Note the Scots plural form –is (we’d use –s/-es), and the Scots past participle –it (we’d use –ed), which you may want to drop off a word when looking for definition.
U, v & w were interchangeable before spelling was regulated. Also ‘i‘s in place of ‘j‘s (or otherwise when in Roman numerals).
Qu – is often used instead of “wh“. Hence the abbreviations qm – “whom” / qr – “where” / qch – “which“.
Þ þ – Thorn – “th“. Often a “y” is used instead as in “Ye olde pub“, which was always said “The old pub“.
Ʒ ʒ – Yogh – “y“. An archaic Scots letter that made the surname “Menʒies” pronounced “Mingus”. Often a z replaces it being aesthetically similar rather than for the “z” sound.
The majority of archaic Scots text becomes clearer on reading it aloud. The varying spelling can make it seem like a daunting task but I find saying the text out loud usually makes it obvious.
–
Abone / Abowe Above.*
Abrogat Repealed.
Acavite Aquavitæ, whisky.*
Accompt Account.
Accres Increase.
Adettit Indebted.*
Adject Add / Join.
Adjunit Joined.*
Adscrived Subscribed.
Advertit Notified.*
Adwysse Advice.
Aell Ale.
Aeriare To build aeries as hawks.
Afoir / Afor Before.*
Affronted Embarrassed / Ashamed.
Againis / Agane Against.*
Airt and Part Aiding.*
Aisiament Convenience.*
Aitht / Aithe* An oath or pledge.
Aitmeill Oatmeal.*
Aittis Oats.*
Allanerlie / Allenerly / Alleanerly* Only.
Alevint Eleventh.
Almoigne Tenure where a religious corporation holds lands given to them and their successors forever.
Almus Alms.*
Alls As.*
Alluterlie Completely / Entirely.
Als / Alsua Also.*
Alsmekle As much.*
Amanuensis Transcriber – someone who writes/types up documents or dictation.
Amit Lose.*
Analeys Alienates.*
Analyt Transfer.
Ane A / An / One.
Anent About / Toward.
Ansuare Answer.*
A° Abbreviation of Anno [year].
Appearand Appearing.*
Appenage Patrimony.
Appropreys Appropriate.*
Appryle April.
Appunctuat Fixed by agreement. / Appointed.
Arguit Blamed.*
Argwn Challenge.*
Arras Tapestry / ies.
Arryssade / Arisad For a full description of this form of common Highland female dress I give a quote from M. Martin’s ‘A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland’ (1703);
The ancient dress wore by the women, and which is yet wore by some of the vulgar, called arisad, is a white plaid, having a few small stripes of black, blue and red; it reached from the neck to the heels, and was tied before on the breast with a buckle of silver or brass, according to the quality of the person… The plaid being pleated all round, was tied with a belt below the breast; the belt was of leather, and several pieces of silver intermixed with the leather like a chain. The lower end of the belt has a piece of plate about eight inches long, and three in breadth, curiously engraven; the end of which was adorned with fine stones, or pieces of red coral. They wore sleeves of scarlet cloth, closed at the end as men’s vests, with gold lace round them, having plate buttons with fine stones.”
Arrysse Arise.
Assoilzied / Assolye* Absolved, released from blame.
Assoor Assure.*
Assurit Assured.*
Astricted Legally obligated / Belonging to.**
Ather Either.
Attoure Over and Above.*
Aucht Ought / Eight.*
Auctoritey Authority.
Auen Own.
Aught Eighth / Possession.
Auisytly Attentively.*
Auld / Aulde Old.*
Authoreiss Authorize.*
Aventale Vizor.*
Awin Own.*
Aye Yes / Always.*
Ayles Alleys.*
Ayrschep Heirship.
Bailye Officer.*
Baine Bone.*
Bairn Child; Bairn’s part of gear, a child’s legal share of inheritance.*
Baith Both.*
Bakyne Baked.
Balzirie Baillie.
Ban Curse.*
Bands Hinges.*
Bangster Bully.
Bangsterrie Assault.
