A document has been reported to exist, allegedly written during the year 1572, stating that the "Lord of Hugoland" was the second son of an unknown Mowatt of Swinie (Swinzie) from Caithness, but unfortunately, the first name of his father is not visible.

In addition to his landed estates in Shetland, which he transferred to his three eldest sons in 1577, Andrew Mowat was also a businessman, owning a number of merchant ships and doing trade with Norway and England.

An "Andrew Mowat" is mentioned in a precept of sasine contained in a charter granted by Francis Bothwell, treasurer of Orkney, and Vicar of Unst, in favour of Barthol Strang of Voesgarth, on 12 November 1572.

[4] On William Tulloch's death, prior to 1558, his daughter Ursula was his heiress; there seems to be an agreement that the lease would pass to her and her husband Andrew Mowat of Hugoland.

He ejected Andrew and Ursula from the island and overturned their right to assume control of the income produced by Papa and Papaquids.

The evidence for this come from letters written by Mary, Queen of Scots herself, to one Jens Split as the chief proprietor and the Norwegian authorities on behalf of Andrew and Ursula in September 1566.

Mowatt descendants at some time did build a residence there called 'Northhouse,' with the Mowat coat of arms visible on the gateway entrance.

In the Register of the Great Seal, on 27 March 1577, there is a confirmation by King James VI of a charter granted by Anders Mowatt in favour of John his eldest son, who stood to inherit 207- 3/8 merks land in Delting, 34½½ in Aithsting, 3 in Walls, 8 in Tingwall, 35 in Yell, and 18 in Unst.

Andrew's first wife Ursula died sometime between 1580 and 1586; in 1586 he applied to King James VI of Scotland for permission to travel to Bergen, Norway to marry.

It's possible that James VI hoped to place one of his own middle-ranked gentlemen into foreign society, that he might prove useful to the House of Stuart at a later date.

Andrew Mowat thereafter served as an admiral in Christian IV's service in the North Sea until his death around 1610, returning to his native Shetland on numerous occasions.

The granters of the deed are Andrew Mouat of Hugoland (" Houckeland ") in Shetland, and his spouse Else Trondsdatter, who is declared to be owner of the lands in her own right.

Mortgage, or Deed of Pawn, of Land in Shetland, 1597 Jeg Anders Maath til Houckeland i Hietlandt oc min kiere hustru Eriig oc welbyrdig fru Else Trondsdaatter tiill Erisfiordt Beplichter os med waare sande arfifuinger for alle medt dette wort obne Breff, At wi aff ret witterligh gieldt skyldiigh ere Erligh och Welforstandiig mandt Effuart Sincklar boenndis wdi Hietlandt paa Bollesetter summa tre hundrede Rigs Dalir, huilckie forbemelte penningie envert os aff sin venliig laan laant haffuer, for huilckie summa pendingie, nemlicht tre'` Rigs Dalir wi med waaris fri wilie oc welberaadt hugh, sampt med allis waaris sande arffuingers widskap wilie och samtockie, Haffuir pandset forbemelte Effuart Sincklar, bans arffuinger oe effterkommere dette effterschreffne gods som er min kiere hustruis rette Odal, Liggendis wdj Hietlandt, forst wdi Wissdals sogn y Offreboster, tolff march brende, huer march otte pendingie, I Skarpegierdt otte march brende, huer march sex pendingie, noch Degrand i Wisdals sogn sex march brende huer march otte pendingie, noch i Daletings sogn i fornemde Hietland paa ein gaard heder Kirckehuusz tre marche brende, huer marche sex pendingie, Dette forschreffne gods alt samen skall forbemelteEffiuut Sincklar cller f()il)emelte bans arffuingcr liaffuc, nyde, bruge oc bebolde tiill ein secber oc tryg wndcrpant oc brugclig ciedom, med bucs der tiil aff arilds tiid liggit baffucr, fraa bdgistc fields tinne oc yderste fiene stein, med lottum oc lundom, inlil wndcrtagendis wdi naagen maade, indtil forbenicttc Effuart Sincklar ellcr bans aiffuinger igien faar oc bekommcr sin fyllist betaling meeste oc minsta aff os eller waare sande arffuinger, oc naar /vi dette gods igien loszir, skall detb skie i tre terminer, den forste skall angaa om S. Hanszis tid, den anden om sancte Oluff der strax efftcr, oc denn tredie skal om sancte Hansz det aar der nest effterkommendis oc naar forscbreffne summa pendingie fornoiet oeb betalit er, som faaresiiger, daa skal forscbreffne gods folgie OSS igien som tilforne : Ocb dess till sandingenn ber om, Att dette forscbreffne saaledis fast ocb vvryggeligenn boldis skall udj ordt punncbter oc artickler, daa baffuer ieg fornemdbe Andres Maat med min kiere bustru trycbt waare signeter vnder dette wort obne breff oc wndcrscbriffue medt egen bandt, ocb till ydermere /idnisl)yrd ber om, daa baffuer wi wenligen ombedit wellerdt mandt ber Rasmus Jocnsonn sogneprest ber samme steds med oss at beseglc oc stadfestc,Actum Gierisuig denn 20 Junij Anno 1597.Mowat off Houcbeland Else trunsdaatterHer Rasmus Jonsonn ministerI, Anders Mouat/Mowat of Houckeland (Hugoland) in Hietlandt (Shetland) and my dear spouse the worthy and honourable lady Else Trondsdatter of Erisfiordt, with our true heirs, acknowledge before all, by this our open letter, that we are justly and truly indebted to the honourable and discreet man Effuart Sincklar (Edward Sinclair), residing in Hietlandt (Shetland) at Bollesetter, the sum of three hundred Ri/ dollars, which money foresaid he has made over to us in friendly loan, for which sum of money, namely three hundred Rix dollars, we, of our free will and well advised ])urp<)se, with the knowledge, will, and consent of all our true heirs, have pawned to the foresaid Edward Sinclair, his heirs and successors, the after described land, which is my dear spouse's just Odal inheritance, lying in Hietlandt, first in Wissdale [In Weisdale] parish in Offreboster, twelve marks burnt [silver] eight pennies the mark, in Skarpegerdt eight marks burnt [silver] six pennies the mark, also Degrand in Weisdale parish six marks burnt [silver] eight pennies the mark, also in Daleting [Delting] parish in the before named Hiedandt, a farm called Kirkhouse, three marks burnt [silver] six pennies the mark.

