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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.

Hereȝeld(e, Heri-, Herȝeld(e, n. Also: hereȝeild, heir(e)-, heyreȝeld, heri-, heryȝeld; herreȝelde, heryheld, -ȝeld, -ield, -iell; harȝeld, -ȝeill, hairȝeld; hyreild; herelȝeld. [Possibly f. Here n.¹ (lord) and Ȝelde n. (payment), but app. related in some way to ME. heriet (c 1290), later heriot, which has exactly the same sense, although regarded as representing OE. hereᵹeatwa, war-gear, with a shift in usage between the 11th and 13th centuries. Earlier Latinized examples are herietum (c 1120), heriotum (c 1147), and the AN. heriet occurs in Britton. For a Sc. instance see Herieth.If hereȝelde is a re-fashioning of heriet, the substitution of -ȝelde for -ȝet may have been suggested by the variation of ld and t in such words as herald, herat.In its history and meaning the OE. hereᵹeld is so remote from the Sc. use that the similarity in form can only be accidental. See also Heriald.]

1. The best living animal or ‘best aucht’ (see Best a. 1. b), which by feudal custom the landlord claimed on the death of a husbandman tenant.Sometimes commuted for a money payment.(a) 1456 Exch. R. VI. 218.
Nil … preter tres equos et duos boves de quinque hereyeldis receptos 1501 Ib. XI. 300.
In duabus marcis de hereyelda de Munsymyln per obitum vidue ibidem manentis Ib. 394.
To be inquirit … quhat hereyeldis are fallin sen the last set 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1986 (B).
Our gud gray meir was baitand on the feild, Our landis laird tuik hir for his hereȝeild 1549 Reg. Cupar A. II. 59.
Reseruand in our awin handis all hereȝeldis of the men at duellis within the saidis landis 1557 Acts II. 502/1.
Without payment of ony gressume, enteres siluer, hereȝeld, corspressand, or ony vther maner of dewtie 1575 Edinb. Test. III. 397.
I leve to my bruther … ten pundis for his hereȝeld 1594 Acts IV. 72/2.
Quha hes … gevin band of mantinence to the thevis … or receavis thair cawlpis and hereȝeldis 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III. 23.
[The person] to quhom he payes his calpes and hereȝelds 1681 Stair Inst. (ed. 2) ii. iii. § 80.
The hereȝeld was found due to the la[dy] liferenter, though the defunct had the room in steelbow(b) 1471 Acta Aud. 12/1.
[To restore] a heriȝeld takin be him of the samyn landis Ib. 18/1.
[The lords ordain that] John Dikison [etc.] … sall restore again to Cristiane Lokert … the ox that thai tuke fra hir of the landis of Dolfinston for a heryȝelde & declaris that scho aucht thaim na heriȝeld 1496 Acta Conc. II. 37.
The sade schir Thomas denyit the uptaking of the saidis … xvj dussane of cane foulis, and heriȝeld forsaide 1536 Carnwath Baron Ct. 187.
The inqueist till fynd quha suld pay Jhok Tennandis moderis heryȝeld; the inqueist fyndis that the wedow aw na heriȝeld becaus it was payit for the man that vas deid(c) Reg. Maj. iv. xvii in 14.. Acts I. 271–2.
De heryheldis … Si minorem partem tenuerit, nihil dabit pro heryhelda 1434 Exch. R. IV. 595.
Per herieldos receptos de ballia sua 1451 Ib. V. 484.
Nec onerat se de aliquibus heryeldis 1500 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 219.
Thai sal pay the half of the reuenowis, herȝeldis, bluidweikis, onla of fre forest to the said Maister Androw 1506–8 Rentale Dunkeld. 44.
Recept. a Gilberto Gilroy pro lie hairȝeld patris sui xx s. 1546 Reg. Cupar A. II. 230.
James Hall … for his entres siluer and his gudschiris herȝeld v lib. 1557 Ib. 128.
Reserwand to ws … the herȝeldis of ilk pleucht of land quhen thai sall happin to vaik(d) 1509–10 Breadalbane Doc. No. 37.
Payand heyrfor ȝerelie … thre and twenty markis … wyth heyreȝeldis, marchetis, avyrage & cariage & vther doseruice of vs & wont 1577 Edinb. Test. VI. 46.
Thrie oxin by the ox that wes gevin in heirȝeild(e) 1444 Coldingham Priory 151.
Prior de Coldingham qui pro tempore fuerit habebit de utroque eorum suum heriell

2. The right of taking hereyeld payments from one's tenants.For further examples, see Bludewite n. 2. 14.. Acts I. 24/2.
In burgh sall nocht be herde bludewyt na ȝit stokisdynt na merchet na hereȝelde 1406 (1427) Reg. Great S. 17/2.
With bludewite, merchet and herielde 1473 Stirlings of Keir 241.
With … grassumis, herȝeldis, merchetis [etc.] 1482 Acta Aud. 106/1.
Thare … lettre of tak of the sade landis … with heriȝeildis and merchetis 1515 Edgerston Writs MS. (Reg. H.).
The saidis landis … with court plant … , marchetis, hereȝeildis, [etc.] 1526 Reg. Privy S. I. 537/1.
To occupy the samyn [lands] … or to set thame to tenentis … with court plaint, heireȝeld, bludewittis [etc.] 1564 Orkney & Shetl. Rec. 156.
The aforesaid lands … with courts and their exits, hereȝelds, fines, [etc.] 1632 Lanark B. Rec. 327.
The burghe of Lanerk … to be haldin … in frie burghe royall … with court plent, hereȝeld, bluidwite, [etc.] 1658 Oliphants 243.
And ther herelȝelds bloodiweettis and amerchiamentes thairof 1697 Dundee Chart. 119.
The foresaid landis … with courts … , hereȝelds, bloodwites, [etc.]

3. Hereȝeld hors, naig, etc.: An animal taken or claimed as hereyeld. 1453 Exch. R. V. 543.]
[Pro uno bove de heryyelda de Johanne Yhong 1491 Acta Aud. 146/2.
As to the caponis & hereȝeld hors, becaus the said James allegiis that he has the said land in tak for penny male alanerly, [etc.] c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4734.
Than cumis the landis lord … And cleiks tyll hym ane herield hors c 1570 Soc. Ant. II. 108.
Katherine Donaldsoun … gaif to me ane hereȝeild naig … and that be vertew of my heretabill rycht 1584 Edinb. Test. XIV. 5.
The said vmquhile Thomas Steill had … , the tyme of his deceis, … twa hors by the twa harȝeld hors