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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pannel(l, n.³ Also: pan(n)al(l, -ale, panel, pennall. [Only Sc. Of uncertain origin.Conjectured as orig. = a slip of parchment containing the indictment or the name or names of the persons indicted and so orig. identical with prec. If so, it would be parallel in origin to AF. (1292), ME. (Piers Plowman) and e.m.E. panel (of jurymen), med. L. panellus and late ME. and e.m.E. panel(e, a slip of parchment containing the jury list. This, however, remains unattested in the Sc. case.In mod. Sc. common in sense 2; also, in the 18th c., taken for ‘the place of arraignment, the dock.’]

1. (Up)on (the, ane) pannell, latterly also in pannell, on trial for a crime, under indictment, arraigned or accused; to pannell, to trial.As, to enter on (upon) or in pannel, (tr.) to present for trial, (intr.) to stand trial; to put or set upon the (ane) pannel, to arraign or to try; to be brought to (the) pannel, to stand trial, be tried.(1) 1533 Acts Sederunt i. ii.
That thai have … the xvij day of November instant affixt to thame for the accusatioune and persute of the personis beand vpone the pannall dilatit for art and part of the slauchter of the said umquhile William c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii. 128.
Incontinent thay callit the criminall With ane twme scheith set him on the pannall 1551 Digest Justiciary Proc. B. 59.
The Kerris on the pannell … protestit in the same maneir 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1582. 1561 Crim. Trials I. i. *413.
The said larde … and his collegis being on panale wer acquit 1564 Ib. 444*.
And thairfoir the persones on the pannale can on nawis be persewit except [etc.] a 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlvii. 8.
Ȝe may put vthiris on the pannell to 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 242.
Robert Cunnynghame [etc.] … were apprehendit and put on ane panall [v.r. pannall] 1576 Reg. Privy C. II. 567.
Thame that comperis not at the day appointit … thay sall not be ressavit on pannell thaireftir bot be unlawit and usit as fugitives 1582 Ib. III. 502.
To persew the personis enterit on pannell 1595 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 369.
The said Johne Banerman … enterit the said Alexr. Thome upone pannall and protestit he suld be frie of his cautionerie 1605-6 Welsh Forty-eight Serm. 492.
When a guilty sinner is set upon the pannel before Jesus Christ the judge 1605 Reg. Privy C. VII. 49. 1625 Justiciary Cases I. 26.
My lord aduocat producet the dittayis aganis the personnes on pannell 1635 Dickson Wr. 5.
That God has put the man on the pannel 1641 Misc. Spald. C. II. 237.
Beareing his willingnes … to enter on pannell conform to the chairge gevin to him for that effect 1683-4 Dick Testim. 19.
These principles and practices for which he was upon the pannal(2) 1592–3 Misc. Spald. C. II. 119.
The said day Alexander Men enterit in pannell and being accusit [etc.] 1612 Jurid. Rev. X. 466.
Margret Alexander … now enterit in pannell in the bosse windo of the Tolbuth(3) 1686 Lauder Observes 243.
Lord de la Mer … is brought to the pannell and many witnesses depone against him

2. The person or persons indicted before a criminal court, the accused.a. Applied collectively to a group of persons jointly accused. b. Applied to a single accused person or in plur. c. Also applied, ? chiefly in Orkney and Shetland, to an accused person after his conviction; hence = convicted criminal, condemned man.a. 1555 Bks. Adjournal 7 Dec.
The pannell protestit for the panis contenit in the actis of parliament 1562 Crim. Trials I. i. *409.
Prelocutouris for the pannel. … Prelocutouris for the persewaris 1563–4 Ib. 438*.
The prelocutouris for the pannale and pairtye defendand Ib.
The prelocutouris for the pannale and defendouris 1564 Ib. *443.
That thai comperit nocht as prelocutouris forsaidis to persew the pannall or ony of thame of thair lyves, bot allanerlie [etc.] Ib. *445.
Prelocutour for James Barroun and the remanent pannal persewit Ib. *451; etc. 1576–7 Ib. ii. 71.
Pennall 1586 Jurid. Rev. IV. 299.
It is alledgit be the advocat that he still insistis against the rest of the pannell 1597 Crim. Trials II. 13. 1625 Justiciary Cases I. 19.
The pannell takis instrumentis of thair entrie and protestis for releif of thair cautiounerisb. 1562 Bks. Adjournal 13 May.
Intrandi as secund pannale the laird of Wester Ogill [etc.] 1592 Digest Justiciary Proc. P. 20.
Be ressoune this criminall caus is foundit upoun ane particular deid allegit done be the pannell 1617 Crim. Trials III. 420.
And as it was lauchfull to the pannell to [etc.] 1618 Ib. 444.
The pannell … fand Jonne Leslie … cautioune for his compeirance 1619 Ib. 469. 1622 Ib. 525; etc. 1623 Peebles Gleanings 6.
Thomas Patersone, pannell, confest [etc.] 1626 Justiciary Cases I. 58. 1629 Ib. 109; etc.
In taking the bairne upone the pannellis knie 1661 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I. 57. 1673 Argyll Justic. Rec. I. 18. 1688 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 256. 1695 Bks. Adjournal 18 Nov.
That for hereafter the pannalls advocats in all their wryten debates title the defenders by the name of pannall … and not by the name of defenderplur. 1564 Crim. Trials I. i. *443.
That thai wald persew the samin aganis sa mony of the pannalls as thai wald name 1586 Jurid. Rev. IV. 298.
That he persews the haill panels for ane cryme … and for ane pane 1674 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II. 271.
That if the pannells did intromett with these horses [etc.] 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. ii. xx. § . 230.
When advocats assist pannels, especially in treason [etc.] 1683 Erskine Diary i.
After noon the roll of pannells was called 1684 Ib. 76.
One of the pannels snaped a gun at him 1690 Shields Grievances and Sufferings 21.
Allowing pannals already in prison … to be cited on 24 houres 1700 Misc. Spald. C. III. 188.c. 1618 Shetland Sheriff Ct. MS. 58.
The pannall to be tane to the west end of the gairden and thair his head to be dung fra his shoulderis 1624 Orkney Witch Trial in Misc. Abbotsf. C. 142. 1629 Orkney Bp. Ct. 73.
The pannell … to be hangit vpoun the gippit 1634 Ib. 92. 1611-57 Mure II. 14/402.
Till the like doome passe on thy book and thee, As on that pannell 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i. xxv. § . 250.
If a sheriff should execute any pannel upon a crime proved only against him by … inhabile witnesses [etc.]

3. A (criminal) trial. 1617 Crim. Trials III. 423.
And this was practizet in the grittest pannell that was in our days betuix the lairdis of Caddell and Ardkinglas for the slauchter of the laird of Caddell