Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Birn(e, Byrn, n.² [f. Birn v.]

1. A brand of ownership on a sheep, ox, or other animal. Regularly coupled with skin. 1511 Rentale Dunkeld. 275.
[Carcases of sheep with their skins and] lie byrn 1563 Acts II. 543/2.
That all beif, muttoun, veill, and lyke bestiall slane to landwart … bring with thame … thair hyde, skin, and birne vnder the pane of … escheting of siclyke bestiall and gudis as wantis the said hyde, skin, and birne 1570 Conv. Burghs I. 21.
That all flesche slane to landwart be presentitt to the mercatt with the skyn and byrn 1605 Black Bk. Taymouth 342.
Yeild yowis … traikit skynnis with the birn 1648 Bk. Pasquils iii. 55.
Let skin and birne, when they are gone, Like Jason's fleece hing on the throne 1659 Melrose R. Rec. I. 234.
He promittit him aither skin or birne conforme to the use of hirding Ib.
It is the common custome to give skin and birne or utherwayes they get no gres maill

2. A mark branded on a barrel. 1641 Acts V. 417/2.
That no barrell be sooner made … bot that the couperes birne be set therone … in testimony of the sufficiency of the tree Ib.
That no burghe … tradeing with salmond shall presume to counterfite the marke or birne of Aberdene