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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hamburgh, n. Also: Hambrech, -bir, Hammer, -yr. [The name of the German sea-port, in attrib. uses.]

1. Hamburgh barrel, a kind of large barrel, chiefly as a measure of salmon, but also (see Hammerstand n.) used for holding beer. Cf. ME. (1379) hamberber, 'Hamburg beer'. Also with mesour, tree.Cf. MDu. and MFlem. hamborger tonne, vat, and OF. hambourg in the same sense.(a) 1428 Exch. R. IV. 433.
Pro duabus lastis de Hamburgh barrellis … salmonum 1436 Acts II. 23/2.
And [the custom] of v hamburghe barellys als mekill as of a sek of wol 1471 Acta Aud. 22/1.
Twa hamburgh barelles of salmond Ib.
Twa last of salmond & thre barelles of hamburghe mesour 1488 Acts II. 213/1.
That … the barell quhilk is callit of ald the hamburgh barrell be of the mesure of xiiij gallonis 1508 Treas. Acc. IV. 114.
Ane punschioun and ane Hamburgh barrell of glasses 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Serplaith.
Thir great barrelles ar called Hamburgh trees, and ar in greatnes not vnlike to our salmond trees(b) 1489 Acta Conc. 129/1.
Thre malvysy bocis, … a hammer barrel a1500 Seven S. 1740.
This nycht I haf sene in my slepe … Ane hammere barrell of gold fowe

2. Attrib. with salmon. 1429 Exch. R. IV. 505.
De octo barellibus de Hambir salmonum 1434 Ib. 567.
Pro quinque lastis et quinque barellibus de Hambrech salmonum