Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 8.djvu/57

10 s. vni. JULY 20, 1907.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

43 give explanation. His defence was that he had been engaged in the "Utter house" for the "haill weike," and on the Saturday, which was the day for "the sermone of preparatioun," he was to be examined as a witness, and could not attend the same,

Such evidence could not be neglected, and the report to the King stated that, "finding no verificatioun of the informatioun gevin," they could not proceed further, but

The prayer of the petition impressed the royal conscience, and though, upon the first information supplied, "we haid verrie grite caus of suspitioun and pregnant presumptionis aganst him," this report cleared him of any contempt or disobedience, so that royal dignity was satisfied, and "we reteine a goode oppinioun of him." Thus did Sir James, so to speak, thole his assize.

At the time of the Act of Union the privileges of the Court were protected in these terms:—

In 1707 there was added to the duties of the Court the oversight of the regulations as to the "plantation of Kirks" and valuation of teinds. They had to determine as to any augmentation of stipends, disjunction of large parishes, erection of new churches, and such items as pertained to ecclesiastical matters. This extra work laid upon their shoulders was an opening whereby an augmentation of their own salaries might be effected. The opportunity was taken, and on the request coming up before the Privy Council, they, on the recommendation of the Lord President of Council, humbly recommended to her Majesty that some further provision should be made for her judicial servants.

Since those days continual progress in the machinery of justice has been made, but the stern, unbending determination of those lords who refused to bow to the insinuating bribery of the Court is still a force to be reckoned with, and in all the divisions the first essential principle is justice—"for the poore as for the grite ones."

following notes conclude my excerpts from the Maldon records:—