What is "chaud melee"?

While I appreciate the first answer, it is somewhat lacking in explanation. That answer does touch on its origin, however. The 1425 mention found in "WYNTOUN Cron. VI. xix" on that answer says "...Be ony of the Thaynys kyne." I'll explain, but I have to reverse course first. As stated above, I changed my search query. I found a 15 July 1830 edition of the Perthshire Courier (printed in Perthshire, Scotland). The article is says it is an excerpt from William Chambers "The Book of Scotland.". This excerpt from that book is actually an excerpt of another Walter Scott book "Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border" vol. iii. (Which is super nerd funny to me because the article claims, 'From the cursory inspection which we have given the volume it appears to us to be entitled to its claim of being free from the "paste and scistors" stain—that is, of being a mere compilation of old descriptions and opinions in a modern guise', then it proceeds to copy and paste an old book. In Chambers' defense, he does at least admit to using Scott's work, unlike some other plagiarisms I have found in newspapers of the era.)

This 1806 book covers the "Law of Clan McDuff". This section of the book (pg.271 of the Archive.org version) details some particulars of Scottish history. It says, when Macbeth was "dethroned and slain" by Malcolm III, Malcolm III granted the thane of Fife three wishes. It doesn't say specifically, but it is revealed that the chief of Clan Macduff is the thane of Fife. The third wish was

"this privilege of Clan Macduff, whereby any person, being related to Macduff within the ninth degree, and having committed homicide in chaude melle (without premeditation), should, upon flying to Macduff's cross, and paying a certain fine, obtain remission of their guilt. Such, at least, is the account given by all our historians."

The part that interests me, however, is the following, in which Scott interjects some particulars. He says,

"Nevertheless, there seems ground to suspect, that the privilege did not amount to an actual and total remission of the crime, but only to a right of being exempted from all other courts of jurisdiction, except that of the lord of Fife. The reader is presented with an old document, in which the law clan Macdufff is pleaded on behalf of one of the ancestors of Moray of Abercairny; and it is remarkable that he does not claim any immunity, but solely a right of being repledged, because his cause had already been tried by Robert earl of Fife, the sole competent judge. But the privilege of being answerable only to the chief of their own clan, was, to the descendants of Macduff, almost equivalent to an absolute indemnity."

Scott says that

"Fordun and Wintoun state, that the fine, to be paid by the person taking sanctuary, was twenty-four merks for a gentleman, and twelve merks for a yeoman. Skene affirms it to be nine cows and a colpindach (i.e. a quey, or cow of one or two years old)."

One merk equals 13 shillings 4 pence, so 24 merks would be about 16 pounds. According to Measuring Worth, this was no small sum of money.

The 1425 mention in Wyntoun's Chronicle seems to support this claim to some degree. The only open questions on this now, would be if someone could provide the sources mentioned in the above answer (i.e. Wyntoun's Chronicle 1425; Skene's De Verb; Selden's Notes on Hengham) or the mentions from Scott's entry in the Minstrelsy book(i.e. Fordun, lib. 5, cap.9; Wintoun's Chonykel b. 6, ch. 19; Skene, ut supra). I imagine the Skenes and Wintouns are the same. I just can't seem to find specifically what is being referenced. I am still looking, but I thought I would publish this last piece of the puzzle. Possibly, more to follow...