Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-06
OLD SHETLAND LAWS
PRIMITIVE CUSTOMS.
The Resort of Exiled Norsemen in the
Ninth Century-Rulers Of
Northern Seas.
From the Edinburgh Scotsman.

From the Edinburgh Scotsman.
There is an interest attaching to the
isles of furthest Thule which with the
bare exception Of Orkney is not shared by
any other county in Scotland. This interest
chiefly arises from the remote situation OF
the islands and from their strange, event.
full history. From the time Of the Roman
conquest, when, after satisfying himself
that Britain was an island. and subduing
the Orcades which he discovered on Its
northern border, Agricola saw the bold
headlands of Thule uprising in the distance
under a canopy of menacing storm cloud,
this hyperborean land has passed through
many vicssitudes. Unfortunately, Its his
tory is largely unwritten, but enough is
known to cast over it at once glamour
and a gloom which cannot fail to appeal to
the ina gination and awaken the sympa-
thetic interests of even the most casual
student of it's records.
Shetland Becomes Peaceful
The resort of the exiled Norsemen in the
ninth century, "Hjatland," soon became
rally point for the dauntless and rapacious
vikings" who made themselves a terror
to western Europe and for time ruled
these northern seas. But under the more
beneficent rule of a later era Shetland mas,
Phoenix like, risen from its ashes, and OF
recent years has attained to degree or
freedom and material prosperity undreamed
of by former generation.
At the beginning Of the eighteenth CEN
fury the social and religious condition OF
Shetland left much to be desired. Happily,
there were In the community those TO
whom the existing state of matters had be-
come intolerable, and, in the hope OF bring
ing about an Improvement, memorials were
drawn up in the different parishes ABOUT
nr6
art and Justiciar-Depute, setting forth
the low condition of the people, and pray
ing that the magistrate would take the
same under his most serious consideration,
and mot only cause the good laws against
profaneness and immortality to be put into
vigorous execution, but also to make acts
agreeable thereunto, and adapted to the
particular circumstances Of the country Tor
the suppressng of sin, and promoting Of
piety and virtue, by inf1icting condign pun
ishment upon all transgressors.'
Observance Of the Sabbath.
The question of Sabbath observance then
as now seems to have been very CLAIMANT,
for 1t was the first to receive attention at
the hands of those old world lawgivers, and
1t is amusing at this time of day to read
that no one was to be allowed to travel by
land or sea on Sunday on any secular bust
ness nor to engage in any work or recrea-
ton, under penalty of four pounds Scots
for the first offense. and double that
amount for the second-in addition to
which the transgressor had to satisfy the
kirk for the scandal" If the fines were
not forthcoming. the Sabbath breaker was
to be punished in his person" Further,
ony one willfully staying away from church
was liable to a fine of twenty shillings
Scots for each offense. failing which he had
to undergo the aforesaid punishment In his
person.
Profane swearers and liars were liable
to a fine Of twenty shillings Scots for each
offense; drunkards, half a crown; those
who were found giving or selling drink
to an intoxicated person, a like sum; sco!ds
and disturbers of the peace, three pounds;
and If filming did not have the desired effect,
the inevitable corporal punishment was re-
sorted to. Professional beggars were very
sharply dealt with under those old laws,
it being decreed that any one convicted of
said offense should be put in flrmance, to
be punished with the stocks or jugs
while on the other hand to give ear TO the
plaint Of a beggar was to lay OneSelf open
to a fine of ten pounds Scots. The question
of the relationship of master and servant
also seems to have been a vexed one IN
those days, for special attention was given
to it in framing the laws under review.
Disobedient or insolent servants were liable
to receive punishment in their persons,
with the forfeiture of six months wages
But the law was by no means one-sided In
this respect; there were obligations put
upon the employer also. No householder
was allowed to keep more servants than
his family idle persons capable OF work.
The Poor Fund.
The AFFECT and friendless poor who were
unfit for work were provided for in some
what novel fashion. The fines obtained for
breaches of the law were put into what was
known as the "poor's box" and out of this
fund each pauper received a sum with
which to buy clothes, while for their main
tenance they had to look to certain house.
holders in the parish to which they be-
longed The kirk session nominated the
houses in which the paupers were to be
lodged and fed, and each of these groups
of houses was known as quarter
hence the term quarter wife," female
pauper moving from one house to another
at stated intervals. The pauper usually
merk of land owned or rented by the house.
holder This somewhat arbitrary method
Of supporting the poor seems to have been
tolerated by the people with fairly good
grace. The quarter system was still in
vogue in some parts Of the country about
the middle of last century. Among those
ancient enactments was one which might
we'll be resuscitated in these days of early
and improvident marriages. No man was
allowed to take unto himself wife unless
he had forty pounds Scots Of free gear to
set ND house upon, or some lawful trade
whereby he could subsist! nor such as could
not read" This latter proviso may seem a
somewhat strange one, but 1t must be re-
membered that board schools did not exist
in those days. and that the educating of
the young devolved almost entirely upon
the parents. Those old enactments re-
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