Act, 27 December 1694, Edinburgh

At Edinburgh tuesday 13th November 1694

A1694/11/16

A1694/11/16¹

Act

Repryve and Comittee Margaret Wat

Anent the petitione given in to the Lords of Their Majesties privy Councill by Poor Margaret Watt prisoner in the Tolbooth of Forfar Shewing That where the petitioner by a Commissione from the said Lords was recommeded to dye with Alexander Barrie upon the eight instant and the said Lords were most gratiouslie pleased to repryve the said petitioner till Thursday the tuentie second instant and Alexander Barrie being now execute and the petitioner being most sadly and unfortunatly debauched and deceived by the said Alexander Barrie who could not be ignorant of the severity of the Laws yet advysed her to conceal my being with Child till ² she was in Sore Laboure and then He refused to let Her brother goe for help But assisted Her only himself and murdered and buried the Child with his owne Hands immediatly when she was not able to doe any thing for herself lykeas the petitioner was the first that revealled where the Child was burried and after sentance made ane ample and full confessione to the Minister and Elders of Forfare in presence of the said Alexander Barrie which he could not deny though he would not confess But on the contrary offered to execute the said petitioner and to be Hangmane to the Toune of Forfar if they would spare his lyfe and the petitioner being but a young and ignorant persone and Alexander Barrie ane old cunning wicked mane And the petitioners master and forced her to swear concealment for fear of her lyfe It is now evident to the convictione of the said Lords their Commissioners and all good Christians upon the place as is evident by the Ministers and other letters produced That the said petitioner was debaushed, abused and compelled to be accessory to the said wicked villany for which the said petitioner confessed she deserved to dye lykewayes unless the said Lords out of pitty and Compassione thought that justice was Satisfied by the death of the said Alexander Barry and would change her doome into banishment or any other punishment the said Lords thought fitt and therfore humbly Craveing That the said Lords might be pleased for Christs sake to have pitty and Compassione upon the said petitioner and to change Her doome and sentance to banishment or the lyke punishment as the said Lords were in use to doe in the Lyke Cases as at lenth is contained in the said petitione The Lords of their majesties privy Councill haveing considered this petitione given in to them by the said Margaret Watt They Hereby Repryve the said petitioner untill the first wedensday of February next exclusive from the sentance of death pronounced against her and Discharge the Baillies of Forfar where she is appoynted to dye To put the sentance of death to execution against her untill the said day and Recomend to Sir James Stueart their Majesties Advocat and the Lord Justice Clerk To Call for and speak with Master William Aikmane advocat shirriff Deput of Forfar who was one of the Judges by Commissione from the Councille who Judged the said petitione anent the case of the said petitioner and the nature of her guilt and what Circumstances there are where the same may be extenuat or alleviate and to report the same to the Councill sic subscribitur Tweeddale cancel Ipd, Morton, Breadalbane, Tarbat, Yester, John Lauder, John Lauder, James Steuart, Archibald Murray