Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rent, n.¹ Also: rente, wrent; rint; rentt-. [ME and e.m.E. rente (c1154), rent (Cursor M.), OF rente (12th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), rende, late L. rendita, L. reddita, fem. p.p. of rendere. Cf. Rander v.]See also Liferent n.There is some overlapping between senses 1 and 2.

1. A piece of landed or other property, viewed as a source of revenue or income; a possession, estate, office or activity yielding wealth to its owner or holder.Chiefly pl.sing. a1400 Leg. S. xxix 324.
[He] distroyt his rent, & kist don castellis in hast, & towne & tilth al mad wast 1400 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 48.
Na … sal mak alienacoun na wedsettyng of na land rent possessyone na of na thyng at langis to … Schyr Jon … in fee & herytag ?1438 Alex. ii 7152.
In his countre Was nouther strange na ȝit preue That he na reft rent and mobillis [F. meubles et tenemens] baith 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9047.
It becumis not to ane empreour … To his seruandis to mak impediment, Quhat time thay be promouit to ony rent 1596 Dalr. I 28/22.
Heir ar twa monasteris … induet this day with noble rent, and a riche beneficepl. (1) a1400 Leg. S. iv 363.
Scho … dowit it [sc. a kirk] with renttis fare Ib. xliv 342.
Hire mychtty frendis … mad a crafty kirke … & feffyt it mychtyly Of gret rentis Ib. l 176.
& succedis till hyme as ayre Of renttis gret & landis fare 1381 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 4.
Of all othir landes rentezand possessiouns 1397 Ib. No. 34.
Of all the landys, rentys & possessyovnys the qvylkys scho has … with in the kyn ryc of Scoteland c1400 Troy-bk. i 233.
Lordis and marchantes … Had thar thare habitacioune, With mony ryche rentis & feis 1444–5 Peebles B. Rec. I 9.
A chapellane … to say mes efter the valow of the rentis and the possessiownys gefyn tharto 1456 Hay I 8/18.
The Apostolis … tuke na rentis na rewardis that men wald geve thame 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece II 300.
The croun wes left indegent, throw ampliation of gret rentis to the kirk 1580 Reg. Morton I 123.
We have restorit hir to hir rentis and leving for hir honest intertenyment 1596 Dalr. I 54/3.
Cuper …, in monesteris of meane or midway rentis it may haue the first place a1624 Edinb. Univ. MS ii 319.
For thow hes nather landis nor rentis Nor richis laid in stoir 1622-6 Bisset II 389/22.
He … purchessed greit rentis and landis a1670 Scot Staggering State 42.
A paper … shewing that many of the king's rents were misguided(2) 1406 Douglas Chart. 367.
Archebalde, erle of Douglas … kepare to the landis and rentis of the priorie of Coldinghame c1420 Wynt. vii 907.
He mycht nowcht till relygyowne The rentys gyve off the byschapryk 1485 (c1580)Edinb. B. Rec. I 51.
The customes and all vther rentis of the toun to be sett with all aventour and dangeris of deid and weir ?c1500 Rathen Manual 27/1.
We cursis … all thai that dystroyis … Haly Kirk or that vrangvyslye haldis the renttis or possessionis thairof 1587 Acts III 488/1.
The rentis of the foirsaid college … be … vnhable to sustene the few nowmer of present maisteris … the fabric of the place [etc.](3) c1420 Wynt. vii 2267.
He [supra Jhon … off Ingland Kyng] … all thare rentys tuk thaim fra 1456 Hay II 94/32.
The custumes and kingis rentis and prouffitis growis and multiplyis mervaillously Id. Alex. (S.T.S.) 1982.
Ȝe wat that all is myne, lordschip and rentis 1471–2 Liber Melros 591.
Thare … laundis rentis possessionez and thar tennandis of the samyn a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 500. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 133/6.
For rekkyning of my rentis and roumes, ȝe neid nocht for to tyre ȝour thowmes 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece I vii.
Thair costlie clethin schew thair michty rentis 1533–4 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 411.
And gif ony personis happynis to truble him etc. in brouking of thar landis, rentis, heritages, takkis … or possessionis quhatsumevir 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3843. 1578 Reg. Privy C. III 48.
Of unproffitabill alienationis … of thair rentis and patrimony in thair les ages 1618-60 Lithgow Poet. Remains 94. c1650 Spalding II 298.
Now coatches, cuntbotches, lust and play, And vaine apparell, rot their rents away(4) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1313.
All thi braid landis, Or all the renttis fra thyne vnto Ronsiwall 1484 (c1580)Edinb. B. Rec. I 50.
That nane of the commoun rentis be set bot till famous men 1485 Liber Coll. Glasg. 196.
The quhilkis rentis and ryggis the saidis Robert and Jonet … gart geyff herytable stayt seyssynge and possessioune … be ane balyhe of the said burghe a1578 Pitsc. I 28/22.
Charllis … gave to thame the heill renttis and landis in France that his guidscheir had of befoir c1630 Scott Narr. 163.
A paction was mae betwixt the lords which had the kirk rents and the bishops a1651 Calderwood IV 452.
It is not the great rents … nor yitt the dignitie of kinred or blood, that carieth with it all knowledge or judgement

