Oppressions of the Sixteenth Century in the Islands of Orkney and Zetland: From Original Documents
History
Oppressions of the Sixteenth Century in the Islands of Orkney and Zetland: From Original Documents
Orkney (Scotland) -- History; Shetland (Scotland) -- History
Item, Christopheir Johnsoun beand giffin up in ane Granderie in
Northmaven, for the allegeit uptaking of ane pece see-drewin tre, he
beand than, at the upgiffin thairoff, dwelland in Delting, ane vther
parochin: For the quhilk causs it was referred to the Court haldin in
Delting be the Laird. And at the Lairdis cumming thair, the said
Christopheir beand callit thairfoir in Court, was decernit to quyt him
thairoff with the Lawricht ayth. The maner quhairoff is, the sheriff
sall chois ane honest nichtbour that knawis his lyff, and him selff ane
vther to stand on ilk hand of him; and first, he sall quyt him selff be
his ayth, and than the vther twa ar requyrit giff thai will sweir that
it is ane trew ayth that he has maid: Giff thai afferme it trew, than is
he quyt. Bot giff thai or any of thame refuiss, than of the law for
samonie as refusis him, he man pay ane merk Zetland payment, quhilk is
the third part of ane dolour. And becaus this Christopheir was furth of
his awin parochin, quhair the allegeit deid was done, and culd get na
acquittance in the parochin quhair he thair dwelt, desyrit to be
refferrit hame to Northmaven quhair he dwelt of befoir, to the quhilk
the Laird wuld not condescend. And giff he had failzit acquittance, and
had had na excuiss thairfoir, zet he suld have payit na mair bot twa
gudlingis of the law, quhilk at the hieast is xvi s. Scottis. Bot the
Laird by all ordor of justice, compellit him to pay sax dolouris
thairfoir. And this provin be the nichtbouris foirsaid of Delting.
Item, Olaw in Yllisburgh, being on the sei in his boit, fand ane fische
callit ane Homeir, quhilk he drew to the land upon his awin heritable
grund, and tuik furth the liver thairoff, and made it in ulie, for the
fische thairoff ganis for naething. The Laird gettand wit thairoff, he
callit him in the Court thairoff in Nesting, in this present zeir of
[God] 1576 zeiris, and layde him to the law thair; and siclyk at ane
vther Court thairefter, haldin in Nesting; and in bayth the Courtis he
was decernit free, and nathing dempt to the Laird thairfoir, as thai
that sat upon the assyiss declarit. Zet nevertheless the Laird causit
his officiar, James Espline, to poynd sewin ky of the said Olawis
thairfoir, and for releiff of thame, he was constreinit to giff to the
Laird four angell nobillis, or ellis to have wantit his ky. This provin
be the haill number of the thre parochinis foirsaid.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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