Of measurement by weight the instruments were—1st, The PUNDAR or PUNDLAR, identical with the Steelyard or _Statera_, and of two kinds—the MALT PUNDAR for weighing Malt and other bulky articles, and the _Bere Pundar_ for Bere only, using the same weights, but each a third less than the same denomination on the Malt Pundar; and 2ndly, the BYSMAR, on which were weighed the butter and other articles requiring more minute mensuration. The following figures will explain the form of the Pundar and Bysmar better than description, and show their liability to error and fraud, and the consequent necessity for the jealous watch of the Lawrightman upon the weigher’s crafty hand. [Illustration] The first is a facsimile of the woodcut which occurs in the original edition of the _Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus_, of Olaus Magnus, Archbishop of Upsala, p. 468, Romæ, 1555, folio. The other is copied from _The General Grievances and Oppression of the Isles of Orkney and Shetland_ (by James Mackenzie), p. 19. Edinb. 1750, 8vo.: Both cuts are figured in Dr. Hibbert’s Shetland. The weights in use were— 8 Eyrar or Ounces = 1 Mark of half a pound 24 Marks = 1 Lispund, Span, Setteen, or Stone. 6 Lispunds = 1 Meil. 24 Meils = 1 Last. [Illustration: Bysmer Pundar] Of measurement by capacity, the instruments were the Can or KANNA of Norway, and the Barrel or BARIEL of fifteen Lispunds. 48 Cans of Oil or 15 Lispunds of Butter = 1 Barrel. 12 Barrels, 180 Lispunds, or 576 Cans = 1 Last. Of measurement by extent the only instrument was the CUTTEL or ALIN, a wooden rod of the length of the Scottish Ell. The Cuttel of Wadmæl became in Zetland the general measure of value, standard of barter, and substitute for a current coinage; 6 Cuttels being equivalent to an EYRIR or _ounce_ of land taxation, and 6 score or a _large hundred_ of Cuttels being the standard price of an ox or six sheep. 6 Cuttels = 1 Gudling or Gullioun—10 Gulliouns = 1 Pack. The standards of weight and measure were unchanged till Earl Robert, by raising the weight of the fundamental Mark from 8 to 10 ounces, added in the same proportion of one-fifth to every other denomination—and by increasing the Gudling from 6 to 8 Cuttels, he added one-fourth to every Pack of Zetland Wadmæl. Earl Patrick increased the Mark to 12 ounces, thus adding one-third to every Lispund, Meil, and Last; and subsequent Donataries improved the profitable example by aggravating the Mark to 20 ounces, and thus boldly achieving an increase of 250 per cent. upon every denomination of weight or measure. The only apparent exception was the Barrel, which, being a vehicle of foreign export, could not be enlarged, and consequently could only contain 10 of these aggravated Lispunds instead of 15 of the normal size; but the balance was charged in _loose Lispunds_ of similar overweight.