Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Burges, n. Also: bwrges (burches), burgi(e)s, bowrges, borges (berges). [ME. burges (14th c.), variant of burgeis Burgeis n.]

1. A citizen or freeman of a burgh. 1375 Barb. xvii. 23.
A burges, Sym of Spaldyng a1400 Leg. S. xxiii. 207.
God steryt the hart of a burches That in Ephysy dwelland was 14.. Acts I. 21/2.
Ilke burges may punde ane uplandis man Ib. 340/2.
With burgesses dwelland within burgh c1420 Wynt. ix. 972.
Wyth the assent off the thre Comownys, Bychapis, burgesses and barownys 1456 Peebles B. Rec. 112.
John Tyry was mayd burges on Sant Lukis day, and sal pay his fredom xx^ti s. c1475 Wall. xi. 968.
Nane suld gaynstand, clerk, burges, no barroun 1491 Acta Aud. 153/2.
Alane Wyndeȝettis, berges of Edinburgh 1497 Dunferm. B. Rec. 75.
Jon Flemen [was] enterit to the fredwm off bowrges be resson off hys fadir 1500 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 87.
That the burgessis folowand sude be maid for the reparing of the toune, the honour and profit of the Kirk [etc.] 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 85.
Burgessis bryngis hame the bothe to breid in thar bawkis 1539 Maxwell Mem. I. 279.
Georgis Wr, bwrges of Edinburgh 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2366.
Sir., we ar heir, ȝour burgessis and merchands 1573 Sat. P. xl. 318.
He wald not wane … for na mannis will For to rebuke erle, barrone, or burges a1578 Pitsc. II. 315/3.
Ane burges and ane merchand of Edinburgh beand in Flanderis 1596 Lett. & State P. Jas. VI 15.
Thomas Fowlls, borges in Edinburghe 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 36.
All they quha buyes victuall … fra burgessis at thair granares 1631 Lanark B. Rec. 128.
Thair saidis antecessouris, deacone, … burgessis and friemen 1661 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 199.
Sieing he wes ane burges of gild and tounes barne 1662 Ib. 202.
All entering burgessis, als weill burgessis of gild as craftsmen 1684 Peebles B. Rec. II. 112.
The great prejudice … to the old burgessis of this toun through admitting of burgessis … to easilytransf. a1500 Henr. Fab. 297.
The burges [sc. the town-mouse] had ane hoill, and in scho gois

2. As pl. The class or body of burgesses. 1375 Barb. xvi. 80.
A full gret cheuelry Of squyaris, burges, and ȝemanry 1402 Dundee Chart. No. 22.
The burges of the burgh of Dunde sayand … that thai had [etc.] c1420 Wynt. viii. 783.
Bischoppis, erlis and barownys, Honerabil burges awenande Ib. 2152.
The burges off Dunde 1445 Peebles B. Rec. 9.
The balyheis, the burges and the hale communite of the burgh of Peblis 1472 Edinb. Chart. 134.
Our welebelouettis the burges and communite of Edinburgh Ib.
The burges, nychtbouris and induellaris [of] the said toune a1500 Prestis of Peblis 83.
The king him self come to thire burges bene, And … said: ‘Welcome, my burges, beild and blis’ c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxvii. 10.
And first hir mett the burges of the toun, Richelie arrayit as become thame to be 1535 Stewart 11428.
With barronis bald, burges and bachleir Ib. 32765.
Mony burges that war clad in steill 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii. 58.
Lythquo, lament, ȝour burges may luke bauch a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xv. 61.
God send our burges wit and skeill For to set furth the commoun weill

3. Attrib. or appositive with air, athe, barne, carle, dochter, innis, lade (load), mous, raw, silver, son, stuff, ticket.See also Burges-man, -wyfe. 1450 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 8.
The burges air payis for his burgesschip vj s. viij d. 1456 Peebles B. Rec. 112.
That day was mayd burges Lori Lauson and sal pay for his fredom has a burgis ar 1549 Compl. 143/4.
The preist of Peblis speris ane questione, … quhy that burges ayris thryuis nocht to the thrid ayr 1606 Peebles Gleanings 21.
All ... that mareis burges airis to do the lyk— 1620 Conv. Burghs III. 104.
To the grit hurt of the haill trafficquers … and bretch of his burges aith — a1500 Prestis of Peblis 94.
To ȝow I haue ane questioun to declare, Quhy burges barnis thryffis nocht to the thrid aire 1508 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 112.
That in tyme cuming the priuilegis of burges barnis be … kepit in this wis 1535 Ib. II. 71.
Burges bairnis till bruik thair awld priuelegeis a1568 Pedder C. 39.
That … custroun Will mary nane bot a burges bairne 1653 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 258.
Schoe was lyklie to have ... become burdeinsome to the towne, being ane burges bairne — 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 11.
Thir noblemen … and riche burges carles — c1420 Wynt. vi. 471.
Scho wes … A burges dochtyr, and hys ayre 1508 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 112.
The burges doichteris … to haue the priuilege of the secund son — a1500 Prestis of Peblis 816.
Vnto ane burges innis he maid him boun — 1590 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 150.
Fyftie markis money togidder with foure dousane burges ladis coilis — a1500 Henr. II. 14.
The taill of the uponlandis mous and the burges mous — a1568 Pedder C. 69.
I ȝow exhort … ȝe … him requeir That he will geif thir coffis the law And baneis thame the burges raw — 1460 Peebles B. Rec. 137.
He sall pay for his burgis syluer x s. in hand 1555 Ib. 220.
The thesaurare chargit him … with xxxiiij s. … of annuellis and burges siluer — 1510 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 128.
Burges sonis of this tovne to pay twa merkis — 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 23.
With wob yarne or vther hew of burges stuff — 1653 Peebles B. Rec. II. 14.
Iames Stevinsone, … hes promeisit … to tak no benefit of the burges ticket receivit be him from the toun 1680-6 Lauder Observes 254.
Burgess tickets ware not regarded wheir their residence before the war was elsewheir