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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.

Martinmes, Martimes, n. Also: Martine-, Martyn(e)-, Marten(e)-, Martein-, Martain-; Mertin(e)-, Mertyn(e)-, Merten(e)-, Mertain-, Merting-, Mertne-; Mairtin(g)-, Mairtyn-; Marty(m)-, Marte(m)-, Marto-; Merti(e)-, Merty-, Merte-; Mertis-; Mairti(e)-, Mairty-, Mairte-; Mearti-; Mirti-, Myrti-; Mert-, Mairt- and -mes(s, -mes(s)e, -mez, -meys, -mas(e, mass(e, -mais, -mies, -mis. [ME. Martinmasse (1297), Martynmesse (c 1330), Martymasse (15th c.), Myrtynmes (1472), e.m.E. Martin-, Martilmas(se, -mes: cf. OE. Martínes mæsse.]As with many other words in mar-, the earlier occurrences of mer- are doubtless often (? or always) editorial.

1. The feast of St. Martin, 11th November, one of the term-days or quarter-days.Freq. Martinmes in winter, for distinction from the feast of the translation of St. Martin, 4th July.(1) 1400 Maxwell Mem. I. 138.
At the nest vsuale terme of Martynmes or Wytsunday Ib. 140.
At … Witsonday and Martinmes in wynter 1407 Bk. Carlaverock II. 418.
Martynmas 1413 Frasers of Philorth II. 201.
Martinemes 1494 Halyb. 85.
To pay at Martynmes 1507 Reg. Dunferm. 361.
At four termes in the ȝhere … Witsonday, Lammes, Martynmes and Candilmes 1519 Selkirk B. Ct. MS. 70 b.
At tua wsuel termes … Wytsondaye and Martynemeys in wynter 1522 Ib. 94 b.
At the fest of Sanct Martyne callit Martinmes 1537–8 Prot. Bk. T. Johnsoun 31.
Quha deit at the fest of Martynmes last bipassit 1614 Aberd. Council Lett. 129.
To Martenmas nixt 1666 Galloway P. 25 Sept.
Beginning … payment of the … rent at Martain masse 1668 1668 Ib. 14 Feb.
Martein masse(b) 1594 Paisley B. Rec. 157.
That scho had feit herself with them fra Mertinmes last to Witsonday tharefter 1622 Galloway P. 6 March.
At Mertingmes 1622 1640–1 Kirkcudbr. Min. Bk. 134.
viij libs at Mertenemes and viij libs at Whitsonday 1671 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 97.
At Merteinmes last bypast(c) 1624 Melrose P. 580.
About Mairtynmes last 1646 Melville Chart. 174.
Mairtinmess(d) 1389 Wemyss Chart. II. 24.
At twa termys of the yhere, that is to say at Qwhyssonday and Martimes into wyntyr 1393 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 28. 1438 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 48.
Martymmes in wynter 1445 Melville Chart. 30.
Martimez 1455 Liber Scon 185.
At Witsondai and Martimes 1465 Liber Dryburgh 278. 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 107.
And will I sell it [meal] to Martymes I will get for the boll [etc.] 1530 Reg. Soltre 98.
In dewiteis … betuix Martimes and Yhoull 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary I. 101.
This last ȝeir about Martimes 1587 Maxwell Mem. II. 162.
Quhill Martemes nixt 1599 Stirling B. Rec. II. 93.
Martimes 1630 Acts V. 219/2.
To propone for the changing of the termes of Witsonday and Martimes to Lambmesse and Candlemesse c1650 Spalding I. 49.
Jonet flowris … springing at Martimes 1655 Mouswald Kirk S. MS. 9 Dec.
Ane visitatione of the elderis … to be betuixt Martemmes and Ȝuill, and the other to be betuixt Whittsonday and Lambes 1673 Galloway P. 7 Apr.
Martimase(e) 1531 Glasgow Prot. IV. 31.
Mertymes 1540 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 99.
To flyt at Mertymes nixt to cum 1554 Liber Dryburgh 292.
At … Witsonday and Mertymies in wynter 1562 Maxwell Mem. I. 298.
Mertimes is nocht the terme at quhilk possessouris sould be remufit … commownelye 1571 Dysart Rec. 29.
Mertemas a1578 Pitsc. II. 190/17.
The Quein … remanit thair quhill Mertymes 1598–9 Edinb. Skinners in Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI. 98.
Mertiemes 1612 Prot. Bk. W. Leslie 7 a.
Mertemes 1629 Justiciary Cases I. 97.
About Mertimes 1600 ȝeiris 1637 Lanark Presb. ii.
Mertimese 1649 Cupar Presb. 138.
The last yeir save one, in the goesommer betuixt Michelmes and Mertimes 1654 Fam. Innes 174.
Mertemes 1663 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 206.
Mertimes(f) c 1580 Douglas Corr. 237.
I am warnit be my uncle to resaue my siluer at Mertismes nixtocom 1636 Galloway P. 15 Apr.
The first termes payment at Mertismes(g) 1480–1 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 38.
The customes of Leith ar sett … to Jhone Young … fra Mairtymes to Mairtymes 1551 Ib. II. 155.
The sum of xii merkis for his fie sen Mairtymes last to Mairtymes nixttocum 1607 Orkney & Shetl. Rec. 232.
Fowrtie dais befoir Mairtiemess or Witsonday 1653 Lamont Diary 69.
Mr Thomas Wilsone, scholemeaster for the time, to stay no longer then Mairtimis 1653(h) 1646 Grant Chart. 241.
At the feast and terme of Meartimais [1647](1) 1675 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. 14 Jan.
The termes of Lambmes and Myrtimes last bypast 1688 Weaver's Acc. Bk.
To be payed at or abowt Mirtimis(j) 1585 Maxwell Mem. II. 159.
To repay the samin at Mairtmes nixt 1605 Dundonald Par. Rec. 88.
Scho sall satisfie the Kirk for hir relapse … betuix and Mairtmes nixt(2) 1375 Barb. ix. 127 (E).
This wes eftyr the Martymes Quhen snaw had helyt all the land 1396 Soc. Ant. XIV. 218.
Intrand in payment at the sayd Martymes c1420 Wynt. vii. 1132.
Efftyr that at the Martynmes Qwhyt chanownys to Dryburgh commyn wes 1438 Lennox Mun. 68.
At the fest of Wytsonday … and syn at the Mertynmes next eftyr hend folowand … and at the Wytsonday next thareftyr 1457 Reg. Dunferm. 344.
Enterand in payment at the Martimes in vyntyr next folowand 1515 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 33.
Stevin Loremer vii s., the last Mertymes iii s. vi d. 1561 Treas. Acc. XI. 95. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 5.
At the Mertymes in the said ȝeir 1673 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 182.
At the Mairtingmes nixt therefter 1697-1707 D. Hume Accompt of Estate 10.
If she shall survive the Martimass(3) 1527 Selkirk B. Ct. MS. 123 b.
Scho … grantit, this nixt Martinmes beand rown, awand thre termes 1541 Maxwell Mem. I. 285.
[Grace] quhill this nyxt Mertimes 1640 Dunferm. Kirk S. 8.
His fee … for this last Mairtymas 1670 Soc. Ant. XXX. 20.
This Mertnemes being the first terme of payment of the said soume