Bannok Cake.*
Barmekyn Barbican.*
Barrikin Sort of cloth.*
Barronfrew Renfrew.
Bataling Battlement.*
Baxter / Baxisteris** Baker / Bakers.
Be By.*
Beadds / Bedis Beds.*
Beadle Church official who may keep records/assist in religious functions.
Beand Being.*
Bearand Bearing.*
Begud / Begwd* Began.
Behoved Found it necessary.
Behwife**/ Behuif Behalf / Benefit.
Beircorie Sort of Cloth.*
Beseikys Beseech.*
Betuix Between.
Biggit / Bygyt Built.*
Bigged Inhabited.
Bignes Size.
Bigod Bigoted.
Birlings Galleys.*
Bissie Busy.**
Black-maill Protection money.*
Boist Threats.
Boitis Boats.*
Bonds Serfs.*
Boord-cloaths Table-cloths.*
Bordoyris Borders.*
Bot / But Without.*
Bot-gyf Unless.*
Bouage A tenure of pasture.*
Bowkill Buckle.*
Bow-houssis Cattle-houses.*
Boaks / Box / Bocks* Vomits.
Braid Bread loaves.*
Braik ward Escapes prison.*
Brecbennach Banner of St. Columba, kept by the Abbey of Arbroath.*
Brekis Breeches.*
Brekkys Breaks.*
Brifflie Briefly.
Broads / Brods Pictures.*
Brueria A thicket of broom.
Bruiking / Bruikyt Enjoying / Enjoyed.*
Brouderit Embroidered.*
Brunt Burned.
Buird Table.
Burna A burn or brook.
Buttis Boots.*
Bwrnis Burns.*
Bwy Buy.**
Byilzeitt Boiled.
By-name Nickname.*
Calceia-ae A causeway.
Cannel Cinnamon.
Calumnies Lies. / Slanders.
Caparison Harness / saddle covering.
Cessionaris One to whom a cession of property is made. (Usually coupled with “assignais”/”assignay”)
Chairged Summoned.*
Chalmer Chamber / room.
Chalmer-fie Room hire.*
Chargeit Loaded.*
Cherisse Cherish.
Chikynis Chickens.
Chirurgian Surgeon.
Claia wiscata A wattled hut.
Cnoll A knoll.
Cobella A coble, or flat fishing boat.
Coillis / Colys* Coal.
Colpindach A heifer.*
Compeir / Compear(ed) Appear in court.
Composition Agreement.
Compt Account.*
Concrydit / Concredit Entrust.
Concurse Consent.
Contravenier Offender.
Contre / Cwntray Country.*
Contumacious Stubbornly disobedient towards authority.
Contumely Insolent or insulting language or treatment.
Conversi Lay brothers of a monastery.*
Coram / Quorum Company / gathering.
Corda An instrument of hunting.
Cordiner A shoemaker.*
Cors Cross.**
Cosing Cousin.*
Craiges Necks.*
Craiftious Skilful.*
Cramosie Crimson.*
Craying Melting.
Cro Penalty for slaughter.*
Croise / Croyse Cross.
Croysaid Crusade.
Cundos(um) / Condosum* The ridge of a hill.
Cudbear Purplish / red dye from some lichens.
Cuik Cook.
Cunzie Coinage.
Cursouris Stallions.*
Cut-thrott Short pistol.*
Dae Doe (female deer).
Daft Crazy.*
Dames Damask*
Damnache Damage.*
Dapifer Regis Steward of the King’s household.
Dauach (of land) What may be tilled by a plough of oxen.*
Deasoil Clockwise.
Delate Report.
Delaitit Accused.*
Demitted Resigned.
Denunced Denounced. / Proclaimed.
Depones Gives testimony.
Depones Deposed.*
Depredat(ion) Driving away cattle with use of arms.
Dereckly Exactly.*
Detruded Discarded.
Deyn Dead; applied to any dignified churchman.*
Diffident Reticent / Lacks Confidence.