b. A source of wealth. a1500 K. Hart 846.
Rent haue I none outtak fortune and chance 1513 Doug. viii vii 92.
As scho that hes nane other rent nor hyre Bot with hir rok and spynnyng forto thryve a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. 54/181.
Letteris ar lichtlyt in our natioun For lernyng now is nother lyf nor rent 1598 James VI Minor Prose 66/5.
He wil mak vp a rent to his own vse out of your best landes [etc.] … & store of cattel

2. Income, revenue; the yield of property or capital; wealth.Chiefly sing.Foundit rent, money made available in the form of an annuity by means of a foundation.sing. (1) 1400 MacRae Early Sc. Texts No. 7.
And als I … sal mak the sayd Alexander fourti markis worth of rent with the landis befor writyn 1414 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 75.
That the said erle … sal gif in dowry … to the said Elisabeth … twa hundreth markis worth of land of fre rent be yere 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 178.
Giff … the midilest broder haf land … or rent of ony land a1500 Henr. Fab. 833.
O fulische man! Plungit in warldlynes, To conqueis wrangwis guidis, gold and rent c1475 Wall. ix 1128.
The rent at will he gaiff hym in commend c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 184.
I … may spend … Of ȝeirlie rent ane thowsand pound 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II 196.
Ane benefice of ane lawit patronage of the yeirlie rent of ten pundis at the leist a1568 Bann. MS 81b/60.
Thy self appleis with sobir rent 1571–2 Reg. Privy C. II 108.
For a bursair in art … changing the termes in … the space and quantitie of rent 1596 Dalr. I 25/32.
Of thir cumis ȝeirlie to the capitane of the castell … ane verie large rent 1640 Aberd. B. Rec. III 202.
The saids persones sall … esteime the saids rentis, all as frie rent, without deductioun of any burding except [etc.] 1650 Lamont Diary 23.
Vpon euery hunder libb. rent in Fyfe ther was layd on 13 sh. 4 d.(2) 14.. Acts I 21/2.
Of the kyngis rent in borowagis a1500 Bernardus 24.
That thi rent To thi expensis be equiuolente 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1815.
The chekker rollis and the kingis rent; As auditouris thay ouirse quhat is spent c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 17/54.
To covat na manis rent Ib. 135/25.
Welcum, my benefice, and my rent, And all the lyflett to me lent c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4795.
Thare pardonis … do exceid sum temporall princis rent 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2796.
Sa greit riches he spent, Quhilk thrise ouircome his rentall and his rent 1561 Reg. Privy C. I 193.
How mekle wes necessar to support the quenis majestie abone hir awin rent 1567 G. Ball. 9. 1584–5 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 385.
Thomas Hammiltoun … burges … dwellis to landwart, leving vpoun his awin rent thair vsing na … trafficque 1612 Brechin Test. II 225b.
The said vmquhill Robert … hed na handling … bot leiffit & his said spouis onlie on thair quyiet rent 1612 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 204.
And … he is nott a fitt man … to menage your rent 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. ii xiv (1678) 421.
A landed man, whose rent exceeds a thousand merks, or ten chalders of victual(b) c1500 Makc. MS xiv 60.
Eftir thi rint & [sic] manteine thi houshald(3) ?1438 Alex. ii 4252.
Me had leuer had this melle Than the rent of ane hale cittie a1500 Henr. Orph. 343.
Abbotis … For euill disponyng of thair placis rent … were bitterly turment c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 149/109.
He wald not for ane bischopperiks rent That ȝow war unrewairdit 1528 Lynd. Dreme 200.
Thay maid nocht equale distributioun Off haly kirk the patrimonie and rent 1571 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 211.
Quhair the rent of the benefice is small, the stipend mon be eikit 1593 Acts IV 25/2.
As ony pairt of the rent of Dumfermling now viciat salbe recoverit 1598 Aberd. B. Rec. II 161.
The patrimonie and rent of the town 1688 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 7 March.
Owine … for the rent of the crope … £120 Scots(4) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1070.
Our roy, richest of rent 1540 Acts II 362/2.
That all vtheris of lawer rent and degre in the lawland haif [etc.] c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 687.
He was desyrit in mariage Be ane ladie of greit rent a1585 Polwart Flyt. 198 (H).
The lords and lairds … are men of meikle rent And leiving 1611 Reg. Privy C. IX 204.
[A] mean barroun of a verie small rent c1641–54 J. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 571.
The Lard of Loncartie called Petscottie of smal rent(5) 1627 Rep. Parishes 27.
thair is presentlie a schooll in the parioche bot no foundit rent for the samynproverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 795.
He is als gud of his purches as of his set rentpl. 1539 Reg. Cupar A. II 5.
To the said vicarage, fructis, rentis, offerandis and emolumentis thairof 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 16.
That the rentis of the vniuersite be noct misspendit a1570-86 Maitl. F. 67/35.
Our lordis … spend thair rentis vpoun thair weidis 1558-66 Knox II 301.
The rentis and yearlie availl of the haill benefices 1579 Reg. Privy C. III 163.
His comptis of his intromissioun with the rentis of the erldome of Levinax and lordschip of Dernlie 1580–1 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 196.
[600 marks] of the first and reddiest of the townis rentis and commoun guid 1587 Acts III 433/1.
The abbacie of Halyruidhous … with the … rentis proventis and emolumentis of the samin 1593 Ib. IV 25/2.
Full … possessioun of the said lordschip … and sa mony of the rentis & fruittis thairof as ar … vnviciat Ib. 25/1. 1622-6 Bisset I 90/31.
The fruitis rents [pr. renentis] emolumentis of ecclesiesticall monasteries 1630 Aberd. Chart. 367.
The cran situat vpon the schoir or sea port … with the fruictis rentes custumes and duetiesthairefter mentioned c1650 Spalding I 121.
Desyring … the cantour … and cheplanis to be removit as vnnecessary memberis, leiving vpone the colledge rentis

