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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.

Harn, n. and a. Also: harne, har(r)ine. [A contracted form of Hardin. Also northern e.m.E. (1622–3), and in the mod. Sc. and north. Eng. dialects.]

1. adj. Made of hards; harden.(a) 1546 Ex. Processes Merschell v.
viij harn sekkis for corne 1571 Sat. P. xxix. 17.
Muire. On Sonday his garment wes of ane harne sek 1573 Elgin Rec. I. 135.
Thre quarteris harn cleith … for his fie 1612 Dunblane Test. III. 189.
ix pair scheittis, lynning and harne 1650 Edinb. Test. LXIV. 355 b.
Aught harne boord cloathes, … ten harne towels 1664 Inventory in Decreets Dalr. XI.
Certane linnen cloath, wnshappen harnwobs, linnen & harne yearn 1690 Foulis Acc. Bk. 119.
To each of them a harn coat 1697 Ib. 210.
For 6 harn pocks(b) 1644 Edinb. Test. LXI. 38.
Thrie pair of old harrin scheits

b. Of rope, = hempen. 1565 Prestwick B. Rec. 69.
The wrangus … cuttin of ane harne teddir 1639 Edinb. Test. LIX. 74 b.
Ane thowsand stane weycht of taikell, tarred whyt and spune harine 1675 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. IV. 329.
They … band him hand and foot with harne ropes

c. quasi-n. A harden sack. 1506 Treas. Acc. III. 201.
For gret clath sakkis to the Quene callit harnes … ; item, for ij harnes for the King siclike

2. n. Harden cloth.(a) 1587 Lanark B. Rec. 90.
Ane ald skin and half ane eln harn to dicht the knhok graith 1600 Tailors' Acc. Bk. 4 b.
Ane ell of steving harne to the same dowblit 1602 Ib. 19 b.
Ane ell … of stif harne 1628 M. Works Acc. XXI. 9.
ij ellis blitched harne … for rubbing of the glas windowis 1646 Tulliallan Coal Wks. .
For 40 ellis of greine harne to be pooks 1687 Montgomery Mem. 339.
Six elnes of course harn(b) 1644 Edinb. Test. LXI. 38.
Auchtene elnes harrin 1649 Ib. LXIV. 120.
xx elnes unbleitched harrine