Dinmont A wedder of the second year.*
Disais Disease.*
Dischone Breakfast.*
Disinterested Unbiased / Actions taken without thought of personal gain.
Dispone Legally transfer property.
Disson Dozen.
Divers Diverse / Various.
(In) Dominico In the actual possession of the lord of the soil.*
Dornik Kind of linen.*
Dowis Doves.
Dowsand / Dussone Dozen.*
Duil-weid Mourning clothes.*
Durst Dare.
Dwne Done.*
Dyet Fixed time* / Appointment.
Dyittit / Dyteing Dictated / Dictating.*
Earth-doggs Terriers.*
Efauld Simple / Plain / Guileless.
Eft Towards.**
Eident Diligent / Conscientious / Hardworking.
Eig Age.*
Ekit Added.*
Eleemosynary Relating to charity.
Elimosiner Almoner / Giver of charity.
Egyptians Gypsies.
Enach Ransom.*
Enfilade Direct a volley of gunfire along a course.
Enlarged Released.
Enow Enough.
Erd Earth.
Ere Before.
Escheat Forfeiture of property.
Exaucterate To deprive of office, station, or position.
Expeed Expedite / Complete efficiently.
Extrude Extract.
Eyre Plough.*
Fader Father.
Faile Turf.*
Fain Willing.*
Fair fall thee Good luck to you.*
Falda A fold.
Fellon Fierce.*
Fenyeit Feigned.*
Ferrioris Ferrymen.*
Feu Perpetual right of inheritance.*
Fiar Person in the fee of an estate.*
Fico Fig, in the, “I don’t give a fico,” sense.
Fluand Flowing.*
Fomenter Inciter.
Forasmeikle / Forsamekil* Forasmuch.
Forby Besides.
Forfault Forfeit.
Forisveiae / Forsveiae A penalty for trespassing; perhaps for turning out of a road.
For-quhy Because.*
Foulzie Filth.**
Frathynfurth From thenceforth.*
Fraught Travel by water.
Froward To be openly rebellious.
Fuiresday Thursday.*
Fulyie Filth / Manure.*
Furnesing Provisions.*
Furnest Furnished.*
Furnisar Supplier.
Futret / Futrat Weasel / Squirrel / Ferret
Gallepyn Turnspit / under-servant.
Galnes Satisfaction for slaughter.*
Gart Made.*
Gewand Giving.*
Gif If.
Gile A Gill, still used in the north of England for the cleft of a hill of the channel of a brook.
Girs Grass.
Glaslawis Instrument of torture.*
Glydis Worn-out horses.**
Gossep Godparent.
Grait Greet / Great (context req.)
Grateumly Greatly.
Greive Farm-overseer.*
Gresmen Pasture tenants.
Grimell Grumble.
Guerdon Reward.
Guerra [En]Querré / Enquiry.
Gutt Gout.*
Hafande* / Haifand** Having.
Haill Whole.
Hain Enclose.
Hakbuts Muskets.*
Haldand Holding.*
Haldin / Haldyn* Held.
Half-hag Short gun.*
Halghes / Halkahs / Halechs / Hauhwes Haughs or meadows.
Hamesukin Assault in one’s own house.*
Hanted Exercised.
Hanting Frequenting.
Harrang Speech.
Haud / Hawd* Hold.
Haugh An alluvial plain by a river side.*
Heighted Raised.
Heirintyll Hereto.*
Heisit Hoisted.**
Heithertills Until now.
Hes Has / His (context req.).
Hewit Coloured.*
Hog A sheep before it has been once shorn.*
Hogaster Perhaps a hog or young sheep.
Hogus / Hogh A hill or mount.
(Put to the) Horne Denounced a rebel.*
Hosting Military service.*
Houndir Hundred.*
Huir Prostitute / Harlot.**
Ilk Same* / Each.
Ilkane Every one.*
Imbutet Instructed.*
Imprimis Firstly.
Incontinently Immediately.
Indewe Endow.
Indytit Indicted. Accused / Charged with a crime.
Infeft(ment) Official or symbolic bestowal of heritable land on a person.
