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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.

Lawrichtman, n. Also: lawrycht-, laurycht-, larycht-, law-, lauright-. [Adapted f. ON. lǫgréttu-maðr (also lǫgréttis-), a local delegate member of the lǫgrétta or assize of the lǫg-þing (= Lawting). Variously written as one or two words (once as three). Cf. Lawret-and Lawrikman.The 17th c. Orkney use appar. represents an etymological re-modelling of the local lawrikman perh. by influence of the Shetl. word.]

a. In Shetland, the local official, one to each district, appointed by common consent of the district foud and community and paid by the community, to have charge of the weights and measures and himself to carry out the weighing and measuring of the dues.Appar. in origin the Shetland lǫgréttu-menn, like those of Norway, were the local delegates to the central lawting. In earlier times also, the lawrightman appar. acted as legal assessor and chancellor of the assize in the district courts (quot. 1576–7). In 1602–4 the lawrightmen are recorded as supervising the upkeep of the neighbourhood dykes within their respective districts. 1307 Diplom. Norveg. I. No. 109.
[Ivar loghmaðr, Ivarr spera, Arnfinnr Þorfinnz son, Sigurðr a Kallbak [& 8 others] … ok allir logretto menn a Hiatlande Ib.
Þa sagðe ek Ivar loghmaðr með raðe ok samþykt handgengenna manna ok logretto manna [etc.] 1485 Orkney & Sh. Rec. 54.
Sebiørn Guttormsson Gulatings och Berwen lagman, Niels Willemsson, lagman i Hieltland, Erland Andersson frak [etc.] … radmen ther samestadz, Villem Thomasson, lagrettes man i Hieltlandh [etc.] 1545 Goudie Shetl. Ant. 81.
Andres Tollach ffogutt Nordenn Moffue, Magnus Tollach laugretthmandt [infra laugrette mandt] ibid. 1586 Orkney & Sh. Rec. 206.]
Willom Monssøn … laurettis mand y Ønyst 1488 Rec. Earld. Orkney 333.
I haf procurit the selis of twa worthy men, … Jhone Reyd, burges of Birrown, and Wilyam of Wegisgarth, laurycht men 1510 Ib. 86.
I the said lawman and Thorald Hendirsone of Burg, heidfold of Schetland for the tyme, Jhone of Quendal, lawrychtman [v.r. lawretman] of Dunrossnes, Jhone of Strom, Magnus Bolt, underfold in Vawis, Brunȝam Andersone, lawrychtman [v.r. lawretman] of the sammyn, vytht vtheris gud vordy men, giffis for dome [etc.] 1558 Orkney & Sh. Rec. 80.
Arling of Bw, lawrychtman of Dunrosnes 1576–7 Orkney Oppress. 16.
It was the auld vse and custome of Ȝetland … that thair was ane discreit man of ilk paroche, by the rest, callit the lawrichtman 1576 Ib. 18.
Quhilk lawrichtman … was ane necessar officiar in everie seuerale yle and paroche of the cuntre, chosin with the commoun consent and electioun of the fowde and commownis to keip attendance to the lawfull and just cuttell [and other measures] Ib. 19.
With the quhilks cuttell, bismeir and can the said lawrichtman mesurit, met and weyit the saidis dewiteis of butter, wadmell and vle fra the commownis and delyuerit the saimen to the fowdis Ib. Ib. 27, 34, etc.
The said lawrichtman … it was ane pairt of his office, as ane speciale man chosin for his discretioun and jugement, to be chancellar of the assyis in all courtis, that quhair ony difficill questioun come in hand, he schew the law, vse and practik thairupoun and gaif the rest of the assyis informatioun how to decerne and pronouncit the decreits, perqueyre, in defalt of scrybis; and had ane ordinar stipend of the commownis thairfoir, and was ane procuratour and defendar of thair richtis and commownwelth Ib. 53.
The auld lawrichtmen of the cuntrie compleinit [etc.] Ib. 56, etc. 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 87.
The said Thomas hes wrangouslie mellit with ane tether of the said Arthouris by the advyce of the fold, larychtmen or officiar Ib. 88.
And that the ale be sufficient and ouklie to be cunnit be Jhone Sinclair, larycht man, and Lourence Leisk [and 3 others] … , ilk ane of them under the paine of xl li. 1604 Ib. 110.
It is … fund that Arthour in Skeldberrie hes failyeit in bigging upe of his dykis according to use of nychbourheid, lawfullie provin be the larycht man, Jhone Sinclair Ib. 128.
The fold, William Gairdie, and the larychtman [of Unst] ar ordanit to cum and bring in thair cannis, buismeris and cuttellis to be sichtit at the lating court nixt quhidder the samin be sufficient or nocht 1733 Gifford Descr. Zetl. (1879) 42.
There is also in each parish a lawright man, that is, an honest man, appointed judicially by the bailliff, as the rancelmen are. His business is to weigh and measure the rent-butter and oil, [etc.]

b. In Orkney, in the 17th century, the name now given to the persons appointed, one or more to each ‘ursland’ or sub-division of a parish or district, who were responsible, under the parish baillie, for law and order and good neighbourhood within their respective bounds, and who carried out the duty of ranselling for stolen goods. = Lawrikman b.Formerly ‘the parish ursland officials’ were known ‘in 1618, as ”overseers, rancellars, and dittaymen“, or generally simply as rancellars or rancellmen’ (J. S. Clouston Hist. Orkney (1932) 360). 1644 Barry Hist. Orkney (1808) App. 483.
The baillies of ilk isle and parochine … that they take exact tryall of the lawrightmen quarterly, of all bloods, royets, thefts, witchcrafts, wrack and waith goods &c. 1667 St. A. Baillie Ct. 27 Apr.
He being found guilte of thift by the lauright men namely [2 names] 1679 Orkney Antiq. Soc. III. 61.
[At a Stromness circuit court of the sheriff, 12 lawrightmen named:] The lawrightmen above written all present upon oath and declairis they know no farder but what they get up as follows a1688 Wallace Orkney 43.
The bailiff of the parish, with the law right men [marg. gl. bailiffs assessors] and the persons to whom the sheep belong, meet together on a day appointed Ib. 105.
Under and subservient to these bailiffs are six or seven of the most honest and intelligent persons within the bounds, called larighmen or lawrightmen, which are commonly the Kirk Session elders of the parish. These in their respective bounds have the oversight of the people in the fashion of constables, and delate to the bailiff such enormities as occasionally fall out [etc.] Ib.
These lawrightmen … , if there be at any time any suspition of theft, they take some of their neighbours with them under the silence of the night, and make search for the theft, (which is called ransalling), they search every house they come to [etc.] 1688 Orkney Antiq. Soc. III. 61.
The said William Linklater hath been so common a thieff that the lawrightmen of Firth, Stenhouse and Harray at there ransealling, conforme to the custome of the countrey, hes found in his house [etc.] 1690 Ib. II. 75. 1696 S. Ronaldshay 112.
Lawright men [List of names for each of 13 subdistricts, altogether 38 names] 1702 Deerness Baillie Ct. MS.
A list of the lawrightmen in the paroch off Deirnes … 1702 [9 names, one to each sub-district] 1713 Orkney Antiq. Soc. II. 76.
William Tailler … ane honest man of good fame [appointed] as one of the lawrightmen for the ursland of Tollhoip and William Delda … and Thomas Grottsetter … quhilk three lawrightmen … did give ther oaths for ther faithfull administration of the said office as lawrightmen within the said urslands