THE COMPLAYNTIS AND PROBATIOUNIS LED THAIRUPOUN OF THE COMMOWNIS AND INHABITANTIS OF ZETLAND RESSAUIT AND TANE UP BE MAISTER WILLIAME MUDIE OF BREKNESS AND WILLIAME HENDERSOUN DINGWELL PURSEVANT, COMMISSIONARIS IN THAT PAIRT SPECIALIE CONSTITUTE CONIUNCTLIE, BE OUR SOUERANE LORD AND HIS GRACIS REGENTIS COMMISSIOUN DIRECT TO THAME THAIRUPOUN THE DAYIS RESPECTIVE VNDERWRITTEN, IN THE MONETH OF FEBRUAR, THE ZEIR OF GOD I^MV^CLX SAXTEIN ZEIRIS, IN COURTIS THE SAID DAYIS HALDEN BE THAME RESPECTIVE AT TINGWALL IN ZETLAND. AND First, The Generale Complayntis mentionat in thair commissioun, and contenit in the Bill producit and giffen in be Arthour Sinclair of Ayth befoir the Regentis Grace and Lordis of the Secreit Counsale contrair LAURENCE BRUCE of Cultemalindie, Fowde of Zetland presentlie. And Secundlie, Vther Complayntis, Generale and Particulare, not contenit in the said Bill, bot presentit to the saidis Commissionaris at thair cummyng in the cuntrie at thair seuerale Courtis as eftir followis— THE FIRST ARTICLE OF THE GENERALE COMPLAYNTIS, giffen in befoir the Regentis Grace and Secreit Counsale, be Arthour Sinclair of Ayth, heir eftir followis— That quhair that eftir the cummyng of LORD ROBERT STEWART, fewar of Orknay and Zetland, to the dominioun of the saidis cuntries, LAURENCE BRUCE of Cultemalindie obtenit of him the office of Fowdrie of Zetland; and schortlie eftir the said Laurence enterit to the possessioun of the said office, he himselff, his servandis and complices in his name, of his causing vsit sic diuers wrangis and extortiounis vpon ws contrair the lawis and auld custome of the said Cuntrie: And specialie it was the auld vse and custome of Zetland observit in all tymis bygane, that thair was ane discreit man of ilk paroche, by the rest, callit The Lawrichtman, quha mesurit oure dewitie, callit Wadmell, and weyit our dewitie of buttir; and now the said Laurence hes causit ane of his awin chesing to do the samyn contrair our lawis, to our grit hurt, Insamekle that the said Laurence hes continualie sen his entrie, quhilk was in the moneth of Maij or thairby, the zeir of God I^m v^c lxxj zeiris, vptaking our landmale and dewitie, callit Wadmaill, with ane wrang mesour; swa that for ilk thrie scoir cuttell quhilk we aught to have payit, he hes compellit ws to pay ffour scoir cuttell wadmell, and swa hes augmentit ws the fourt pairt of our dewitie. The Ferd and Fyft dayis of Februar _respective_, 1576, the Inhabitantis and Parochinaris of Tingwale, Quhytnes, and Weisdale, was ressauit, sworne, admittit, and examinit vpoun the Article aboue specifiit, quhais names followis—