And for the verity hereof, that this [contract] before written shall be held sure and unchallengeable in all its words, points, and articles, I the before named Anders Mouat/Mowat with my dear spouse have affixed our seals to this our open letter and subscribed [the same] with our own hands; and for further testimony hereof we have cordially requested the learned man Rasmus Joensonn, parish priest in this place, along with us to seal and confirm.

By this instrument, subjects enumerated in the document were not merely mortgaged in security, but were made over in real and corporal possession to the lender, only to be returned by him on payment of the borrowed money.

The granters of the deed are Andrew Mowat/Mouat of Hugoland in Shetland, and his spouse Else Trondsdatter, who is declared to be owner of the lands in her own right.

On 12 August 1586, Andrew Mowat's home in Shetland was robbed in cash and goods by Captain of the pirates William Beare and the crew of the "Black Lyon".

James writ to his new brother-in-law Christian about the Mowat case proposing that the goods of Englishmen in Denmark be laid under embargo until the restitution was forthcoming.

"It pleasethe your heighnes to understand that I, Andres Motte, esqueyer, retayner, and subjecte under the Kynges majestie of Denmarcke, and, for carten causes which God hathe appoynted, dwellinge at this present in his majestie realme of Norway, which am of layte yeres come oute of Shottland, in which place my landes, goodes, and inheritance doth lye and remayn which God hath geyven me to enierett of my progeniteis, gevinge your most excelent heighnes my greatte sorowe and heavei complaynt to understande that I have benne two seaverall tymes spoyled and robede with Inglysh men dwelling within your majestie realme of Ingland, unto my greate heyndrance and lose of manie houndrthe dolleris.

And now agayn in anno '90 I had occasion for to sayll from Norwaye to Shottlande, and from thense to my soffrayne lord and prence the Kynges majeste of Skottlande upon sarten matteris I hade for to declare unto his highnes.

And beinge come nere to the lande of Shottlande thare came an Ingleshe man of ware upon me and robede me of all that I hade in my shipe, and tocke from me at that present tyme in goulde, selver, and goodes, the some of foure thowsande and fyve houndrethe dolleris, besydes a wryteynge which my souffraune lord Kynge Jemes his majestie be fore hade geyven unto me with sarten other obleygacones and billes aperteyning to my sealf, the which I woulde not meise for a thowsande doleris.