Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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

(Schere-dawark,) S(c)heir(e)-dawark, -dawirk, -dairk, -darg, n. Also: s(c)hear-, sheere-, and -darrack, -durg; -day-wrok. [Scher(e v. and Dawerk n. or Darg n.] A day's shearing, or reaping, at time of harvest, performed as a feudal service to a superior.Cf. S(c)hering vbl. n. 4 c (1).(a) 1522 Acta Conc. MS XXXIII 71.
To content & pay … for cariage & scheir dawarkis ȝerely vj merkis 1541 Inchcolm Chart. 71.
Payand … tenne pundis of penny maile … wytht thrette scheire dawirkis in harvist 1565 (1581) Reg. Great S. 58/1.
4 lie scheir-day-wrokis(b) 1600 (1605) Reg. Great S. 594/2.
Lie scheirdarg 1611 Edinb. Test. XLVI 332.
Debtis awing to the deid. Tuelff scheir dargis at four schilling the darg 1630 Monteith Stewartry Ct. 15 July.
Anent the sex scheir dargis the said Jon defender alledgeis that he promisit him the saidis dargis and offerris him to preve the same that he was obleist to him in the said schearing 1632 Ancram & Loth. Corr. I 72.
Sheere darges 1634 Melrose Reg. Rec. III 442.
[Paying … four merks with five] sheire dargs 1641 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 187.
With xxiiii s. for sex schear durgs 1646 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 114. 1692 Retours I Inq. Spec. Berwick (446).
Annuo redditu 5 m. 4 caponum et 4 sheardargs de tenemento Joannis Sumar in Rottonrow … annuo redditu 19 s. cum 2 lie foullis et 2 sheardargs de terris et tenemento possessis per Elizabetham Wood(c) 1606 Reg. Great S. 615/2.
Tuelff scheir-dairkis(d) 1676 Old Ross-shire I 111.
Eight pennies as … pryce of ilk shear darrack of threttie sex shear darracks … each yeir