Orkney and Shetland. Obs. Forms: 5–7 wattell, 6–7 wattill, vattill, 7–8 watle, 6, 9 Hist. wattle. [app. a perversion of Norw. veitla (Aasen, Ross), dial. var. of veitsla:—ON. veizla entertainment, spec. ‘the reception or entertainment to be given to the Norse king … or his stewards’ (Vigf.); f. veita to grant, give, to make (a feast), to show (kindness, etc.): see WAIT v.2 For the sense of the sb. cf. WAITING vbl. sb.2
In a Norwegian charter of 15 Apl. 1412 (Dipl. Norveg., II. II. 466), containing a grant by King Erik of land in Shetland, the feudal dues payable by the property are enumerated as ‘skat, landskyld, ok wesel,’ with which cf. the ‘skat, wattle, and dewties’ of quot. 1592 below.]
Originally, the obligation, imposed on landed proprietors in Orkney and Shetland, of giving entertainment to the Foud on his annual journey through the islands for the administration of justice; in later times, a tax for which this obligation was commuted.
1477. Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 281/1. Cum universis libertatibus,… ad dictas terras … spectantibus, unacum le Wrak, Wattell, Waithe et Hasewaith.
1503. in Peterkin, Rentals Orkney, I. (1820), 25. Summa de Wattill of the Ile j last in thre thridis viz cost flesche & fat guid. And the commonis ar all accordit to pay the tua in wattill & the thrid in flesche.
1587. Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 468/1. Reddendo … 105 doleras argenteas pro lie wattill.
1588. Exchequer Rolls Scot., X. 391. Selling … 1000 cunnyng skynnis, 167 packis vedmell, 105 doleris for vattill, 120 angel nobillis for toill.
1592. in Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 1610, 118/1. Payand … to me … the yeir maillis, skatt, wattell and dewties contenit in our rentall.
1595. in Peterkin, Rentals Orkney, II. (1820), 83. Thomas Sinclair pays yearly furth of his Wattle of the Bailyerie of Sanday 12 meils bear.
1605. Shetland Rental, in Jamieson Suppl. (1887), 270. Rentall of the wattill as it was in anno 1605…. Ska, ij nychtis wattill. Trowoilie & Sandoill, ij nychtis wattill.
1610. Rec. Earldom Orkney (S.H.S.), 185. His awin proper land and heretage haldin frielie of the king for payment of scat and wattell and of the teynd therof to the kirk.
1628. in Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot., N. S. VII. 231. Easter Quarff, 1 nyghtis wattill. Summa [for Burray] 4 nyghtis wattill and 6 merkis.
1733. T. Gifford, Zetland Isl., v. (1879), 37. To grant charters to the heritors … holding few of the crown for payment of an annual reddendo, formerly paid, called the Scat and Watle.
1821. Scott, Pirate, xviii. Is it not enough that we must pay scat and wattle, which were all the public dues under our old Norse government; but must they come over us with king’s dues and customs besides?
1840. New Statist. Acc. Shetland (1845), 63. The wattle was a tax imposed on every family paid in barley to the foud or bailie.
