as constant a theater of petty conflicts that paralleled larger ones in Europe. The circumstances that led to manrents show that the Scottish government of the time was too weak to protect the oppressed or quell disputes between clans. Manrents and Scots Law Manrents were abolished by Act of Parliament, Edinburgh, under legislation on 6 March 1457 "that no man dwelling within burgh be found in manrent", and under the same terms, by legislation on 18 May 1491. The penalty being the confiscation of goods and "thar lifis at the kingis will". However, the terms of this legislation allowed for Manrents to the King, to the King's officers, to the Lord of the same burgh as the man entering into manrent, and to their superior officer. In Chapter 17 of legislation on 20 June 1555, and for reasons "because it is thocht aganis all law and obedience of subjectis towart thair princis", the giving and taking of bonds of manrent made in the past were now null and void, an exception was made for heritable bonds given for "assythment of slaughters in time bygone". Manrents mentioned in Parliamentary procedure and legislation: Under parliamentary procedure of 11 December 1543, Sir James Hamilton, was bound into a bond of manrent for himself and his heirs to James Hamilton, Earl of Arran and his heirs, in return for a bond of maintenance. A "Ratification of a bond of manrent to [James Weir], laird of Blackwood" was passed in legislation 5 June 1592, "for the assythment and satisfactioun of the slauchter of umquhile Johnne Weir of Poneill". The following cases involving bonds of manrent were brought before the Judicial proceedings: acts of the lords auditors of causes and complaints: 4 July 1476, Gavin of Crichton against Sir William of Borthwick, knight 20 July 1476, Alexander Cunningham, Lord Kilmaurs, against Robert of Muir of Rowallan 9 December 1482, John the Bruce of the Stenhouse against Robert Fleming, Lord Fleming and Andrew Oliphant, his bailie 19 May 1491, Cuthbert of Murray of Cockpool against Robert of Carlyle Terminology The earliest known bond to use the term "manrent" was recorded in January 1442, between Alexander MacDonald, earl of Ross and Hugh Fraser of Lovat. Earlier contracts survive, but use terms such as "letters of retinue" or "rentinencia". Illustrative example of a manrent In 1588, William Macleod of Macleod, 13th chief of Clan Macleod, entered into a bond