,
Look at tliat charter under the great seal in favour of the
Hospital. I know it ; it is in my hands as clerk of Heriot's
Hospital ; it is dated the 11th December, 1639.
You have no doubt that it is a genuine charter ? I have no
doubt of it.
Lord Advocate. — We have a witness, Mr Ewart, to prove
the correctness of the Latin translation.
Mr Robertson. — They are all admitted.
Mr William Whytock. Interrogated by Mr Innes. —
You are a clerk in the Chancery Office ? I am.
Have you had much experience in transcribing and reading
old hand-writing? Yes, for many years.
Look at that document, which is an original excerpt from
the charter — The document entitled Appendix, No. I.
The subject of the first charter. I saw it on two different
occasions.
Have you seen Scotch hands of that kind ? It is not a
Chancery hand ; it is like the engrossing hand used in
England and Ireland.
From the appearance of the ink and other matters, what
would 3'ou say the age of the writing of that document to be?
I could not say the age; it does not seeni of great antiquity.
Is it fifty, or a hundred, or two luiiKhed years? It is not
a hundred years of age.
Is it fifty years ? I really cannot say. It is not a current
hand, and it is not so easy to speak to the date of it.
You observe some contractions in the writing — some alte-
rations ? There are a few.
Are these such as are in use in Scotland ? I should not
think so. They are not like Scottish abbreviations. " Britan:"
I never saw the word contracted in that way: and farther,
down " dignitem" — for " dignitatem" I suppose.
Do you observe any more ? None at present.
Do you notice the word " generaliter ?" Yes, I see the
%vord generalit, — thei'e is a particular mark for er.
Is that used there ? It is not there.
These are not the contractions that you are accustomed to
see in old Scotch writings ? No ; I am not much acquainted
with English charters.
Give us your opinion as to what you can judge from the
appearance of that part.' You observe it is of a dark brown
colour, especially outside ? Yes.
Look also at that pait covered by the stitching being