John Skene, Lord Curriehill
Encyclopedia
Sir John Skene, Lord Curriehill (c. 1543 – 1617) was a Scottish judge.
He was regent in St Mary's College, St Andrews
from 1564-5 and became an advocate
in 1575.
As joint Lord Advocate
from 1589 to 1594 he was zealous in the prosecution of witches. He served as ambassador to Holland from 1591. He was appointed Lord Clerk Register
and Lord of Session
, with the judicial title of Lord Curriehill in 1594, serving until 1611.
His compilation of old Scots law Regiam Majestatem
is a source of the laws of Scotland previous to James I
. He was granted a pension by Regent Morton
for preparing a digest of laws. He also produced a Scots law
dictionary, De Verborum Significatione.
He was regent in St Mary's College, St Andrews
St Mary's College, St Andrews
St Mary's College of the University of St Andrews, in Fife, Scotland - in full, the New College of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - was founded in 1538 by Archbishop James Beaton, uncle of Cardinal David Beaton on the site of the pedagogy or St Johns College .St Mary's College was...
from 1564-5 and became an advocate
Faculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary...
in 1575.
As joint Lord Advocate
Lord Advocate
Her Majesty's Advocate , known as the Lord Advocate , is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament...
from 1589 to 1594 he was zealous in the prosecution of witches. He served as ambassador to Holland from 1591. He was appointed Lord Clerk Register
Lord Clerk Register
The office of Lord Clerk Register is the oldest surviving Great Officer of State in Scotland, with origins in the 13th century.The Clerk-Register was from ancient times the principal Clerk in the kingdom, from whom all other clerks, whatever their government positions, and who were essentially his...
and Lord of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
, with the judicial title of Lord Curriehill in 1594, serving until 1611.
His compilation of old Scots law Regiam Majestatem
Regiam Majestatem
The Regiam Majestatem is the earliest surviving work giving a comprehensive digest of the Law of Scotland. The name of the document is derived from its first two words...
is a source of the laws of Scotland previous to James I
James I of Scotland
James I, King of Scots , was the son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. He was probably born in late July 1394 in Dunfermline as youngest of three sons...
. He was granted a pension by Regent Morton
James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton
James Douglas, jure uxoris 4th Earl of Morton was the last of the four regents of Scotland during the minority of King James VI. He was in some ways the most successful of the four, since he did manage to win the civil war which had been dragging on with the supporters of the exiled Mary, Queen of...
for preparing a digest of laws. He also produced a Scots law
Scots law
Scots law is the legal system of Scotland. It is considered a hybrid or mixed legal system as it traces its roots to a number of different historical sources. With English law and Northern Irish law it forms the legal system of the United Kingdom; it shares with the two other systems some...
dictionary, De Verborum Significatione.