Inlaik Failure.*
Inlangis / Enlang Along.
Inrun Incur.*
Intermedle Interfere.
Inwere Civil war.
Inwitt Invite.
Insewing Ensuing.
Irne Iron.*
Ish Right of Entrance / Exit.
Iter Roman footpath.
J (roman numeral) 1 – the last “i” can be a “j” but denote the same number.
Jack Vest of mail.*
Jai / Jaj Appears in old charters for 1000th year, e.g., Jai. vi. & Nyntie three yeares, is 1693.**
Jois To enjoy. / Have the use of.
Josit Enjoyed.*
Joynter Jointure. The estate held by a wife for as long as she survives her husband.
Julij July.
Junij June.
Kain Petty rent paid in kind.*
Kend Known.*
Kist Chest.
Kitching/Kiching Kitchen.
Klept Named.
Knapit Knobbed.*
Kye Cows.*
Kyngrikis Kingdom.*
Kythit Showed.*
Ladit Laden.
Laich Low.*
Laidnar Larder.
Land In relation to Edinburgh’s history, lands were buildings containing apartments. Houses.
Landae Arable lands.
Lauandrie Laundry.
Lauchfull Lawful.*
Laute Loyalty.
Lave Rest.*
Lawer Jug.*
Lazar House Leper hospital or place where lepers were quarantined to.
Lecche Small stream through a ditch.
Leid Load.
Leidge Subject.
Leill True.*
Lent Slow (fever).
Lèse-majesté Treason.
Lesum / Lissime** Legally permissible.
Lethron Leathern.*
Leyth Light.*
Libra / lib / (l., s., & d). £, (pounds, shillings & pence).
Licentiat Allow.
Lieding Conveying.**
Limer / Limmar* Thief / Villain / Rogue.
Ling Linger / Tarry.**
Logiae Lodges.
Lollardry / Lollardy Mediaeval English movement for ecclesiastical reform.
Lubberdly Lazy / Idle.
Luif / Luifis Live / Lives.**
Lunt Match.*
Lyand Lay down.
Maij May.
Mair More.*
Maison-dieu Hospital or foundation of charity.*
Maist Most.*
Man Servant / Vassal.*
Mannyr Till or cultivate.
Manrent A solemn oath to support another.
Manteined / Manteym* Maintained.
Marchis Boundaries.*
Markque (Letter of) Authorisation from a Regent for the holder to seek redress from any national of the country that did them wrong.
Mart An ox killed at Martinmas.*
Maser Bowl.*
Massymore Oubliette / Subterranean Dungeon
Maugre Despite / Notwithstanding.
Mayling The action of leasing property.
Meetest Best.
Menschattis Fine flour rolls.
Menzie Gathering / Group / Crowd of people in whatever sense.**
Mercat Market.
Mereburne A boundary stream.
Meruaille Marvel.
Midden Dung / Rubbish heap.
Moeta A meute or cry of hounds.
Mon be Must be.
Moneth Month.*
Montebanck Charlatan / Con man.
Mortcloathe Pall to cover the shrouded corpse.**
Mot Might.*
Moyane Means.*
MS. / MSS. Manuscript/(s).
Muckmiddins Manure pile.**
Murren Grumbling.
Murrions Helmets.*
Murthering Murdering.
Muskingis Mutchkins.*
Mussa A moss or peat bog.
Mutch Cap.*
Nather Neither.
Nayn / Nane / Nain None.*
Napery Table-linen.*
Nativi Natives / Neyfs / Villains.*
Nocht Not.*
Nooks Corners.*
Notour Notorious.
Noutis Nuts / Pine Cones.*
Nutrix Wet nurse.
Nychtbour Neighbour.*
Obleissis*/ Obleist** Obliges / Obliged / Bound by Contract.
Obloquy Strong public condemnation.
Obtest To bear witness to.
O’er / Owr* Over.
Office-houis Workshop.*
Of-tuik Took off.*
Ony Any.*
Orison Plea / Prayer.
Ouklie Weekly.
