Subject_1 DECISIONS of the LORDS OF COUNCIL AND SESSION, reported by SIR JOHN LAUDER OF FOUNTAINHALL. Subject_2 I sat in the Outer-House this week.
James Scott v. William Simpson
Date: 13 February 1703
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James Scott, servant to Mr Archibald Hamilton, advocate, gave in a complaint against William Simpson, servant to Robert Boyd, writer, that he had the day before beat him to the effusion of his blood, in the afternoon, when the Lords were sitting; and craved redress. Simpson, being brought by a macer, acknowledged his fault, but alleged the Lords were risen before the quarrel fell out; which exculpation the Lord accepted, seeing, if it had been done while they were sitting, it was death by the 177th Act of Parliament 1593; therefore, they sent him to prison, and ordained him the next day to stand with a paper on his brow, mentioning his crime, betwixt nine and ten in the forenoon, at the great door of the Parliament-House, guarded by some of the Town of Edinburgh's company, to be a terror and example to others, and there to crave pardon on his knees; all which was executed, and on his humble application he was at last liberated out of the prison. He had no means, else he had been likewise fined, and extruded the Session-House.
