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 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Schepehird, S(c)heip-, S(c)hiphird, -herd, n. Also: s(c)hep-, s(c)heep- and -hirde, -hyrd, -heird, -hard, -heard; scheppart; shiphirdd, -heard; schyphird; s(c)hip(p)erd, -ard, schippirt, -ert, -art; (scyphard). [ME and e.m.E. shephirde (Orm), seopheorde (c1275), ssepurde (1297), scheperd (Cursor M.), schepherd (Wyclif), schipherd (1459), shipheard (1599), OE scéaphirde.]In early use as a surname or nickname. See G. F. Black The Surnames of Scotland, their origin, meaning and history (1946), s.v. Shepherd. — 1363 Reg. Episc. Morav. 312.
Henrici Scyphard

1. One who herds, protects and cares for a flock of sheep, usu. as the employee of another person or of a community; a shepherd.(1) 14.. Acts I 60/2.
That kirkmen live honestly of the … profittis of thair kirkis and sall nocht be husbandmen scheipherdis nor merchandis 1462 Montrose Baillie Ct. fol. 17a (11 June).
The common scheiphirde a1500 Henr. Fab. 2456.
Thair wes … Ane scheipheird duelland be ane forrest neir Quhilk had ane hound 1505 Exch. R. XII 288 n.
Witht the scheiphird … ij stirkis 1512 Treas. Acc. IV 353.
To the scheiphird at kepit the Franche scheip c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xxv 32.
As a schephird departis scheep fra kiddis 1533 Bell. Livy I 18/11.
The maister scheipherd Fastulus 1537 Treas. Acc. VI 349.
Coft … xxxvj barrellis of tar and deliverit to the kingis scheiphirdis 1557–8 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 53.
To the scheiphird of Glaidismure of fye 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2205.
Scheiphyrd c1575 Balfour Pract. 138.
Gif scheip be fund within the forest, havand ane scheipherd, or without ane … the forestar may tak to himself ane scheip of the flock 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 98.
Decernit to quit himselff of all trafeccing, bying and selling or interchanging with my lordis scheiphird c1699 Thanes of Cawdor 395.
To the byrewomen … , to the sheepherd(b) a1500 Colk. Sow i 249.
The maister schipherd Ib. 292.
Schiphird nolt hirdis And suynhirdis 1513 Doug. viii Prol. 44.
Sum schippart slais the lardis scheip and says he is a sanct 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4173.
The schip hirdis maid to me ane band Richt craftelly to steill 1556 Reg. Cupar A. II 262.
Schippert 1558 Haddington Treas. Acc.
To the commone schiphird of Gladismure 1562 Kinnaird Farm Bk. fol. 14.
Send to the schippirt [at] Benholm c1590 Fowler I 33/187.
Shiphirdd 1613 Orkney Rentals App. 95.
The schiphird of Sandwik(2) 1574 Edinb. Test. III 205.
Johne Ȝoung scheiphird 1583 St. A. Test. II 19b. 1598 Melville Chart. 145.
Jhone Watsoun, scheiphird(b) c1515 Asl. MS I 325/13.
Peon Adrastus schipherd 1574 St. A. Kirk S. 398.
Henry Tailȝeor, schiphird in Strawethie 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 232.
To Johnne Youngis wyfe, schipard att Bairfute 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 87.
Shipperd 1597–8 Ib. II 138.
Patrik M‘Ky, than schipperd to the guidman of Carroun 1616 Rogers Social Life III 300.
Shipheard 1620 Edinb. Test. L 303b.
Alexander Ritchesone towne schiphird

b. specif. The shepherds to whom the birth of Christ was revealed by an angel.(a) 1513 Doug. x Prol. 109.
Angellis, scheiphyrdis [1553scheiphardis] and kyngis thy Godheid kend c1520-c1535 Nisbet Luke ii 20.
And the schepherdis turnit agane, glorifiand and lovand God 1531 Bell. Boece I 85.
Quhen the scheiphirdis herd the angellis sing(b) a1550 Lang Rosair 38.
The schipardis be command of the angellis … fand him in Bathelem 1551 Hamilton Cat. 148.
Certane schipherdis [1882schipperdis] keiping thair weche in the nycht upon thair flock

c. The ‘shepherd’ of the European pastoral tradition in literature and art. 1549 Compl. 43/7.
The prencipal scheiphirde Ib. 43/18, etc.
The maist anciant nobilis … detestit vrbanite, and desirit to lyue in villagis and landuart tounis to be scheiphirdis 1561 Inv. Q. Mary 39.
Ane tapestrie of the historie of scheiphirdis contening sevin peces

