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ANTIQUITIES. 
did the Chamberlain ‘ Chambers 
lainaries ;’ from these courts there 
was allowed an appeal to a jurisdic- 
tion of great antiquity, styled ‘ The 
Four Boroughs’ Court.’ This was 
formed of burgesses from Edinburgh 
and three other towns, who met at 
Haddington to judge on such ap- 
peals. 
There was one abuse, however, 
which rendered every court of jus- 
tice nugatory. It had become a 
custom for the Scottish monarchs to 
bestow on their favourites not only 
estates but powers and privileges 
equal to their own. These were 
styled Lords of Regalities ;? they 
‘formed courts around them, had 
mimic officers of state, and tried, 
executed, or pardoned the greatest 
criminals. 
The good sense of James II. 
prompted him to propose a remedy 
for this inordinate evil; but two ad- 
mirable laws which he brought fore 
ward (the one against granting * Re- 
galities’ without consent of parlia- 
ment; the other, to prohibit the be- 
stowing of hereditary dignities) were 
after his decease neglected; and 
Scotland continued, two centuries 
longer, a prey to the jarring inter- 
ests of turbulent, traitorous noble- 
mren. 
Account of the Proceeding in the 
Trial by Battle ; from Dallaway’s 
Heraldic Inquiries. 
NCIENTLY, when one per- 
son was accused by another 
without any farther witness than 
the bare ipse dtxit of the accuser, 
the accused party making good his 
own cause by Strongly denying the 
Vor. XXXVI. 
[*113 
fact, the matter was then referred to 
the decision of the sword. If the 
parties were noble, the king him= 
self was always present at the com- 
bat, seated on a scaffold, attended 
by the earl marshal and high con- 
stable of England, who were to see 
‘that no undue advantage was taken 
by either party. The conqueror 
was then declared innocent, and the 
vanquished guilty. 
The seventh of June, a combate 
was foughte before the king’s pas 
lace at Westminster, on the paves 
‘ment there, betwixt one sir John 
Annesley, knight, and one Thomas 
Katrington, esq. 
The occasion of this strange and 
notable triall rose hereof. The 
knight accused the esquier of trea« 
son, for that whereas the fortresse of 
Sainte Saviour within the isle of 
Constantine, in Normandie, belong- 
ing sometime to sir John Chandos, 
had bin committed to the said Kat- 
tington, as Captayne thereof to 
keepe it against the enemies,hehadde 
for money solde and delivered it 
over to the Frenchmen, when he 
was sufficiently provided,of men,mu- 
nition, and vittayles, to have defend- 
ed it against them ; and sith the in- 
heritance of that fortresse and lands 
belonging thereto, had apperteyn- 
ed to the said Annesley in righte of 
his wife, as nearest cousin by affinite 
unto sir John Chandos, if by the 
false conveyance of the said Katring- 
ton, ithad not bin made away and 
alienated into the enemies hands, 
hee offered therefore to trie the 
quarrell by combate, against the 
saide Katrington, whereupon the 
same Katrington was apprehended, 
and putte in prison, but shortly af- 
ter set at libertie againe. 
[* H] Whilst 
