“JAMES, be the grace of God, King of Scottis, to all and sundrie our liegis and subdittis quhais knawlege thir our letteris sal cum, greting: Forsamekill as We and our richt traist cousing JAMES ERLE OF MORTOUN, Lord Dalkeith, Regent to ws, our realme and liegis, are informed of mony hich attemptis, inordinat oppressiounis, and new exactionis dalie committit upoun our peicabill and obedient subiectis, the Inhabitantis of our cuntrie of Zetland, Quhilkis dwelling sa far distant frome our residence and seit of iustice, can not alwyiss compeir and haif access and mak thair Complaintis, nether can the treuth of the same Complayntis be tryit in the south pairtis of our realme, without putting of a grite number of our subiectis, inhabitantis of the said cuntrie that necessarlie requiris to be inquirit and examinat, to greit and havie travaill and expenss: For relief quhairoff and ease of our saidis subiectis, wit ze Ws, with avise of our said Regent, to have gevin, grantit, and committit, and be thir our letteris gevis, grantis, and committis to our weilbelovittis, MAISTER WILLIAME MUDY of Breknes, and WILLIAME HENDERSOUN, Dingwall pursevant, coniunctlie, our full power, expres bidding and command, to repair in the said cuntrie of Zetland, and thair in our name and auctoritie, to inquire and try the trewth of the saidis Complayntis of the inhabitantis maid to us and our said Regent, or to be presentit to our saidis Commissionaris, at thair passing in the said cuntrie, in form of dittay, or be examinatioun of credibill and honest witnesses, quhais names salbe gevin in bill, and to that effect be thair awin precept to summound sik personis as thai sall think expedient, to compeir befoir thame, alsweil to gif up thair complaintis and dittay, as to declair the trewth in sic thingis as salbe inquirit of thame, at thair cuming, ilk persoun under the pains of ten punds money, the personis . . . pursewand the unlaw for the said persoun, and for the same . . . to poind and to distrenzie, and that thai report thair full findingis in the saidis matteris with all speid and diligence to our said Regent, to the effect that reformation may be givin to the saidis enormiteis, to the ease and satisfactioun of the saidis Compleineris, and weill and quietnes of our said cuntrie in tyme cuming. Quhairfoir we command and charge the said Mr. William Mudy and Williame Hendersoun, that thai accept this our commissioun in and upon thame, incontinent efter the presenting of the same to thame, and that indelatlie, and with all possibill expeditioun thairefter proceid to the executioun thairof, efter the forme and tennor of the same, alswell in taking of the said executioun and tryall, as in reporting of that quhilk thei sall try and find out, as thei and ether of thame will answer to ws, vpoun thair obedience, at thair vttermaist charge and apparrell, and under all hiast pane, charge, and offence that thai may commit and inrin aganis our Maiestie in that behalf.