It is flanked by a building that protected aristocratic debtors (known as the Abbey Lairds) from arrest and certain imprisonment; civil authorities had no jurisdiction within the Abbey grounds and could not enter to arrest them.
The Abbey Lairds were seized and arrested as soon as they left the building.
mnli hypothesis: The Abbey Lairds were seized and arrested as soon as they left the building. premise: It is flanked by a building that protected aristocratic debtors (known as the Abbey Lairds) from arrest and certain imprisonment; civil authorities had no jurisdiction within the Abbey grounds and could not enter to arrest them.