NEUER ON SONDAY PERHAPS WHAT THE ENGLAND OF CHRISTINE KEELER AND STEPHEN 
WARD NEEDS IS A TOUCH OF OLD SCOTLAND . JUDGING BY 
THE ARCHAIC LANGUAGE OF THE SCOTTISH BIGAMY ACT (1551), FEW OFFENDERS 
ARE MORE FROWNED UPON THAN " THAME THAT MARYIS TWA SINDRIE 
WYFIS OR HUSBANDIS LEVAND TOGIDDIR UNDERVORSIT (UNDIVORCED) . " UNDER THE 
ACT, PUNISHMENT IS FIXED AT " CONFISCATIOUS OF ALL THEAIR GUDIS 
MOUABILL OF THEIR PERSOUNIS FOR YEIR AND DAY . " ALSO, 
THEY MAY " NEUER HABILL TO BRUKE (NEVER AGAIN BEAR) OFFICE 
OF HONOUR, DIGNITIE NOR BENEFICE . " AS IT HAPPENS, THIS 
HARSH TREATMENT HAS NOT BEEN METED OUT FOR MONNY A YEAR 
LANG SYNE, BUT THE SCOTS' ANCIENT LAW IS STILL ON THE 
BOOKS . LAST WEEK, ALONG WITH 166 OTHER COBWEBBED STATUTES ADOPTED 
BY THE SCOTTISH KINGDOM BEFORE IT JOINED ENGLAND IN 1707, THE 
LAW WAS BEING REPEALED IN THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT . FOR ALL 
THEIR MORAL GRANITE, THE SCOTS CLEARLY HAD THEIR PROBLEMS 1 STATUTE, 
DESIGNED TO CURB REBELLIOUS YOUTH, DECREED THAT ANY " SONNE OR 
DAUGHTER ABOVE AGE OF SEXTEIN YEERS NOT BEING DISTRACTED (DEMENTED) SHALL 
BEATE OR CURSE THEIR FATHER OR MOTHER SHALL BE PUT TO 
DEATH WITHOUT MERCY . " ON THE OTHER HAND, THE LOSS 
OF SOME OF THE OLD LAWS MIGHT BE SAID, FROM A 
DOUR POINT OF VIEW, TO CONTRIBUTE TO MODERN DECADENCE . AMONG 
THEM : REPEAL OF A PROHIBITION (1579) AGAINST " GAMYNG AND 
PLAYING, PASSING TO TAVERNIS AND AILHOUSES AND WILFULL REMANING FRA (AWAY 
FROM) THE PAROCHE KIRK IN TYME OF SERMONE OR PRAYERS ON 
SONDAY . 