b. lit. and fig. Only in verse: Wealth. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 40/39.
Quhair is ȝour rewthe … Off womanheid the tresour and the rent? 1535 Stewart 28122.
Greit reward richt oft to thame he gaif … Of gold and siluer, and of vther rent 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5229.
I am content, Sa that ȝe find quhair thair is gold and rent c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 79.
Tha pepill that for feir of … lose of guds … or wardlie rent, Frome God[i]s wourd thame selues doith absent

c. Rent and riches, riches and (or) rent(es, wealth of every kind. c1450-2 Howlat 554 (A).
The Dowglas … Weddit that wlonk wicht … With rent and with riches a1500 Henr. Fab. 2763.
O thow grit lord, that riches hes and rent a1500 Bk. Chess 1546.
To send him heile lang lyf riches and rent 1535 Stewart 14030.
Consumand all thair riches and thair rent, On huris [etc.] 15.. Dum Wyf 25.
For hir riches and rentes He wedit hir to his wyfe 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xl 41.
Riches and rent we ken dois not abyde — 1540 Lynd. Sat. 591.
So thay may get riches or rent

d. Profit, value. 1513 Doug. i Prol. 82.
Set this my wark full febill be of rent

3. Payment made by a holder or tenant to the owner for the use of lands, houses, office, etc.(1) 14.. Burgh Laws c. i (B).
It is to se qwhat is the rent of oure lorde the kyng in burgh that is to say that ilk man sal gyfe til oure lorde the kyng in burgh for his burgage Ib. Index, fol. 153b (B).
Rente 1456 Hay I 123/21 (see Ferme n. 2 pl.). Ib. 123/24 (see Male n.¹ i pl. (a)). 1468 Acts II 92/1.
Becaus of diuersiteis of payment with in the realme throu the takking in of the rentis be the auld payment c1515 Asl. MS I 206/2.
He tuke it agane of him, evirmare to be haldin of him for a rent ȝerelie 1497–8 Acta Conc. II 111.
That thai cheise yeirely a … thesaurare for the inbringin, ressat and keping of thare common rentis 1533 Gau 16/30.
Thay that … takis wp wrangus rentis [sin against the seventh commandment] 14.. Acts (1597) Table s.v. King. 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 32.
Ane of the ressavers of his majesties rentis 1621 Misc. Maitl. C. III 38.
Seing sindrie landislordis settis thair landis to the Clangregour for a gritair rent 1640 Aberd. B. Rec. III 204.
The … yeirlie rent dew and payable to ws … for burgage and trade 1640 Kirkcudbr. Min. Bk. 91.
They are obleist to intromet with and uplift the said rentes for this present cropt and for all bygane croptes yeires and termes 1651 Peterkin Orkney & Zetl. 104.
One to be chamberlain thereof and another to be under receiver of the rents 1654 Fam. Innes 174.
The ordinarie tyme at which the rentis of this countrey wsed to be payed … is Mertemes 1675 Edinb. B. Rec. X 215.
The said tenement back and foir shall be layable in no more annuitie then according to the rent 1680 Cunningham Diary 128. 1697 Glasgow B. Rec. IV 239.
The Old Green … to be possest and used be them … for the yearly rent of ane hundered and twentie pounds, at the terme of Mertimes yearly(2) 1386 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 10.
Al the proffitis malis and rentis of the saide landis 1556–7 Edinb. B. Rec. II 262.
To collect and ingadder the haill rentis and annuellis of the said hospitall 1596 Dalr. I 17/17.
The landes … of quhilkes the rentes hes nocht bene takne frome the heires thir thousand ȝeiris and mair 1627 Orkney Rentals iii 74.
Whether the rent of eurie rowme may be constant or noght: we answeir [etc.] 1641 Acts V 433/1.
