Manuscripta juridica

Ordo iudiciorum Scotiae - Treatise 'In all actiounis and pleyes thrie persounis are necessar' ("Form of process") , edited in print in 1609.

Book 1 of Habakkuk Bisset's {i}Rolment of courtis{/i} comprises a re-worked version of the 'Forme of proces' edited by Sir John Skene in 1609. Bisset enlarged the work by including the text of several documents which regard the College of Justice's foundation in 1532, and its statutes and privileges.

The text mainly refers to Acts of Sederunt and to Scottish statutes up to 1621, at times even to very old statutes (fol. 33r tit. 21 c. 2 David II; fol. 43r tit. 30 c. 2 Robert I), but rarely to other texts from the "Auld Lawis" (e.g. fol. 36v tit. 25 c.1 {i}Quoniam attachiamenta{/i}). Furthermore many quotations of texts from the Corpus iuris civilis, and also some texts from the Corpus iuris canonici, with Glossa ordinaria. In some places commentaries of the 14th century are quoted: Baldus de Ubaldis on the Codex Justinianus (fol. 38v tit. 26 c. 8), Bartolus de Saxoferrato, also on the Codex (fol. 35r tit. 23 c. 2); the same author on the Digesta (fol. 36r tit. 4 c.3). Almost no references to judicial precedent. I saw only one quotation (fol. 23v tit. 13 c. 4, Bishop of St. Andrews v. Earl of Buchan 1534/1/28)

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No. of pages: Fol. 1r-73r (second series = old numbering in ink):

Rubric: [{i}Book 1:{/i}] Of civile processe. Ane schort forme of procese presentlie used and observed befoir the Lordis of his maiesties Counsall and Sessioun, and all utheris judges in civile causis within his hienes realme and kingdome of Scotland, collected furth of the registeris thairof, conferred and conformed thairwith, according to the civile law

Incipit:

• [{i}first title within Book 1:{/i}] Of judges, thair office, and divisioun of actionis. Titulus primus. The personis judicatorie, cap. 1. In all actionis and pleyis thrie personis ar necessare iudex (the judge), actor (the persewar), reus (the defendare): lib. 2 c. 2; c. Forus 10, de verb. signif., Extra [Corpus iuris canonici, X.5. 40.10].

  The judges office, observationis thairin, and aith thairanent, cap. 2.

  All judges aucht to respect and observe faithfullie foure pairtis: first to moderate and restrane langsum repititionis and impertinent speichis.

  The judge hes diverse and sundrie jurisdictionis, cap. 3.

  Because sum actionis ar criminall, quhilkis concerns lyfe and lym, or tynsall of athir of thame, or tuiches sic crymes as may infer confiscatioun of the guidis perteining to the trespassoure.

  [{i}Further chapters within the first title of Book 1:{/i}] 4 Criminale actionis. 5 Actionis ecclesiasticall. 6. Actionis civile and prophane. 7 Actionis civile [{i}comprises documents of the institution of the College of Justice, and documents from later years which granted privileges or organised the functioning of the College. All Latin texts are translated into Scots - with bad blunders.{/i}].

  [{i}Second title:{/i}] The pairtis of ane procese, c.1. All processis led and deduced befoir the saidis Lordis of Counsale and Sessioun hes thrie pairtis. The first is the summonis. The secund is litiscontestation. The thrid is the sentens definitive.

  [{i}Third title:{/i}] Of clerkis and writtaris. Admissioun of clerkis, c.1. All billis and supplicationis or petitionis ... ar writtin be clerkis, ordourlie admitted.

  [{i}Fourth title:{/i}] Off billis and supplicationis. Summonis without billis, c. 1. All actionis and pleyis cummis in befoir the Lordis.

  [{i}Further titles in Book 1:{/i}] 5 Of summonis: The writing and signetting of the summonis. 6 Of summonis of continewatioun. 7 Off executioun of summonis. 8 Of the ordoure of calling of actionis. 9 Of messeris. 10 Off advocattis and procuratouris and thair admissioun. 11 Of the perseware absent, and the defendare present. 12 Off the defender absent and the persewer present. 13 Off the persewer and defender baith comperand. 14 The calling of ane warrand. 15 Of the ordoure of proponyng of exceptionis. 16 Of definitioun and division of exceptionis. 17 Off exceptionis dilatouris. 18 Of exceptionis peremptouris. 19 Of litiscontestatioun. 20 Of probatioun. 21 Of diverse kyndis of probatioun. 22 Off the aith de calumnia seu de malitia. 23 Off the aith of veritie. 24 De juramento in litem. 25 Of probatioun be wreit. 26 Of probatioun be witnese. 27 Of probatioun of the lybell be witnese. 28 Off probatioun of ane exceptioun be witnese. 29 off probatioun of the reply be witnese. 30 Of circumduction of the terme of probatioun. 31 Off conclusion of the cause. 32 Off improbatioun of wreittis produced for probatioun. 33 Off the maner of improbatioun. 34 Off the indirect maner of improbatioun. 35 Of the sentence. 36 Off executioun of sentences. 37 Off poynding and comprysing of movabill guidis. 38 Of comprysing of immovable guidis. 39 Of suspensioun of decreittis. 40 Off reductioun of decreittis