2. Attrib. a. Martinmas day, evin, fair, sett and Tuesday. 1419 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 299.
On Thurasday next befor Martynmes-day 1485 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 51.
Ilk Martymas day at xij houris 1496–7 (c 1580) Ib. 70.
At the Mertymes day at none 1560 Admir. Ct. Bk. (Stair S.) 171.
In respect that Mertymes day is na feriat in respect of the practik of this realme now observit anentis feistis 1679 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 383.
The elevinth … of November … being Mertimesday — 1429 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXXI. 146.
On Martymas ewyn 1540 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 99.
Prouiding that thay … compeir euerilk Mertymes evin 1555 Ib. 213.
To be rentalit yeirlie thairin on Mertymes evin 1560 Ib. III. 86.
Be yerlie roupit vpone Mertymes evin 1564–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 481.
Upoun Mairtemis evin at the rouping of the commoun gude — 1641 Acts V. 540/2.
[Fairs at Inverness:] the fyfte the tent day of November callit Mertimes fair — 1661 Stirling Common Good MS. 3 b.
To Jon Buchanan for proclaiming the touns Mertmes setts [4s.] — 1692 Conv. Burghs IV. 611.
[Markets at Brechin:] Martimas Tuesday one day yearly

b. Martinmas term.Also Martinmes terme(s) fe, male, pensioun: cf. next. 1389 Reg. Cambuskenneth 260.
The tane half as for the Martymes terme last bipast, and the tothir half at Witsonday nixt for to cum 1499–1500 Acta Conc. II. 372.
That the sade Oswald was awand him the Mertymes terme male efter his entre quhilk was at the feist of Lammys 1516 Treas. Acc. V. 94.
For his Martimes term pensioun 1541 Ib. VII. 480. 1558 Ib. X. 401.
For his Martinmes termes fe 1565 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 496.
To the maister of the hie scole as for the Mertimes terme of his pentioun 1571–2 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII. 60.
For the multur of the mylnis for the Mertymes terme 1592 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 79.
The Martomes terme 1623 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 216. 1670 Glasgow Weavers 79.
Receavit … the Mertimes and Whitsonday termes maill of his hous

c. Martinmas (fee, maill, pensioun, wages), = payable at Martinmas. 1473–4 Treas. Acc. I. 66.
Gevin to Henry Litstare for his Mertimes fee 1494 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 69.
Gif he be superexpendit that he remayne with the Mairtymes maillis 1551 Treas. Acc. X. 31.
His Martymes pensioun Ib. 127.
Thair Martymes feis 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 354. 1560 Old Ross-shire I. 10.
For the Mertymes maill of the few lands 1570 Boyd Fam. P. No. 58 (22 Feb.).
For the Weitsounday and Mertemais maill a1650 Row xxix.
His Mertimes vages

d. Martinmas (coddoch, cow), = killed or to be killed at Martinmas. 1638 Dumfries Test. I. 40 b.
Twa Martinemes coddoches pryce of the peace ourheid 10 merkis 1662 Sc. Hist. Rev. IX. 344.
Each tirung a Mertimes cow