Outtentouns Out-of-towners / Foreigners.**
Owche Jewel.*
Owrlukyt Overlooked.*
Pallium Robe appropriate to an Archbishop.*
Parischment Parchment.**
Pasmentis Stripes sewed on.*
Pasquil Satyrical rhyme.
Pastisar Pastry chef.
Pecuniall Pecuniary / Monetary. Relating to money.
Pedagoge Teacher.
Penis Pens.*
Perfyte Perfect.
Persawend Perceiving.*
Persewes Pursues.
Petae / Petaria Peats, a peatary or peat moss.
Placks A type of coin.
Plenissing Furniture.*
Plwche Plough.*
Pock Bag.*
Posseid Possess.*
Pot-valiant Courage due to drinking alcohol.
Preine A trifling / small something.**
Privity/ey Knowledge.
Priue Privy.*
Prodigies Omens.
Promove Promote.
Propyn Something given as a gift.
Prorogat Extend / Lengthen.
Pryce Seizure. / Something seized.
Purpur / Purpeur / Purpure Purple.
Pwr / Puir Poor.*
Qrby Whereby.**
Qrof Whereof.**
Quaich Small drinking cup.*
Quarrelled Challenged.
Queit Wheat.*
Quha Who.
Quhairin Wherein.
Quham Whom.*
Quhaneas When as.**
Quhatsumewyr Whatsoever.
Quhen When.*
Quhidder Whether.*
Quholsome Wholesome.
Quhome Whom.
Quhilk Which.
Quhingear / Quhinzeir Short sword or dagger. From the Gaelic ‘Cuinnsear’. Sometimes ‘Whinger’.
Quhipt Whipped.
Quhois / Quhais Whose.*
Quhyt / Queyt* White.
Quinzdor Gold piece.*
Quytclaim To Renounce a Claim.
Rae Roe deer.
Rancountred Engaged (in battle).
Randred Rendered.
Ratch Lock.*
Reasit Raised.*
Refractory Unwilling / Opposed to.
Reid Red.*
Reiterat Repeated.
Reiving Robbing.*
Relict Widow.
Remeid Remedy.*
Reparel Repair.*
Repone Reinstate / Restore.
Repyn Complain.
Requyste Request.
Resaitting Receiving / Accepting.
Resaue / Resauit Receive / Received.*
Reseing Resign.
Restand Restituted / Restored.
Reuelled Ruled.
Rockariss/Rokkaris Rockers [nannies] of royal infants.
Rounged Nibbled.*
Rowmis Rooms.*
Rubricate Add decorative initial to a manuscript.
Rwine Ruin.**
Ryal A type of coin.
Saintjohnstown Perth.*
Sair Sore.*
Sammyn Same.*
Sanctis Saints.*
Sarkis Shirts.*
Saulis / Sawlys Souls.*
Scalinga A summer hut used by hill shepherds.
Scauts Little boats.*
Schath / Skaith Harm.*
Schauand Showing.*
Schenes Scenes.
Scho She.*
Schone Shoes.*
Schyris Sirs.*
Sederunt The sitting of an ecclestiastical assembly.
Senistrously Maliciously.
Sensyne Since then.*
Sessnatt Fine silk fabric.
Sic Such.
Sicker Secure.*
Sicklyk Such like / such as.
Sicus A syke or ditch.
Sickirast Securest.
Simpliciter Simply.
Sindil Seldom.**
Sinistrows Misleading.
Sixte Sixty.*
Skail The end of an event; “Waiting for an event to skail” – From the Gaelic ‘Sgaoil’ which means ‘Dissolve.’
Skamble / Skamblis Table / Tables for laying out meats/fish for sale.**
Sklaitts Slates.
Sorner Someone who stays in your house & eats your food without contributing. (Scrounger is what we’d use but sorning was considered a crime.)
Soverty Surety.
Span Orkney measure of weight.*
Speats Floods.*
Spekyne Speaking.*
Spenis Spanish.*
Spoliated Plundered / robbed.
