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
Thay all depone in ane voce, That the Laird was never fewer nor twelff
personnis, by strangearis, boyis, and uthers, that convoyit his caryage,
quhilk was sustenit be the honest men of the cuntrie into thair housses,
quhen as he past athort the cuntrie; and was bankittit, and gat sic
cheir as thai micht furniss, and payit nevar any price for it; and
ofttymes the gudman of the houss, at thair departing, behuvit to propyne
the maister houshald, the cuik, and stewart, with sum gift; with this
additioun of the parochynairis of Nesting, that in Hervist was ane zeir,
the Laird with his companie beand in Margrat Reidis houss in Burgh,
quhen they had drukkin furth hir provisioun, thair was half ane barrell
of beir in Thomas of Kirkabustar’s hous quhilk pertenit to Johne
Magnussoun in Gounzefirth, and was put thair to keip be him, the Laird
gettand wit thairoff, send and gart bring the same to Margrat Reidis
houss to his provisioun, and gart publiss throw the parochin, that
quhatever he was that had ony dreinking beir, and heild and conselit the
same fra him, thair haill guiddis and geir suld be escheit, giff
knawlege might be had thairoff in ony tyme eftir. As for the halff
barrell that was tane, the awnar as zet has gottin na payment thairfoir.
And wyth this additioun of the parochinairis of Northmaven, that in sum
mennis housses, the Laird, with his companie, wald remane quhill he wald
dreink halff ane last of beir, and sumtyme mair; lyk as he did in Andro
Robertsoun’s, John Robertsoun’s, Magnus in Gluss, and Laurence in
Glusses housses, and wald repair to thame thre or four tymes in the
zeir. And the gudwyffes of the housse, nor thair servandis, gat na
entress in thair awin sellaris sa lang as he remanit.
THE SAXT ARTICLE OF THE GENERALE COMPLAINTIS, giffin in befoir the
Regentis Grace and Lordis of the Secreit Counsale, be Arthour
Sinclair of Ayth, upon LAURENCE BRUCE of Cultemalindie, as
followis—
Saxtlie, The said Laurence, contrair the custome of our said cuntrie and
lawis of this realme, hes at all tymes, sen his entrie, causit courtis
to be fensit and haldin within the feriat and cloiss tyme of hervist and
vacanis for his particular proffitt, quhairthrow we micht [not] wait
upon our hervist for winning of our cornis, hay, and vther necessars to
sustein us in tyme of winter. And lyikwyiss causit dyverss of his
servandis and suddartis, quhilk ar not natives nor indwelland men in our
cuntrie, to pass upone our assyses and inquestis, contrair our lawis and
customes, perverting thairthrow our haill lawis to his particulair
comoditie.
The haill Inhabitaris of Zetland befoir mentionat, sworne and examinit
befoir the saidis Commissionaris, dayis, zeir, and place
respectivé foirsaid, upon this Saxt Article, deponis as followis—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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