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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Kirset(h, Kyrset, n. Also: (kersetum, kersecum). [Appar. ON. kyrrseta. kyrrsæti, sitting in peace and quiet. freedom from disturbance (as e.g. hafa kyrrsetu), ODa. quærsæt(æ (12th–14th c.). quærsæde (mod. kværsæde), the state of, or payment for, exemption from military service, esp. in the phrase, (land lies) i kværsæde.] Temporary exemption from payment of dues granted to a new settler in a burgh. — 1222 J. Irving Dumbartonshire (1920) II. 287.
[Concessi etiam burgensibus qui illuc venient ad predictum burgum meum inhabitandum et ibi sedentes et manentes erunt kersecum [sic] … vsque ad terminum quinque annorum completorum 1226 (1497–8) Reg. Great S. 508/1.]
[Rex confirmavit cartam Alexandri II] … qua Dingwell in Ros burgum fecit, … concessit etiam burgensibus quod illuc venientes et ibi sedentes et manentes essent kersetum a festo S. Martini anno gratie 1226 usque ad terminum decem annorum complet., et ut quieti essent de tolneis &c. per totam terram de diversis eorum catallis imperpetuum 14.. Leg. Burgorum in 14.. Acts I. 26/1.
De novo burgense kirseth [tr. kyrset] habente. Quicunque fuerit novus burgensis factus de terra vasta et nullam terram habuerit hospitatam in primo anno postest habere kirseth 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i. 122.]
[Qvhen ane man is made ane new burges, haueand na land inhabit, he may haue respit, or continuation for payment of his burrow mailes for ane ȝeare, quhilk is called hyrsett —[Erron. forms like kirkset(t, kyrkset, carset, hyr(e)set(t, occur in many MSS. of the Leges Burgorum: see Jam. s. v. Kirksett.]