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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.

Lax, n. Plur. laxis, lax. [ME. (Havelok) and e.m.E. lax, OE. leax (laex, lex), ON. lax.Except in the comb. lax-net (and the 14th c. Surname Lax-fisher) all the examples are north-eastern.]

A salmon. 1488 Acta Conc. I. 89/1.
That the said James Innes sall … pay to the said James of Dowglas the proffitis of the sade fisching [on the Spey] of xx ȝeris bigane extending ȝerely to ix^xx of salmond laxis 1538 Aberd. B. Rec. MS. XVI (J).
Ane half barrell of salmound or xij sufficient lax 15.. Ib. XX.
He askit at him tua Sondais laxis Ib.
The baillies decernit him to pay ane myddill lax for himself 1546–7 Elgin Rec. I. 90.
[He] was decernit to pay … xx d. for ane lax 1565 Reg. Privy S. V. i. 603/1; 1625 Reg. Great S. 322/1; 1633 Acts (1817) V. 65/2.
In aqua de Dovern, vulgo Thanis Net nuncupatam, cum assis lax, salmonum piscariam

b. Attrib. and comb.With net (also laxat-nett), watter, and in lax-fischer (also laxis-fischear).(1) 1498–9 Acta Conc. II. 297.
As to the cobil and laxnet, the proffitis of the fisching that he [Lord Lile] mycht haf had of the baite and cobill … extending … to xx merkis, … the lordis … decernis [etc.] 1556 Prot. Bk. T. Dalrymple MS. 34 b.
On the quhilk staik the cord of the laxat [sic] nett wes bound … fast thairto, bydand the incuming of the salmound fysche c 1564 Glasgow Test. II. .
Ane cowbill and lax nett price v lib. 1599 Wemyss Corr. 36.
Thair is yeirlie ane lax nett sett within the mouth of the water of Lewin Ib. 50. 1625 Argyll Rentals MS.
Allowit for the lax net(2) 1597–8 Misc. Spald. C. I. 121.
And gif the pleuch irnes be dippit in lax watter, the oxin will nocht rin avay(3) 1337 Rotuli Sc. I. 493/1.]
[Mattheus Laxfisher [in Berwick] 1543 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 187.
I and Johnn Freser, laxfyschar, … deliuerit … vj barrallis of salmond, full reid and sueit 1640 Ib. III. 212.
George Boyes, laxfisher 1642 Ib. 291. 1649 Sc. N. & Q. 1 Ser. XI. 44.
James Straq^r, somtym laxfisher in Abd. c1650 Spalding I. 269.
Ane lax fisher drount vpone the water of Done Ib. II. 372.
Thair wes slayne … Johne Martyne, ane laxfischer on Die Ib. 411. Ib. I. (1792) 299 (Jam.).
He … charged the masters and lax-fishers of Dee and Don to forbear fishing upon Sunday 1722 State Fraser of Fraserfield 325 (Jam.).
A complaint against George Law and Alexander Mason, lax-fishers at the Bridge of Don, for their unwarrantable … breaking the lyns belonging to the whyte fishers of Don — 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 106.
The said Helen maid ane pactioune with certane laxis fischearis of the Neubrught Ib.
Sche came … to the hous … of Jone Fergousonne, a laxis fischear, and delyuerit unto him, in a cloute, four cuttis of salmond with ane pennie, … and bad him put the samyn in the horne of his coble