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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Market, Mark-, Marcat, n. Also: -ett, -ete, -at(t, -ate, -it(t, -yte, margat. [ME. and e.m.E. market (c 1150), marcat (c 1250), markat (14th c.), ONF. market (Central OF. marchiet): cf. Mercat.]

1. A market; market, as a generic term; the Roman Forum. = Mercat n. 1–3.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvii. 404.
& til ples God wes mar sete Thane ocht that wes in the markete 14.. Burgh Laws c. 3 (B).
Ilk burges may ponde furthdwellaris wyth in the market c1420 Wynt. v. 3366.
Wyth hast tharefore he tuk hys sete [Opyn and] playne in the markete Ib. viii. 2051.
In to the market off Lanark c1460 Consail Vys Man 315. c1475 Wall. viii. 571.
Thar market [1570, mercatis] for till stand Thai fourty dayis 1513 Treas. Acc. IV. 514.
For xij extreis bocht in the market a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxviii. 36.
Becaus men hes lattin doun The fair & market of our toun I mein the mercatt of our hors 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i. 87.
The kings officiars, in the end of the market, sall cause the said cattell to be comprised [etc.] 1618 Acts IV. 588/1. 1633 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 385.
Malt and meall brocht from landwart to commoun marketts in burgh(b) c1420 Wynt. viii. 5496.
And thai had markat ilke day And wyttaile in to gret fwsown Ib. ix. 1507. 14.. Acts I. 27/2.
The mersar that has his bothe coverit in the marcate on the marcate day Ib. 335/2. ?1438 Alex. i. 3116.
Richt as the husband driuis his fee To sell at markat or at citie Ib. ii. 5386. —c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 81 (see Kirk n. 1 b (2).) —1509 Soc. Ant. LXXXIX. 454. 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 14. 1533 Treas. Acc. VI. 105.
Lettres to be proclamit at Jedburgh, Selkirk, Hawik … chargeing thame not to stop the inhabitantes of Lyddisdaill to cum to thair marcattis 1541 Elgin Rec. I. 65.
The markat of vittellis 1549 Compl. 159/12.
Led … to the plane marcat befor the capitol c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2476.
Quhow dede idolis … Wer in the markat daylie sauld and bocht 1564 Reg. Privy C. I. 280.
To by or sell any … tymmer … in oppin and plane marcattis 1566 Reg. Privy S. V. ii. 157/1. 1569 Reg. Privy C. I. 652. 1574–5 Acts III. 92/2. 1575 Black Bk. Taymouth 140.
There was no margat nor fayr haldin at Inchadin 1577 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 63. 1578 Ib. 66. a1578 Pitsc. II. 290/5. 1587 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 117. 1589 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 133.
For bringing of insufficient beir to the marcat 1594 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 60. 1614 Fraser P. 116.
Personis … verie oft settis doun thair marcat in sindrie placeis, … grete vncertantie quhair the said marcatt is keept 1640 Glasgow Chart. I. ii. 401. 1663 Old Ross-shire I. 83.
Markatts(c) c1420 Wynt. ii. 246, 250.
The jugis sete To be … the markete, … calde Forone In Latyne, that is the name yhit Off that at we call the markyte(2) 1497 Halyb. 119.
The next pais markat 1565 Reg. Privy C. I. 332, 3.
That the symmer marcattis hald fra sex houris in the morning to [etc.] … Item for the wintir marcattis fra viii houris [etc.] 1594 Acts IV. 79/2.
For establisching of the beir marcat or salt mercat abone the wynd heid 1611 Conv. Burghs II. 322.
Thair baxters and breid markitts 1670 Moray Synod 148.
In regard of the publicke marcatt and great confluence of people about the church it being Andermes marcat 1692 Conv. Burghs IV. 611.
The calsay and craft marcat being some better than the ordinarie weekly marcats

b. attrib. and comb.(1) 1513 Doug. viii. vi. 111.
Quhar now in Rome is the cheif markat platis [: gatis](2) 1503 Maxwell Mem. I. 221 (see Market-met(t).
Market gud — c 1552 Prot. Bk. Sir A. Gaw 27.
Aucht bollis meyl of rynnyng met markat sufficient stuf and markat rynnant met — 1586-7 Montrose Baillie Ct. 21 Jan. (see Market-met(t).
Market stuff(3) 1613 Elgin Rec. II. 133.
That the haill cheif marcat dayis … be changit to Tuysday … and the marcat evin to be on Mononday(4) 1636 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 153.
For I hope He hath a market-right to me, since He hath ransomed me(5) 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 417.
Oh, if I could make my Lord Jesus market-sweet, lovely, desirable and fair to all the world, both to Jew and Gentile!

2. A market-place. 1512 Grey Friars II. 30.
Lyand in the said burgh of Hadingtone on the north sid of the streit and markat of the samyn

3. To mak market, to trade, do business; to mak market of, to sell. = Mercat n. 4.(1) 1522 Treas. Acc. V. 203.
That na Scottisman or woman intercommoun with Inglishmen nor mak marcat with thame 1538 Ib. VI. 430/1. 1565 Reg. Privy C. I. 336.
The said Andro being knawin a notorious pyrat, and his marcat making being sa suspitious 1577 Ib. II. 658.
Gevand him licence to mak marcat in the cuntre 1597 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 194.
In passing furth of … Leith with the said … layding, nocht making markett thairat(2) 1506 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 190.
That na … persons mak merket with strangearis of claith [etc.] … in Leith … bot that thai cum and mak the market thairof in … Edinburgh 1553 Ib. II. 179. 1605 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 230.
It salbe leasum to owttintowinis fleschouris … to mak markat of flesche in this towne

4. The market or current price or rate. = Mercat n. 5 b. lit. and fig. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3186.
The markit raisit bene sa hie That prelats dochtours of this natioun Ar maryit with sic superfluitie [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. II. 315/6.
Ane merchand … seand the marcat come downe to his disproffeitt of victuallis

5. fig. ?1438 Alex. ii. 9493.
Ane sair marcat thair was sene Of coit-armouris bricht and shene Reuin and rent 1558-66 Knox II. 70.
Bot say to hir, Sik wairis will nocht sell till a new marcatt 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 45.
The said chamæleon wes ane of the reddiest to gnaw the bainis of the deed, to spoyle the qwyk and mak his proffeit at that marcat 1692 Pitcairne Assembly v. iii. 99.
Brethren, we have brought our hogs to a fair market; we have joined with … that perfidious usurper