Manuscripta juridica

Ius proprium Scotiae - Practicks (general digest of law, systematic): (extracts) .

[{i}Explanation by the person who wrote these extracts, with quotations of Jus Commune literature:{/i}] I have seen a vriten book in folio, conteineing ten or tvelffe quair of peaper, quich treat of the Scots law, bot hath not the authors name prefixt thairto, and the persone, that lent me the book, called it Balfours Practicks.

The method, that the author uses, seems to be much the same of that of the Digest in the titill 'Law', or the Codex, for he treats upone heall generall heads of the law ad libitum, not useing any transitione or conextione as comentators use, vho handle the law as a rationall discipline - as Vinneus in his {i}Partitionibus juris{/i}, and Vultyous in sua {i}Jurisprudentia Humana{/i}, and Stair in his {i}Bodie of the Scots Law{/i}, and Craig upone the {i}Feudell law{/i}. Nor dooth he observe any ordor of the alphabet, nor any order of tyme, as heall of our lavyers that vreats Practicks uses to doo - as Duirie, Hadingtoune, Spotswods -, bot alenerllie treats upone the heall heads of law conforme to the Acts of Parliament and practick of the Sessione and the old laves contained in Regem Magestatem. Bot thair ar heall errors in the citatione. Evrie heall head of law is devyded into capita, quairof the most part have titles, containeing the substance of the chapter. The quhich titles ar heir set doune with the Act of Parliament or practick confirmeing the law quhich may serve as ane epitum or abridgement of the forsaid book, containeing all the materiall thingis thairin, except quhat is contained in the Acts of Parliament or the Majestie.

Homologats with the preface prefixed to the Institutiones of Justiniane and to that quhich is contained in Regem maiestatem.

[{i}There follow notes about the contents of the work, and even lengthy extracts, with indication of folio numbers - obviously folios in a printed edition of Statutes.{/i}]

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Author(s):

• James Balfour of Pittendreich

No. of pages: Fol. 1r-23r

Incipit:

• [{i}First items of the first title:{/i}] Off the law, n. 1 The divissione off the law, cap. 1 n. 2 The law is devyded into the law of nature, the law of God and the law of positive. De maritage. l. 3; Stat. Vill. cap. 29 ... in principio.

  N. 3 The 3 estates may onlie make laves, 17 March 1469, Alexander Hepberne contra George Hallayburtone, t. i. c. 5.

  N. 4 Off publicatione and observatione of the laves, videlicet all justices, sheriffs, provests and baylzies are to publish the said law ... Stat. 2d. R. B. c. 28.

  N. 5 All the Acts of Parliament should be copied fra the Clerck Register and proclaimed be the shirriffs and commissioners of burroves. J. (etc. P?) 14 c. 28.

  N. 6 The Acts of Parliament should be proclaimed be the shiriffes.

  Title 2nd, King. Off the kings corronatione and the demissions of the croune.

  Marie be the grace of god Queen of Scottis to all and sundrie our ministers and judges of lawis, leiges and subjects ... at Lochleavine, the tuentiefourth day off Julii, and of our reigne the tuentie fyve yeir.

  Marie etc. ... at Lochleavine, the 24 of Julii and of our reigne the tuentie fyve yeir, 1567; J. 6. ff 2, 15 December 1567.

  (Fol. 6r) Libertie off the Kirk.

  Stat. 2nd R B J. i. Act i, 26 May 1424, 1455, 1466, 1469, 1471, 1474, 1465, 1477, 1483, 1488, 1489, 1491, 1493, 1496, 1503, 1509, 1515, 1535, 1555, 1567, 1571.

  ch. 4 Leges forst. c. 48, de judic. 36.

  ch. 5 J. 2nd, 1443.

  ch. 6 J. 3 1468; 1475, J. 4; 1488, 1493, 1496, 1491.

  ch. 7 J. 5 1540.

  ch. 8 J. 2nd 1424, 1424, J. 4, 1489.

  ch. 9 1551.

  ch. 10 Act 15 Feb. 15... [{i}blank space{/i}].

  Jurisdictione of the Kirk.

  c. 1 J. 6, Act 12, 16 Dec. 1567.

  c. 2 Lib. 3 c 23; de judic. c. 29.

  c. 4 Item if any thing be obiected againest a testamentar of letter vill, so that the samyne is not laufullie made ... spirituall judge his courts or iurisdictione. 10 Feb. 1419, Laird off Basse contra Ladie Whittinghame, t. 2 c. 195.

  c. 5 The ecclesiasticall judges or commissaries ar onlie judges ... of the said horneing. 29 Junie 1498, maister George Hepburne contra maister Gavine Douglass, t. 1 c. 9.

  [{i}Last title:{/i}] Burrow laves, Off customes [{i}20 chapters{/i}].

  (Fol. 16r) c. 20 Imprimis for one waine of 4 oxen and for ane waine of 4 horse ... halfe ane pennie. Item a tanner of skinnes [{i}the text breaks off here, incomplete{/i}].

  Fol. 16v-19v vacant.

  (Fol. 20r-23r) The old laves made be certane kings off Scotland as is contained in the Scots Chronicles.

  Item it is ordained that the slayers of ane wolfe shall have ane ox for the reward. Item the owner of the doge that first byts the deare shall have the syde quhairoff his doge byts, nixt shall have the head and the hornes

Explicit:

• [{i}fol. 23r:{/i}] Item it is statute and ordained that all plenglies, saidles, brydles and all other instruments ... they have some craft to winne ther liveing