That the ordor is, amangis nichtbouris that dwellis within ane scathald, gif ane brute be rasit upon thame, and the faltor cannot be found out, quhen thai ar all put to acquittance, and quha that failzeis to be quyt, becummis convict in ane domeraw, to be payit amang sa mony as is unquyt coniunctlie, ilk man his pairt; neuirtheless, thir parochinaris deponis, That the Laird in his last Court, haldin at Quhytnes, chargit ten houshaldis for scoulding, that is to say, for ane sclander and brute that was rasit upon sum of the town, quham thai culd not get knawlege off, to quyt thame of scheip that wantit. Quhilk acquittance was ordanit be Olaw Sinclair, Fowde of Zetland for the tyme, and lay deid and sleipit, quhill now in Hervest 1576; at quhilk tyme the Laird of Cultemalindie waknit the samyn, and tuik fra everilk ane of the ten houshaldis fyve gudlingis, quhilk is the haill sowme of ane domeraw, extending in the haill to fiftie gudlingis; quhairas the haill ten houshaldis aucht and suld have payit bot fyve gudlingis amangis thame all, giff thai had failzied acquittance: Off quham sum was on lyve, and sum was deid, zet he gart the airis of thame that was deid mak payment. The names of the ten houshaldis are—Jacob in Scairane, Thomas of Girdilsta, Hutchain of Branxhammersland, Erasmus of Watbustar, Nichole of Catfirth, Henrie of Catfirth, Magnus of Crown, Ereik of Strandfurde, Magnus Andersoun, Erasmus of Wathsettar. The men of Nesting, anent this Article, deponis, That the officiar pundit everie ane of thir foirsaid persounis for ane domeraw, and tuik of thame attour that to himselff of ilk man, ij s. Scottis. And thai affirme that thair is twa of the ten lyand under the danger of punding, and not poyndit as zett for this unlaw. THE LAST ARTICLE OF THE GENERALE COMPLAYNTIS giffen in befoir the Regentis Grace, and Lordis of the Secreit Counsale, be Arthour Sinclair of Ayth, aganis LAURENCE BRUCE of Cultemalindie, as followis— Last of all, the said Laurence hes continewalie, sen hes entrie in our said cuntrie, zeirlie, and ilk zeir, usit to tak up dittayis, usit justice courtis, callit be us Grandraiffes, quhilk was never usit of befoir, bot ilk sewin zeir, thairthrow oppressing us with all kynd of tyranie and wrang, and compelling us to giff and delyver to him our gudis and substance in grit quantitie, in sic sort, that we ar altogidder put to grit povertie and heirschip; swa that thair is na natioun under grittar slaverie and oppressioun be the meins foirsaid nor we ar, and will be compellit to leiff our cuntrie desolat of the pepill and laboraris, to seik our habitatioun in sum forane natioun, without your Grace and Lordships provyd sum haistie remeid.