Bannatyne Club > Criminal trials in Scotland, from A.D. M.CCCC.LXXXVIII to A.D. M.DC.XXIV, embracing the entire reigns of James IV. and V., Mary Queen of Scots and James VI > Volume 3

50 & 14 Jac. VI. CRIMINAL TRIALS. . 421
tane witli reid-li.iiul ; fua that the allegeaiice is altogether iirelevant, quliilk is
founded vpone that Act, as direct repugnant thairto : And as to tliat pairt of
the allogeance, beirand that the Laird of Geicht tnik and apprehendit the allegit
malefactour, that alledgeance contenis ane grit abi'urditie, haifing nather ^^^ar-
rand, gruud, nor fundament, nather of the Lawis of the realnie, nor of the
Ciuile Law ; feing, be tlie Lawis of tliis reahne, the Schereff is appointit to
follow the Man-flayer ; and be the Ciuile Law, it is nocht leiCum' to ony privat
man to tak and apprehend ony perfone, without ane Comniiffioun and AA'arrand
frome the INlagiflrat : Leg. A^eminem, Cod. de ex/iibctidis Rc/s, lib. 9, Tit. 3,
Lef^. vltima, Nemiuem exhihendum ej)e in judicio precipimtts, niji de cuius exlii-
bitione Judex pronuuciauerit. Item, Bartolus, ad dictam Legem : Et Domade-
rius, cap. 15, num. 40, idem afl'erit: Et toto titulo, Codice de PlagiarUs : Et
lege Raptores, de Epifcopis et Clericis : Item, Julius Clarus, ^ finali queft. 31,
in principio : Be the quhilkis premilTes, it is cleir, that ane privat perlbne, and
tpeciallie the pairtie, had na ])ower to tak the allegit malefactour. As to the
argument proponit vpone the example of the profecutioun and following of ane
Theif, it is altogiddcr impertinent to this purpois ; feing the Theif is followit, hi
ipfo actu, immediatlie eftir the committing of the cryme, with the guidis and
geir of the followeris ; quhilk is permittit be the Lawis of this reahne, be the
Actis of Parliament maid thairanent, and the vniuerlall confuetude of the fame,
it is lauchfull to ony man, in following of his awin guidis and geir, to apprehend
the Thevis ; and albeit the Theif be llane in the following, the Slayer is maid
fi'ie be the lawis of the realme. It is abfurditie to think that the Schereff him
felff may follow ony man committer of the Slauchter, and inftantlie put handis
in him, at his awin hand, niji in flagranti crimine, quhilk is nocht allegit in
this caice ; and albeit he war tane in flagranti crimine, or reid-hand, as the
Act of Parliament beiris, the Law ought to be done vpone him within that
fone. And quhair it was allegit, that gif it war lauchfull to the Laird of Geicht
to perfew or tak liim, it was lauchfull to tak him with convocatioun of our
fouerane lordis legis, and with wapponis forbiddin ; it is anfuerit, that the firft
propofitioun is altogidder ablurd, in refpect of the firll anfuer maid be the
perfewaris ; and confecpientlie, the taking with convocatioun of his ffreindis, and
forbiddin wappones, feing he had na authoritie, nather to tak, nor heir forbidden
wapponis : In refpect quhairof, the firft allegeance, and haill argumentis thairin
contenit, audit to be repellit.
It is duplyit for the pannell, that his allegeance jH-oponit ofbefoir ftandis
verrie relevant, nochtwithftanding of ony anfuer maid tliairto ; and quhair the
faniyn is querrellit,^ that thair is no law that makis the avenger of bluid, hot
' Lawful. ^ Disputed ; argued.