_Causa
scienticae patet._ And this is truth, as he shall answer to God, and depones
he cannot write. (Signed) James Mackenzie.

Upon the indictment against the panels being read in court, they all pled
"Not guilty," and certain defences were offered for them.

And first, in opposition to what the indictment alleged with regard to
Andrew Wilson having formed a design to rob Collector Stark, and having
taken Hall and Robertson, his associates, from Edinburgh that morning, it
was stated that they did not set out from Edinburgh in company, but met
upon the water in the passage between Leith and Kinghorn, where two of
them, Wilson and Hall, were passing in a yawl, and Robertson was crossing
in a passage boat; that instead of leaving Edinburgh and going to the East
Neuk on the criminal design libelled, they had each of them lawful business
in that part of the country, viz., for buying goods in which they
ordinarily dealt, and which it was neither criminal nor capital to buy and
sell; and particularly George Robertson, who kept an inn near Bristo Port
in Edinburgh, where the Newcastle carriers commonly put up; that having
occasion to buy liquors in the east of Fife, he agreed to take share of a
cargo with Andrew Wilson, and with that view got a letter of credit from
Francis Russell, druggist addressed to Bailie Andrew Waddell, Cellardyke,
for the value of L50 sterling; and further, he carried with him an accepted
bill of John Fullerton in Causeyside, to the like extent, as a fund of
credit for the goods he might buy; and William Hall, the third panel, was a
poor workman in Edinburgh, commonly attending the weigh-house, who was
carried along to take care of and fetch home the goods; that accordingly,
as soon as they came to Anstruther, and put up their horses at James
Wilson's, they went to a respectable man, Bailie Johnston, and bought goods
to the value of L46 10s., and whilst making the bargain they drank some
quantity of liquor; that after this, not finding at Anstruther all the
sorts of liquor they wanted to purchase, they went on foot to Pittenweem,
when they first went to the house of ---- Drummond, another respectable
merchant, and drank some time with him, desiring to buy some brandy of him,
but he told them he could not furnish them at that time; that after this
the panels went into the house of Widow Fowler, where, calling for a room,
they were shown into the kitchen, and inquired at the landlady if she could
furnish