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
The Land-male or Rent of Tenants or Tacksmen consisted of—
1st. COST, or victual—generally paid in a commutation of two-thirds of
malt, one-third of meal.
2nd. FLESH—paid in cattle or live stock, at a conventional estimate of
2 or 3 head to each Last of nominal quantity.
3rd. PENNYWORTHS—an equivalent in grain, butter, oil, or other produce
of the lands, in case of deficiency of the other payments.
The parochial exactions (all of Scottish origin) are summed up with a
quaint acknowledgment of omnivorous rapacity; “And all this _supra_, is
_præter_ the Skattmarts, Wrack, Waith, Hawkhens, Chetry, Balliatus, and
uthir profittis and Revenues that may happen ony maner of way.”
The relative share of the Odaller and Tenant in these new parish burdens
is not expressed, but both must have looked back with regret to the
worst of their ancient rulers, and watched with dismay the rising tide
of Scottish oppression which was slowly but inevitably sapping their
rights and overwhelming their liberties.
Of the taxes, rents, and assessments of the Rental, only a very small
part was payable in money, and every coinage seems to have been current,
though at an exchange often and arbitrarily fluctuating.
The rest of the _Debts and Duties_, as they were called, were paid in
kind or produce, and measured by the PUNDAR and BYSMAR—the CAN and
BARRELL—the CUTTEL and PACK—the native Standards and Instruments
respectively of weight, capacity, and extent. The correctness and
uniformity of these instruments was guarded with jealous care by the
Thingmen, and the Wardthing of every Parish elected a LÖGRETTMAN or
LAWRIGHTMAN to watch the measuring of its debts or duties by the
Underfoud, and to take charge of its Standards, which were from time to
time compared and corrected in presence of the Thing, by reference to a
Common Standard of each kind of instrument of mensuration. Each of these
common Standards was more solemnly authenticated by the Common Seal, or
the signature or mark of the Lawman, by authority of the Lawthing, and
severally kept by one of the Lawrightmen of four different districts,
honoured by law or custom with their custody. This system of inspection,
counter-checks, and separate guardianship, effectually precluded
fraudulent or ignorant tampering with the Weights and Measures of the
country, till virtually cancelled by the violence of the Donatary and
his agents in superseding the Lawrightmen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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