[headpiece containing the Royal coat of arms of the Kingdom of Scotland, flanked by unicorns]

De verborum significatione. THE EXPOSITION OF THE TERMES AND DIFFICILL WORDES, CONTEINED IN THE FOURE BUIKES OF REGIAM MAJESTATEM, and uthers, in the Acts of Parliament, Infestments, and used in practique of this Realme, with diverse rules, and common places, or principalles of the Lawes.

Collected and Exponed be M. JOHN SKENE, Clerke of our Soveraine Lordis Register, Councell and Rolles.

And now Re-printed by His Majestie's special Command.

EDINBƲRGH, Printed by DAVID LINDSAY, Anno DOM. M.D.C.LXXXI.

CƲM PRIVILEGIO.

TO THE READER.

I Have rather opened and schawen ane occasion to the gud Reader, to perform this warke, then exponed, or declared the samin; being an matter nocht pleasand in it self, nor treated be uthers of before: Gif I have preased to do weil, or attempted that, quhilk uthers may accomplish and make perfite, the profite and commodity redounds to thee, quha at thy pleasure, may big upon this little ground and fundament. Gif utherwaies be errour or ig­norance, I have nocht satisfied thy desire and expectation, Sic erranti medicina confessio. For ane absolute memorie, and perfite knawledge, in na thing erroneous, is proper to God, and not competent to man. Quhat ever I have done, I did it not to offend thee, or displease any man, but to provoke uthers to do better, alwaies for thine awin weil, be warre to repre­hend my doings, flowand from ane benevolent, and gude mind: except thou be assured to be reprehended of na man, quha cumis after thee and sall censure thy doings. I am affrayed of all Readers, for ilk man hes his awin Judgement and opinion, quhairof their is als mony contrarieties, as diversities of persons. Advise therefore, and or thou do any thing rashly, gif thou may, transact and agree with all the posteritie, that albeit thou doe aswel as Ho­mer in his Poesie: nane of them be unto thee, successor or imitatour of Zoilus: so great is the varietie of ingines, and inclinations, that nane can be sure fra reprehension. Reade there­fore, and make thy profite of gud thinges. Correct modestly al errours, quhilks are igno­rant, and nocht wilfull. Eik all necessaries omitted. Cut away al superfluities adjected. And whatever thou do, esteeme of me, as I do of thee and of al, to quhais knawledge, this my little labour shall happen to cum. And swa.

Vive, Vale: si quid novisti rectius istis,
Candidus imperti: si non, his utere mecum.

ANE ADMONITION TO THE reader tuiching the buikes contenand the lawes of this Realme, and abbreviationes used in the treatise preceiding.

I Have aledged in this little treatise, the first word with the number of the Chaptour of ilk buike of the auld lawes of this Realme, written before King Iames the First, of gud memorie. Because there is greate diversitie anent the number of the chaptoures. Swa that thereby, there can be na sure or certaine allegation. Bot gif the number failȝie, the 1. & capitall word, will be ane sure guide & convoy to the richt place alledged.

Leg. Mal. Mack. leges. Malcolmi Mackenneth. The lawes made be King Malcolme the second of that name, verie gud and profitable, bot few in number.

Lib. 1. Lib. 2. Lib. 3. Lib. 4. The first, second, third and fourth buikes of Regiam maiestatem, maid be King David the first. Swa called and inti­tuled, from the first worde of the beginning thereof, to the imitation of the foure buiks of the Institutions, of the civill lawes; quhilk begins Impera­toriam majestatem.

Quo. attach. quoniam attachiamenta, swa called, fra the first word thereof. Conteines the Barron lawes, and from the Barron courte, written in the time of the said King David the first.

Mod. ten. cur. bar. modus tenendi curias baronum, an buik written in Scot­tish language, quhilk is not of great antiquitie as may be knawn be the styll, & language thereof, and is not conteined in the auld buikes maist worthie of faith and credite, alwaies it is an interpretation of the buike quoniam at­tatchiamenta, maid be sum man quha hes eiked & augmented sindry things proffitable, for understanding of the forme of proces used, in auld times.

Leg. Burg. leges Burgorum; The lawes of Burrowes, maid in the time of the said King David the first, be relation and information of certaine lear­ned men, quhome he send to uther cuntries to learne and reporte to him the lawes, and ordinances thereof, quhilk was done be them within the space of twa ȝeires or thereby, as is plaine and manifest bee auld authenik buikes. And it is probable that he hes used the like forme and proceeding in making and furth-setting of the remanent his lawes.

Stat. Wilh. statuta Wilhelmi Regis; Statutes, and lawes, maid be King William.

Stat. Alex. statuta Alexandri, Satutes and lawes maid be King Alex­ander the second of that name, sonne to King Williame.

Stat. 1. Rob. Br. statuta prima Roberti Bruyse.

Stat. 2. Rob. Br. statuta secunda Roberti Bruyse. Quhilk statutes and laws maide be him are co-incident, and for the maist parte conteinis the like, or samin lawes.

Ass. Reg. Da. Assisa regis David: Lawes maid be King David the Bruyse, called King David the Second: And in some buikes ar called, sta­tuta David Regis.

Stat. Rob. 3. statuta Roberti Tertij: Statutes maid be King Robert the Third, Father to King Iames the First, quhilk as ȝit remainis in the Regi­ster of this Realme.

Leg. Forest. Leges Forestarum: The Lawes of Forestes, quhairof the author is not knowen to mee.

Iter Camer. Iter camerarij: the Chalmerlain air: Quhilk (as some al­leagis) was written and put in forme, in the time of King Iames the Third: Albeit the samin Courtes, were frequent, and meikle used mony ȝeires be­fore him.

De maritag. De maritagio. Ane little treatise, written be some private man, and is na waies authentick. It is so called, because the beginning thereof is. De marito.

Stat. Gild. Statuta Gildae, Certaine ordinances and constitutiones, tou­ching Burgesses, gild-brether, maid and constitute be Robert Durhame, Maire of Berwick, Simon Marschel and uthers wise men, inhabitantes of the said Burgh.

Leg. port. leges portuum, an treatise collected & written be sum particular person, quhilk is nocht authentick, and conteinis ane briefe summe and abridgement of the auld lawes, and is swa called, because it conteinis the ordinances anent the customes of shippes passand furth of this Realm, or arrivand to the samin, laidned with merchandice, and the forme of cust­omes, baith out-ward and in-ward.

De judic. De judicibus; Ane lang and large Rapsodie, collected furth of all buikes conteinand the civill lawe of this Realme. It is nocht authentick, bot ȝit verie proffitable for exposition of sindrie places of the Principall and authentick buikes. It is swa called be reason the beginning theirof is, De judice eligendo.

The Actes of Parliament of King James the first, and his successours are alleadged be the name of the King or Queene, author thereof. As Ia. for Iames, Mar. for Marie. p. for Parliament, and mairover be the number of the Parliament and chaptour.

Decreites given bee the Lordes of the Session and Councell, are allead­ged be the daye, moneth, and ȝeire of God, in the quhilk they are pronounced, and sumtime bee the names of the persewer and de­fender.

Quhair onie thing is written in the exposition of ane worde, quhilk may serve for the declaration of ane uther, for eschewing of unproffitable repetition, I remitte ȝow from the word to ane uther, be vid. For vide. and swa see and read the exposition of the ane and the uther: for thereby ȝe salbe mair largelie instructed.

FINIS.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this EEBO-TCP Phase II text, in whole or in part.