| LOCATION | Edinburgh, NL Scotland |
| MANUSCRIPT | Edinburgh, NL Scotland, Adv.MS.24.1.3a |
| ITEM No. 1 | Ius proprium Scotiae - Practicks (general digest of law, systematic) "Major practicks" |
Ius proprium Scotiae - Practicks (general digest of law, systematic) "Major practicks"
Author(s):
Explicit:
Ius proprium Scotiae - Practicks (general digest of law, systematic) "Major practicks" .
Old pagination in ink 1-333. Anonymous and without title, but much space is left free on the first page - obviously to provide space for a title in beautifully decorated script. The text, as far as I have controlled it, corresponds to the one known as Hope's Major practicks. The Library's Folio Catalogue confounds the shelfmarks. The description given for MS 24.1.3a fits MS 24.1.3b, and vice versa.
Many text passages are still written in Latin, but the scribe committed many blunders (which I tacitly corrected in my transcriptions).
The work is divided into eight parts, and each part is subdivided into titles: (1) Of the officers of state, etc. (2) Of contracts. (3) De feudis. (4) De testamentis. (5) De iudiciis. (6) De actionibus civilibus. (7) [Civil procedure]. (8) Of criminall causses.
Within each title the contents are regularly arranged as follows: general notions and pertinent extracts from the "Auld Lawis" (usually from Balfour's Practicks), Acts of Parliament printed, Acts of Parliament unprinted, 'observationes practicae' = abstracts of decisions of cases which span the time 1431 (pag. 263) to the early 17th c., and regularly up to 1638.
Many abstracts of law bear an abbreviation 'B. pr.' = Balfour's Practicks, followed by a folio number - so that it might even be possible to find out which manuscript of Balfour (if still extant) was used. Also frequently quoted: Cr. = Craig, 'Jus feudale'.
[{i}The heading for the first title within the work, on sources of law, is not written. Contents:{/i}] The whole lawes of the kingdome of Scotland wes written in Latine of old untill King James the second his tyme ... Reg. May. in the preface [{i}= Sir John Skene's preface to the printed edition, not the preface to Regiam{/i}].
No judges within this realme hes power to make lawes but the Parliament allenarly: B. pr. t. 1 c. 3. Item the sheriffs, provests and baillies of burrowes should take the coppies of the Acts of Parliament from the Clerk Register and publish them ... B. pr. t. 1 c. 7, albeit they be not printed.
No man should interpret the kings statutes other wayes nor the statutes beares, and to the intent and effect that they were made for, and as the maker of them understood. [B. pr.] t. 1.
Nos in hoc regno Romanorum legibus ita obligamur quatenus legibus naturae et rectae rationis congruunt: Cr[aig]. Et quoties quid arduum occurrit in foro vel judiciis, ejus solutio inde est petenda. Idem.
Praeter acta Parliamentorum, jus scriptum apud nos stabile et certum nullum est, ex quo veluti fundamento decisiones causarum colligi et ad consequentiam trahi possint. Nam statuta principis et Secreti sui Consilii (ut multi existimant), si de hereditate aut omnibus fortunis sit questio, vim legum non habent, neque ex iis periculum vitae, hereditatis aut omnium fortunarum subire potest. Neque statutum conventionibus statutum extra Parliamenta parem cum actis Parliamenti vim habent.
Primum itaque locum in contraversiis dirimendis sibi vindicant acta Parliamentorum, quasi jus Regni proprium.
Ubi vero jure proprio destituimur, tum rerum perpetuo sic judicatarum consuetudo servatur, quam nos 'praxin' vocamus - licet hujus consuetudinis praetextu gravissime et sepissime in judiciis peccetur. Cr[aig] D[iegesis] 8.
Numquam sequenda est consuetudo quoties contra ius proprium scriptum producitur, etiamsi sit antiquissima. Nam tum potius vetustas erroris appellanda est quam consuetudo. Idem. Ex frequentia rerum eo modo judicatarum majorem aut minorem authoritatem consuetudo capit. Idem.
Si jus scriptum vel expressa consuetudo deficit, tunc ad aliud quod proximum est - sive jure sive consuetudine - recurrendum est, precipue si eadem ratione nitatur. Nam qui jurisdictioni praeest, ad similia casum producere debet, et vel jurisdictione vel authoritate supplere. Ubi idemque novus aliquis casus supervenit, qui neque jure scripto neque consuetudine comprehenditur, ad jus civile recurrendum est. Quod, ubi in aliquibus per jus canonicum est innovatum, in iis jus pontificium prefertur.
Statuts contrarie to the common law are stricti juris and aught not to be extended. B. 343.
[{i}Further titles within the first part:{/i}] 2 De rege. 3 Off the Parliament. 4. Kirks and kirkmen. Off the jurisdictione of kirk and kirkmen. 5 Off burrowes and burgess. 6 Off the kings patrimonie and of anexatione, dissolutione, taxationes. 7 Off the Exchequer. 8 Off signatoures. 9 Off the patrimonie off the church. 10 Off erectiones. 11 Off taxationes.
[{i}Titles within the second part:{/i}] 1 Off contracts. 2 De pactis. 3 De obligationibus. 4 De emptis, et venditio. 5 De mutuo et commodato. 6 De locato et conducto. 7 De donationibus. 8 De donationibus inter virum et uxorem. 9 De pignore. 10 De deposito. 11 De fidejussoribus. 12 Off assignationes and intimatione thairof. 13 De creditoribus et his qui in fraudem creditorum (disponunt de bonis suis). Usurie. 14 Of payment and discharge. 15 De inhibitionibus. 16 Off interdictions. 17 Off husband and wyfe. 18 De mandato. 19 De dolo.
[{i}Titles within the third part:{/i}] 1 De feudis. 2 Off charters and evidents. 3 Off alienatione off infeftments. 4 Off warrandice. 5 Of procuratories and instruments and resignatione. 6 Off precepts and instruments of seaseing. 7 Off supperiores and supperiorities. 8 Off confirmationes. 9 Off taillies. 10 Off wodsetts and reversiones. 11 Of reversiones and redemptiones. 12 Off lyfrents, tearces and conjunctfies. 13 Off anuelrents. 14 Off the patronadge off the kirk. 15 Off fishings. 16 Off milnes and multures. 17 Of coalls and coall heughs. 18 De decimis. 19 Off tacks and tennants. 20 Of pairts and pendicles, and of unions. 21 Off possessione. 22 Of vassalls. 23 (De) clausulis irritantibus. 24 De servitutibus. 25 Of waird and releife.
[{i}Last titles within the eighth part:{/i}] 11 Of ravishing of women. 12 Of slaughter. 13 Of assythment and remissione. 14 Of treasone and forfaultour. 15 Of the assyse
Author(s):
No. of pages: Pag. 1-332
Explicit:
Pag. 334-344 Index of titles in Hope's "Major practicks", pag. 1-332 above. The first part lists the titles in the order of arrangement, the second part lists them in alphabetical order