chaud-mellé, mella Sc. Law.
[a. OF. chaude mellee (in med.L. calida melleia) ‘heated affray or broil’: see mêlée. (By Selden and others erroneously identified with chance medley, from the partial coincidence of sense and form.)]
A sudden broil or affray arising from the heat of passion; hence, the wounding or killing of a man in such an affray, without premeditation.
| c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. vi. xix. 23 Gyve ony be suddane chawdmellè Hapnyd swa slayne to be Be ony of the Thaynys kyne. 1597 Skene De Verb. Signif., Chaud-Melle, in Latine Rixa; ane hoat suddaine tuilzie, or debaite, quhilk is opponed as contrair to fore-thoucht-fellonie. Ibid., Melletum, Medletum, Chaud-mella is ane fault or trespasse, quhilk is committed be ane hoate suddainty, & not of set purpose, or præcogitata malitia. 1672 Selden Notes on Hengham in Fortescue 123 Our Chaunce medley corrupted from ‘Chaud melle’. 1752 Scots Mag. (1753) May 231/2 The murder is not said to have been committed from sudden passion, or chaud mella. 1769 Blackstone Comm. IV. 184 Chance-medley, or (as some rather chuse to write it) chaud-medley; the former of which..signifies a casual affray, the latter an affray in the heat of blood or passion. 1860 C. Innes Scotl. Mid. Ages vi. 198. |