2. Applied to Christ, as protector of the church, or to a pastor, as protector of his congregation.(a) c1520-c1535 Nisbet John x 12.
Ane hyret hyne, and that is nocht the schepehird Ib. 2.
Scheephird c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 12.
Schepheird 1596 Dalr. II 466/20.
Quhen the scheipherdis was castne out the scheipfauld esilie mycht haue bene occupiet and the scheip selfe stoune [etc.] a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 205.
Thir tua wer decernit be ther parochyners to be unworthie sheiphirds to governe a flock 1639 Fugitive Poetry II xvi 1 title.
A schort descriptioun of the trew properties of a faithfull sheiphard of Christes flock(b) 1600in Melvill 474.
They war skattered without a schiphird and the scheipe wandrit 1614 Ib. lix.
As ane loving schiphird, he blissed his flok

3. a. possess. b. attrib. In (appositive) use as schiphird knaif, etc. c. comb. In scheppart gres, tormentil. = Scheip girs S(c)hep(e n. 8 (6).a. (1) 1446 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 249.
Ser Jone Broun knycht … had his shepcotis and schephirdis housis apon the landis of Lurgyndaspok 1592 Digest Justiciary Proc. P 7.
Quhilk know was at the burne syd wnder the scheiphirdis hous 1602 Montrose Treas. Acc. 11.
That day that the scheiphirdis hous was roupitt 16.. Lord of Lorn in Child Ballads (1898) V 54/2.
He bid him go to the shepherd's house — 1548 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 350.
Terras de Auldtoun de Kennartie cum lie scheiphirdis croft(2) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2140.
He tuke his scheiphirdis staf in hand 1578 Inv. Wardrobe 229.
Tua scheiphirdis kirtillis of quheit canves 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Pondo, scheiphirdis [1617 shepheards] club 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Pedum, baculus pastoris, a sheep hirdes cruke(b) 1562 Reeves Sc. Prose bef. 1600 79.
Item the berth of Christ with ane greit nomer of schippardis … all cled in schippardis array with stalf bage pype all playand a1578 Pitsc. I 322/14.
The bischope … was keipand scheip in Bogrimmow witht ane schiphirdis claithis wpoun him lyke as he had bene ane scheiphird him self(3) 1500-1699 Herbarius Latinus Annot. xxviii (Bot.).
Bursa pastoris, schephyrdis p[ouch] Ib. cxliiii.
Taxus barbatus, scheiphirdis staif(b) 15.. Ortus Sanitatis (Inc. 20) 155b.
Schiperds staff [L. Taspia, erron. for Tapsia]b. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 254.
Put I nocht sylence to thé, schiphird knaif 1535 Stewart 31661.
Ane schiphird carle keipand a flok of fe 1581 Sempill Sat. P. xliii 53.
Siclyke was Seruius from ane shipherd grome 1589 St. A. Test. II 106b.
Jhon Cwik schiphird boyc. 1500-1699 Herbarius Latinus Annot. cxlv (Bot.).
Tormentilla, haris berd, scheppart gres, lambgars

d. comb. In schyphird land, land set aside as seasonal pasture for sheep.Only in records of the neighbouring abbeys of Cupar-Angus and Scone.Also as a place-name.(1) 1547 Reg. Cupar A. II 236.
For ane ȝere tak of the tuay akir of schyphird land of Dalwany 1557 Ib. 261, 262.
That thai laubour our schippert land and furneis meit to our scheip in hay and foddir in cace thai mister to sustene the nummer of xiiij^xx of scheip; reseruand the schippert land to our awin disposition … and the said Johne and Mergret sall heff the fulȝe of the schippert land(2) 1585–6 Liber Scon App. 228.
With the quarter of the landis callit Schiphirdland