It is natural to suppose that documents of this kind should come to
be used as a sort of currency, in a district where money is so scarce
as Shetland. This custom is not so wide-spread as might have
been expected; but that lines are frequently transferred by the
original holder, is clearly enough proved. The merchants who
issue them are chary of admitting that such transfers are made, and
some even seem to think it necessary to take precautions against
such a proceeding. That the practice exists appears from the
evidence of Mr. Sinclair's chief shopman, who admits that he has
heard a 'vague report' that the lines have been exchanged; and
when asked to explain the entry 'To lines' occurring in accounts in
the journal or work-book, says:
'... Sometimes the party that the account belongs to will have to
pay another party so much, and she gives us instructions to mark
a line for a certain amount in the book, and then give her that line
to give to the other party, who comes back with it and gets the
amount in goods.'
'3383. Then the line is granted to your knitters for the purpose of
paying their debt to another?-Yes.'
'3384. Is that frequently done?-Not very often. It has happened
occasionally.'
[J.J. Bruce, 3355; R. Sinclair, 2581, 2591, 3617.]
The evidence of the knitters themselves proves that the practice
of selling or exchanging these lines is quite usual and well-known
among the more necessitous of them, <i.e.> those who have no
means of living but knitting. One respectable merchant in Lerwick
gave up the practice of issuing lines, on account of the trouble and
annoyance occasioned by this practice.
[E. Robertson, 248; M. Hutchison, 1592; E. Moodie, 1879; W.
Johnstone, 2880; J. Henderson, 11,637, 2897; W. Johnston, 2875.]