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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Fe, Fee, Fey, v. Also: fie, fea. [Late ME. fee (1483), e.m.E. fee (a 1529), f. Fee n.²]

1. tr. To engage (a person) for a fee; to hire, employ.(a) 1445 Peebles B. Rec. .
Thar sal na man be feit thairtil bot he that can sufficiandly syng playn sang 1456 Hay I. 117/16.
He that departis fra the ost … that is feid and wrytyn Ib. 192/34.
Sen I am feyt to … defend him Brus v. 485 h.
Heire the Inglis knycht feys a tratour 1504 Treas. Acc. II. 286.
Wrichtis … quhilk wer feit be sindri pricis 1525 Reg. Great S. 97/2.
Ilk maister to fe thir servandis yeirlie at Yule 1558-66 Knox I. 39.
Thei cherise and feis knaiffis for that purpoise 1580 St. A. Baxter Bks. 27.
That na man conduce or fe ane vyer manis seruand 1599 Crim. Trials II. 81.
He feit the officer to summond the Assyse(b) 1445 Peebles B. Rec. ii.
Gif it hapynnis that the balyheis … fee ony chapellane 1554 Holyrood Chart. 294.
That … the said dekin and breder … fee and uphald ane sufficient chaplene(c) 1473 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 27.
He sall mak ane peis of sufficient wark … or he be thoillit to be feyit 1532 M. Works Acc. II. 60.
Quhilkis sawaris war feyit be dais ilk day xvjd. 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 220.
[The counsale] hes feyit Luke Moresoun to keip thair Cowgait port 1599 Ib. V. 255.
That William Fiddes … sall fey and conduce four men … to cast the bakwater off Lyndesayes milne 1641 Kirkcaldy Presb. 199.
He answered he was feied, who replyed if ye be feied with Mr. William [etc.](d) 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 95.
Certane … men of weir, that thai causit fie 1596 Dalr. II. 133/8.
Robert Borthuik … quhom the King fiet for his cunning to … cast cannounis 1628 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II. 520.
Servant man to ane fleshour and fied with him 1678 Peebles B. Rec. II. 95.
The … counsell … discharge any person to fie men or women servants to be fied with the reservation of the harvest to themselves(e) 1609 Peebles Gleanings 36.
That twa commoun hirdis be feait to the sheip

b. intr. To take service, with one, for hire. c1650 Spalding II. 280.
Thay sould be takin fra sic maisteris as they feit with 1647 Elgin Rec. II. 256.
That none fie for harvest outside the burgh without the baillies consent 1699 St. A. Baxter Bks. 69.
That no master nor member of our said trade shall handfast nor fie with on another in all time comeing

2. To take on hire. 1474 Treas. Acc. I. 52.
To fee vj hors with cariage 1501–2 Treas. Acc. II. 133.
To ane man of Maister Johne Leiches, to fe him ane hors 1535 Stewart 44208.
He … Feit ane schip and pat her to the fame 1546 Treas. Acc. IX. 57.
Movit furth of Edinburght tua moyanis … and feyit to cary thame xviij hors 1584 Sat. P. xlv. 771.
He had no will to fie a bote 1607–8 Misc. Spald. C. V. 137.
Expensis in ganging to the wod … to fie aickyn tymber

b. To let out (work) to be done. 1602 Monkland Baron Ct. 4.
That na tennentis that awcht doseruice sal fe nane of it with na vther bot thair awin seruice 1672 Corshill Baron Ct. 105.
They saw the yarne in Thomas Dunlopis house, and that Thomas Dunlop feyed the working thairof with James Hui

3. To obtain (land) as a fief. 1476 Acta Aud. 49/2.
He had na rycht to the landis … bot for his lyfe tyme and becauss he feit the land be his wife 1478 Acta Conc. 13/1.
A speciale preuilege of the curtasy of Scotland, that is grantit bot anerly to the persouns that maryis a maydin and feis the land