The Inhabitaris of Delting and Scatsta affirmis, that the Laird causit thame, ilk zeir of thre zeiris, to pay him ane ox and twelff scheip furth of their parochin, quhilk was never in use to be tane of thame of befoir. Northmaven affirmis, thai payit conforme to Delting of oxin and scheip. Wawis testifiis, thai payit in thre zeir thre oxin and thre doissoun of scheip. Sandsting and Aythsting testifiis, that in twa zeiris, the Laird causit thame to pay to him, ilk zeir thairoff, ane ox and twelff scheip; the third zeir, becaus thai had not ane ox to giff him, he tuik xxiiii scheip of thame; and the last zeir, he tuik certain scheip of thame, to the number of sax, sevin, or aucht, and promisit payment thairfoir, bot as zet is unpayit.
The Inhabitaris of Dunrosnes declaris, that the Laird tuik fra thame ilk zeir of thre zeiris, ane ox and twelff scheip, bot the last zeir he tuik nathing thairoff fra thame.
Fyftlie, It was complenit be the said auld Lawrichtmen, that the Laird had compellit the haill countrie of Zetland to pay to him ane taxatioun in the first zeir of his last entres, allegeand that it was to sustein his suddartis upon. And thai that wuld not pay the samyn, he poyndit thair gudis and geir thairfoir, and giff thai maid obstacle, thai war dung be the officiaris, and thair geir tane fra thame thairfoir; amang quhom ane honest man, callit Andro Michelsoun, dwelland in Hollibustar, tennent to the Kingis Grace, was dung be the officiar, Harie Bruce, becaus he wald have stayit his geir fra poynding for the said taxatioun.
The haill Inhabitaris of Zetland within mentionat, ressauit, sworne, and admittit, zeir, place, and dayis respectivé before said, hes testifiit upon this Article of the Taxatioun, as followis—
Quhytnes and Weisdale, being bot puir fischarmen, payit in the said taxatioun twelff dolouris and ane halff. Brassay, beand bot to the number of xxx puir fischaris, payit contrair thair will, in the said taxatioun, twelff dolouris. Nesting, Lunasting, Quhailsay, and Skerreis, payit in this taxatioun threttie dolors, nevertheless thai war constrenit, as thai affirme, to feid the Lairdis suddartis all the tyme thai war in the said cuntrie. Tingwall affermis, that the Laird and his servand Harie Bruce, tuik in this parochin for this taxatioun, fiftie dolouris. Burray, Trondra, Quharff and Goldberwyk, affermis, that the Laird gart this puir parochin pay in this taxatioun, twentie dolouris; and war nocht David Clerk of the Brintyland and vtheris, merchandis, lent and fristit thame the dolouris, thair ky and oxin had been poyndit thairfoir, to thair utter wrak. Zell payit in this taxatioun to the Laird thre scoir of dolouris. Unst payit to the Laird, be the handis of Barthole Strang and Thomas Cowtis, in this taxatioun, fyve scoir of dolouris. Fetlair payit heirintill be the handis of James Sutherland, till Andro Mowat, quha ressavit in the Lardis name twentie dolouris. Delting and Scatsta payit in this taxt to the Laird, elewin pund Scottis. Northmaven, this parochin hes giffen up particularlie, be ilk man in our name, quhat thai payit, quhilk beand calculat befoir the Commissionaris, extendit that this parochin payit to thre scoir four dolouris. Wawis affermis, that thai payit to the Laird in this taxation, threttie dolouris. Sandsting and Aythsting declaris, that the Laird had fra thame in this taxatioun, threttie-four dolouris. Dunrosnes affermis, that thai payit to the Laird in this taxatioun, thre scoir of dolouris.
Saxtlie, It was complenit be the said auld Lawrichtmen, that quhair for ilk thre zeiris gerssowme of ane last of land, thai war wont to pay fyve dolouris, quhilk is callit the Eistercowp and Landsettertoun; but now sen the Laird began to be Chamberlaine, he has tane for ilk last of land sewin dolouris and ane halff, quhilk is of everie last of land within Zetland, in thre zeiris, twa dolouris and ane halff dolour mair nor richt, or ever was payit of befoir, quhilk extendis everie thre zeir to thre hundreth dolouris and better, of new augmentatiounis of gerssowmes.
The haill Inhabitaris of Zetland befoir mentionat, sworne and examinit upon this Article, zeir, place, and dayis respectivé affoirsaid, hes testifiit this Article to be of trewth; and notwithstanding of this new augmentatioun of gerssowmes, thai got not the takkis kepit and observit quhill all zeiris that thai haue payit for be outrun. For quhair as thai haue payit twa gerssowmes in maner foirsaid, for sax zeir takkis, he will not suffer thame to bruik the last saxt zeir, bot compellis thame at the begynning thairoff, to tak new takkis agane, and pay new gerssowmes, and swa makkis the last zeir of the formar assedatioun to be the first zeir of thair new assedatioun; and swa thai pay dowbill gerssowmes for ane zeir, togedder with the wrangus augmentatioun foirsaid.
Sewintlie, It was complenit be the saidis auld Lawrichtmen, that quhair it is the use and consuetude of the cuntrie quhen ony man or woman deceissis, haveand landis, gudis, or geir, to be divydit amangis the airis, the Underfowde (quhilk is the baillie of the parochin or yle), accumpanyt with certane honest nichtboris, cummand to the principall houss quhair the persoun deceissit, callit the Heidbull, for making of the divisioun of the said airschip, callit ane Scheind, gat for his fee of the haill gudis nyne schilling Dense, quhilk is sax schilling Scottis, or thairby. But now sen the Lairdis entres, he hes dischargit the Underfowdis of thair offices and fee in that case, and hes tane in place of the said nyne schillingis Dense, ane sax schilling ox, quhilk is the maist sufficient ox that can be had, to him selff of everie persounis gudis that deceissis.
The haill Inhabitaris of Zetland above specifiit, sworne and examinit upon this Article, all in ane voce deponis the same to be trew; and in particular, Laurence of Air, personalie present befoir the Commissionaris, testifiit be his haill nichtboris, that quhen his fader Olaw of Eister Scail deceissit, the Laird compellit him to pay ane ox pryce, viz.—thre dolouris, for his scheind fee.
Auchtlie, It is lamentit and complenit be the auld Lawrichtmen of the cuntrie, that quhair the Inhabitaris of the cuntrie are hevelie and exorbitantlie opprest sen the Lairdis entres to the office of Fowdrie, in wrangus taking up of unlawis of the absentis fra courtis, not beand summound nor dempt thairto, bot onlie callit upon the stembirth, thair lawfull sonzeis oft tymes repellit; for of the law and practik of the cuntrie, the absent fra the Lawting, aucht and suld be unlawit in xl s., quhilk was payit in Olaw Sinclair’s tyme with twa dolouris. This Lawting is the principall court haldin in the cuntrie in the haill zeir, to the quhilk all men aucht to cum, bayth Mayneland and Yles, that hes land and heritage or grit takkis of the King. Bot the Laird in his tyme hes tane up, without respect of persounis, of all absentis fra the Lawting, for the said xl s. thre dolouris and ane gudling. And quhair currant courtis was haldin be the Fowde in ony parochin or yle, the absentis therefra war unlawit in four merk Zetland payment, quhilk was payit with saxteen shillings Scottis in Olaw Sinclair’s tyme. Bot now the Laird compellis thame to pay twa dolouris thairfoir. The haill Inhabitantis aboue specifiit, ressauit, sworne, and examinit upon this Article, deponis the same to be of veritie.