It shall not be leisome … to crave the rentes of the said castle for the cropt and yeere … preceeding 1650 Teinds' Commission Valuation of Wamphray (R. C. Reid abstract).
The constant rent of said lands to be 2000 merks in stock & teind 1663 Glasgow B. Rec. III 486.
Compter charges himself … with the rent of the lipper hospitall 1675 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 24 Feb.
To pay … fourtein pundis Scots for the rent of ane hous and ane yeard possest be them(3) 1676 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 3 June.
Twa hundreth merkis for the Loadill rent(4) 1678 Cunningham Diary 107.
Allowed to Ninian Parker, at his rent paying, as the half of the burden he bare of the souldiers, £7 16 s.

b. Annual(e rent, see also Annual adj. 1, Annuel adj. (= a rent or due paid or payable yearly). 1410 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 75.
Annuel rent … to be raisit of his four baronries 1530 Selkirk B. Ct. MS fol. 147b.
Ane laufull air to all and syndry landis, annuell renttis and possessiones 1563 Dumfries B. Ct. fol. 230b.
To content & pay ȝeirly … twelf peneis be equale portiones for the anuell rent of the rod

c. Rent (of) assise (cf. e.m.E. rent of assise a fixed rent (1523)). 1466 Acts II 85/2.
The thrid of the kingis rent of assise that is to say of landis ande custumys 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Assisa.
The rent assise aucht to the kings hienes

d. comb. or quasi-comb. with a first element defining the object or nature of the rent paid. 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III 216.
Ane confirmatioun of the knocke rent to Leith 1660 Old Ross-shire II 48.
To convert the victual rent of Strathcarrone … at Mertimes yeirlie 1674 Cunningham Diary 27 (see Miln n. 1 c (5)).
Mill rents 1681 Stair Inst. iii viii § 57.
The conventional terms of payment of the mill-rent were [etc.] 1681 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 23 Feb.
The said John … hes run in aryre of ane hundereth and sixtine merks of boat rent 1696 Glasgow B. Rec. IV 222.
Incarcerate … untill he pay his bygone seat rents

e. A tax or tribute. 1535 Stewart 60822.
Aganis this erle all Holland did rebell And of thair rentis wald no ansuer mak

f. Valued rent, assessed rental. 1681 Acts VIII 353/2.
Wher the said old extent appears not [they shall have the vote who shall be] infeft in lands lyable in publick burden for his majesties supplies for four hundred punds of valued rent

4. Interest.On … rent, at interest.Also annual rent, in the same sense. See also Annual adj. 1 b, Annuel adj. b.(1) 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 52b.
Ane thing lattin and receaved to hyre for rent and profite 1611 Stirling B. Rec. I 126.
The soume of [100] merkis … to be imployed be the toune on rent to the help of the ministrie of this burghe 1612 Ib. 129.
The said soume of [500] merkis salbe imployit on yeirlie rent … for the help … of the ministrie — 1642 Caldwell P. 97.
With the wrent and profeit of the said principall sowme(2) 1665 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 221.
With [£105 8 s. 8 d.] … of annual rentis, accressit be the good improvement of the samen 1670–87 Sel. Biog. II 328.
A debt, which betwixt principal and annual rent amounted to eight hundred pounds

5. fig. 1461 Liber Plusc. 388.
Scho has assythit Deed of all his rentis c1490 Porteous Noblenes 181/26 (Asl.).
It is the rent of honour quharof the ane wynnis proffet and the othere merit