Spulyeit Spoiled.*
Stagnum A yare or wear in a river.
Staincros Stone cross.
Standande Stane Standing stone.
Steel-bow Tenure of land where the stock belongs to the landlord.*
Steugh Commotion.*
Stirks Young oxen.*
Straik / Strayk Struck.*
Streith(is) Street(s).**
Sture Conflict.
Sua So.*
Subscriving Signing.
Suld Should.*
Symmer Summer.
Tack Lease.*
Tailzeor / Tailzor Tailor.**
Tain / Tayne Taken.*
Takand Taking.*
Targe / Targatt Shield.
Taw[se] Whip used for corporal punishment.
Teinds / Teynd* Rent from land that maintained the local clergy.
Tergiversation Equivocation.
Tertian [ague] Recurring [fever].
Thairanent Thereabouts.
Theking Thatching.*
Therof / þerof Thereof.
Thesaur / Thesaurer Treasure / Treasurer.
Thocht Thought.*
Thole Suffer.*
Throch Through.*
Tinsell Loss.
Tolbwith Tolbooth.**
Toucher / Tocher / Tochir* Dowrie.
Traist Trust.
Trewes Truce.
Trims Dresses.
Trump(e)ry Deceit.
Toures Towers.
Traist Trust.
Trigild The penalty / fine for destroying trees.
Tua Two.*
Tulʒie, Tulyie Skirmish.
Turbae / Turbaria Turfs, a place from which turf for fuel is cut.
Twichit / Tuich Touched / touch.
Tysday Tuesday.*
Umquhill / Vnquhill* Deceased.
Upland Rustic.*
Usewall Usual.
Utheris Others.*
Utwere Foreign war?
Venale Vennel / Narrow Lane or Path.
Veschell Vessel / utensil.
Viands Food / Edibles.
Victwall(s) Victual(s) / Food.**
Vilepend Express contempt.
Violaris Viol players / instrumentalists.
Virschypful Worshipful.*
Volut Vaulting / Arch.
Vyff Wife.*
Vyne/Wyne Wine.
Vynter Winter.
Waccand Vacant.
Wadset Land held in pledge.*
Waickand Alert.
Waiked / Waulked Thumped.
Waird Prison / Ward.*
Wald Would.*
Waxes Says a lot.
Weil / Weyll Well.*
Weill Wellbeing / veal (context required).
Wes Was.
Wha Who.*
Whaevir Whoever.**
Whilom Previously. / Formerly.
Wictuall(s) Victuals. / Food. / Provisions.
Widdershins Anti-clockwise.
Wodset / Wadset To give / pledge in security, specifically a mortgage (land or other heritable property).
Woir Wore.*
Wold / Wald Would.*
Wotting Voting.
Wounted Usual.
Wpe Up.*
Wpoun Upon.
Wsse Use.
Wther Other.
Wtherwayes Otherwise.
Wylie coat Vest.*
Yarnand Yearning.*
Ye / þe The.
Yeattis Gates.*
Yklept / Yclept Previously named.
Yis Ice.
Ym Them.**
Yrafter Thereafter.**
Yranent Thereanent / Thereabout.**
Yrat Thereat.**
Yrfor Therefore.**
Yrto Thereto.**
Ys This.**
Yt That.**
Yule Christmas.*
Zeir(e) / ʒeir(e) Year.
Zow / ʒow You.
–
For anyone interested, I direct you to the online Dictionary of the Scots Language.
For ‘Balfour’s Historical Works’, the original transcript (rather than the updated) mentions dates often as being the “(no.) of the ides of (month)”, or the “(no.) of the kalends of (month)”, and “(no.) of the nons of (month)”. I initially took as read the date was the (no.) of the (month) but I quickly found I was wrong. If you come across a date mentioned in this way, to obtain the correct date referred to please visit a Medieval English Calendar, it’s a super handy site for this purpose.
For further information of any Acts of Parliament mentioned in ‘Balfour’s Historical Works’, or elsewhere in Random Scottish History, that interest you I recommend the University of St. Andrews’ Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707.