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

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

Rin-rig, Run-rig, n. and adv. Also: ryn-; rune-, ron- and -ryg, -rigg, -rige. [Rin v.¹ and Rig n.The first element has been held to refer to the fact that the rigs run parallel to each other, but may simply (? as in Rin-jest, etc.) refer to their continuity in extending from one point to another. See also Rin-ridge adv.] Runrig.

A. noun. 1. A portion or rig of land allocated on the runrig system of tenure (see 2 below); the bounds of such a portion.(1) 1437 Reg. Dunferm. 285.
The yhate betuix the bern & the biir of the said Dauid … of the qwhilk thretti fute thar sel be ten fute of the rynryg of the Abbot & the conuentis & tuenti fute of the rynrig of the said Dauid Ib.
Gife ony rynryg be les than it aucht to be it sel be amendit at the sicht of men of knawlage 1527 Liber Aberbr. 478.
The fourth part of the half town of the mains of Athe … begynnand at the sown wyth twa ryn ryggys lyand togyddyr … to be personally occupied and laboured by the said John, swa that he be nocht inquyet be hys nychtborrys makand common gayt throw hys toft 1586 Liber Scon 231.
To Gilbert Morisoun the fourt rinrig of Sandehill the cairtair aicker and the Dempstare croft 1632 Retours II Inq. Spec. Perth (407).
Solaris rinrig de Tomquhewlan 1635 Ib. (439).
Solari dimidietate lie sonny half rinrige terrarum de Pitnarigarren 1640 Ib. I Inq. Spec. Edinburgh (859).
2 interliriis lie rinrigis dictarum terrarum et villae de Bruchtoun 1663 Dunkeld Presb. I 147.
Jean Stewart … had sasine … of one half part rinrigg of the lands of Dually(b) 1692 Conv. Burghs IV 634.
The customes … furth of the ronrig in Ballinshaugh(2) 1686 Rothesay B. Rec. 412.
Alexander Wood precariously without any warrant contraire to the rules of honesty and neighbour heid altered the aquidock and runrig betwixt the lands called Achincloch … and sett up march stones att his oun hand

2. A system of land tenure in which a piece of arable land was divided into rigs or strips, running parallel to each other and from one end to the other of the ‘town’, and allocated to tenants each year by lot and rotation, adjacent rigs being allocated to different tenants.Only in the phr. in, or out of, rin-rig. Cf. B below.For a detailed description of how some land was divided among heritors by rigs and parts of rigs in 1667, see Melrose Reg. Rec. II 181 ff.In rinrig and rendale, see Rendale n. and adv.(1) 1525 Reg. Great S. 69/1.
Cum toftis, croftis, domibus et edificiis, et particatis jacentibus in le rynrig 1550 Melrose Reg. Rec. III 340.
Of the lands … lying in rinrig c1575 Balfour Pract. 536.
Landis lyand togidder in rin-rig, and swa pertenand and occupyit be divers and sindrie persounis, everie ane of thame may be compellit, at the instance of ane uther, to concur in keiping of gude nichtbourheid, ane with the uther, in tilling, labouring, sawing, scheiring, pastouring, and dykeing 1577 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 37b.
The saidis persones … brukit … thair foirsaidis landis … in rin rig quhair throw thai war … skaythit in aittin of thair cornes be aither of thair guidis 1577 in M. H. B. Sanderson Sc. Rural Soc. (1982) 9.
Bearing that the said lands then lay in rin-rig and on that account they sustained great los and inconvenience 1590–1 Retours II Inq. Spec. Fife (1493).
Terris … jacentibus per lie rynrig 1629 Ib. I Inq. Spec. Banff (63).
In bovata terrarum in the half land of Garrow-wod in rinrig(b) 1588 Retours II Inq. Spec. Haddington (407).
8 perticatis terræ vulgariter lie riggis, jacentibus in lie runriggis 1695 Ib. I Inq. Spec. Kincardine (166).
Terris de Jackstoune jacentibus in lie runrig(2) 1596 Monimail Reg. Ct. 21 Oct.
Sua that euerie ane of thame micht haif thair awin portionis thairof liand togidder and out of rinrig

B. adv. Divided into separate rigs, according to the system described under 2 above. Chiefly, to ly rinrig.(a) 1507 Yester Wr. 104.
20 sh. worth of the lands of Bracansyde of auld extent, lying rinrige through the town 1541 Prot. Bk. Sir Wm. Corbet 3.
[Lands in said town of Hoislawe lying] rynrig [with the land of Robert Dawesone] 1548 Lanark Sheriff Ct. MS 3b.
The said towne & landis … lyand all rynrig with vtheris 154. Prot. Bk. Sir Wm. Corbet 10.
[Two acres] rynrig cum the 1 akyr, the ta end lyand to Mwgwarthauch-gait and the tother to the Demstedis 1554 Liber Dryburgh 290.
Twa akiris of ferme landis lyand rynrig throcht the feld 1568 Prot. Bk. James Foulis MS 61.
The saidis landis … quhilk of befoir wes broukit rynrig with the said Johnne Ros 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III 351.
[Where two persons' lands] ly rinrig throw other a1634 Contract (Jam., s.v. Coutch v.).
The foirsaids lands … lyis rinrig and navayis comodeyuslie coutchit nor laid be itself euerie man his portioun tharoff 1644 Retours I Inq. Spec. Orkney & Shetland (43).
6 denariatis terrarum jacentibus lie rinrig 1686 Ib. II Inq. Spec. Roxburgh (290).(b) 1565 Reg. Privy S. V i 654/2.
Terrarum de Brochtounscheilis cum suis pertinentiis, iacentibus lie runrig 1627 Rep. Parishes 83.
Leithisheid is a fyiftene merk land lyand runrig, divydit in thrie portiounis 1641 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 85.
And kynds houses yairds toftis croftis all lyand runrige throw the toune and landis of Gattounsyde 1655 Retours I Inq. Spec. Lanark (257).
6 oxingait of land … lyand runrig 1679 J. Somerville Mem. II 115.
Runerig 1695 Acts IX 421/1.
The great disadvantage arising … from lands lying run-rig, … wherever lands of different heretors ly run-rig [etc.] 1766 Prestwick B. Rec. 97.]
[It was putt to the vote, whither or not the old custom in dividing their dales, which was run rigg and rigg about … should continue; or whether … the land … should be … laid down in thirty six loats, so that each freeman might have his loat lying together