haill cuntrie, as thai depone suld have bein in sic casis, bot done pryvatlie be pryvat persounnis in pryvat places, unsworne, to declair the veritie, bot as it war _rogatus rogo_. Item, fynalye, becaus the hail Comownis and Inhabitantis of Zetland hes beine in tymes bygane, lyk as thai ar instantly, grevuslye rubbit, oppressit, and spoliat of thair gudis and substance, be sic men as hes borne and beiris authoritie and offices above thame, sic as chalmerlanis, fowdis, underfowdis, officiaris and utheris, prevat personis, bangstaris, pairtlie throw wrangus meit, messur, and handling of thair dewities in the ressait thairof, pairtlie be wrangus and negligent ministratioun of justice, and pairtlie be wanting of lauful Lawrichtmen and Lawmen, quhilk the said cuntrie was wount to haiff, and hes never gottin na relief thairoff, bot at sic tymes as the supreme authoritie sendis Commissionaris to the said cuntrie, to tak tryall of thair estaitt and conditioun for the tyme, quhilk thing thay lament hes bein ouer lang betuix. Secundly, becaus the inhabitantis foirsaid are puir men, and may not thairfoir, throw laik of expenss, travell to the far pairtis of the realm of Scotland, quhar the courtis existis, to lament thair oppressiouns and injuris, the distance of the way being so remote and far of the sey. Thairfoir it is desyrit be thame that the Regentis Grace and the Nobilitie may mak ane publick and perpetual ordinance amang the actis of Parliament, that ewerie fourth or fyft zeir, giff neid beis, . . . . . . . . . and send to Zetland affoir the . . . . . and conditioun of the inhabitaris thairof . . . . . offensis done to thaim . . . . and servandis beirand care and charge over thame, and utheris privat persounis, cuntriemen and strangearis, sic as Duchemen and Inglismen resorting and frequentyng in the said cuntrie, zeirlie giffand and committand power to the saidis Commissionaris to depois, destitute, and depryve all sic officiars beirand rule above thame fra thair chargeis and offices, as sall be fund culpable, and gilteous in the premissis, and throw thair demeritis sall be fund worthie of deprevatioun and destitutioun of thair offices, quhatsomever estait, conditioun, or degrie that thay be of, with satisfactioun to the opprest: and to creat of new, and input in thair plaiceis sufficient men of knawledge, godlie of conversatiounis and lyff, freyndis to the cuntrie men, makyng confidence within the cuntrie; quhomto the opprest as oft as necessitie requyris, may haif recourss for impetratioun of justice. This the foirsaid haill inhabitaris of Zetland desyris the Regentis Grace and the foirsaid Nobilitie, to perform for Goddis saik, and the zeil thai beir to justice, according to the dewitie of thair commissioun under God.