Series 1 > Records of the Proceedings of the Justiciary Court Edinburgh, 1661-1678 > Volume 2, 1669-1678

JUSTICIARY PROCEEDINGS
Here begins the next Book of Adjournall,
commencing from the 24 December 1669 to
the 1st August 1673 inclusive.
Edinbr 24 December 1669. Renton, Justice Clerk,
Deputes Murray and Preston present.
Mr. William Sommerveil, servitor to the Marquiss of Sommerveil for
f Douglass, indyted at the instance of the King’s Advocate and f^ei^thalitie
i Thomas M°Math as Informer, for the Slaughter of Bessie of the Defunct’s
: Renton, his mother, upon the 9th of January 1663, in theTdraktedu^he
' Burgh of Douglass, by giving her a stroke on the head and ^^“orwm
divers other strokes on the Body with a Tree, to the great the Defender
effusion of her blood, whereof she languished by the space of prove°s'he died
12 weeks and then died. of other
diseases.
Sir Geo: M°Kenzie for the Pannell Alledges he cannot go to
the knowledge of an Inquest1 because its offered to be proven
that if any stroke was given (which is denied) it was no mortall
; wound, and that the Defunct did not demean her self at the
time as one who had got a mortall wound, but on the contrary
i went from the house where the said stroke is said to have been
given, that night a mile and a half, and within two or 3 days
thereafter, went five miles farther and wrought after her
ordinary and wonted way, and was to be married severall
months thereafter. Likeas having lived for 12 or 13 weeks
she attended her brother who lay sick of a Purpie ffever and
so frequented a suspected place and is repute to have been
infected and to have died of that ffever which of its own
1 ‘ Assize ’ in Adv. MS.
VOL. II.