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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
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Tak(k)isman, Tacksman, Taxman, n. Also: takkiss-, takys-, taks(e)-, tackis-, -es-, tax(i)s(e)-, tact(i)s-, taiksman, taxmane, taskiman, tackeman, takman. [Tak n.¹ and Man n. 1 e.] One who holds a lease, a lessee.Specif. one who leases land, a tenant farmer, or one who leases land to sublet, also a lessee of property, mills, fishings, the collection of customs, teinds, dues, etc.The form tackeman in Inverurie B. Ct. ((h) below) may be a misreading for tacksman, in which case the attrib. use of Tak n.¹ (in takman), rather than the possess., is exclusive to Orkney.(1) 1496 Acta Conc. II 14.
Andro sal haf ane halff nettis fisching of the myd chyngill for al the termes of the generale assedacione instant as utheris takkismen of the sade watteris has 1550 Reg. Cupar A. II 73.
Walter [Rettref], and Maister David Campbell, takkissmen of Ester Percie 1569 Reg. Privy C. II 13.
The toun and landis of Ovir Gogar quhais teind schaves pertenis to the said James as undoutit takkisman of the samyn 1569 Stirling Chart. 100.
Dauid Ker, burges of Striueling, occupear and takkisman of ane croft … for the quhilk he is obleist in his assedatioun to pay yeirlie four pundis 1571–2 Peebles B. Rec. I 332.
Johne Dikesone, takkisman of the burraige custum of Peblis 1574–5 Exch. R. XX 374.
Tackisman 1576–7 Rec. Earld. Orkney 294.
[Edward Sinclair of Strome,] takkisman and kyndlie tennent and possessour of the landis eftir following 1581 Reg. Privy C. III 391.
Takkismen of our cunyehous 1587 Perth B. Ct. 17 April.
The burgis vateris pertenyng heretablie to the gude toun and possessit of befoir be the said vmquhill Blais as takkisman thairof 1601 Edinb. B. Rec. V 296.
Takkisman of the eill ark at the North loch end 1614 Highland P. III 159.
Sir George Hamiltoun proporting that he beeng takkisman of Yla(b) 1539 Aberd. B. Rec. I 161.
The takysmen of the townis millis … to hef the xxiiij pek of malt that thai grynd [etc.] 1547 Aberd. B. Rec. I 255.
That the townis haile takis … be set and prolongat to the takismen thairof for tene yeris … follovand the ische and outrunin of thair last generale assedatioun 1574 Reg. Privy S. VI 494/2.
[The teind sheaves of the lands and lordship of Dolphingtoun … which pertained to him as] takisman or malar thairof 1577 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 46.
William Hey and Robert McCulloch takismen of the ferry bote 1583 Conv. Burghs I 182.
Takismen to the Kingis Maiesties customes 1583–4 Reg. Privy C. III 642.
Kyndlie tennentis and takismen to the commendatar and convent of Dunfermling of all and sindrie the teindschaves, small teinds [etc.] 1606 Chart. Coupar A. II 220.
All the heretable tennentis and utheris takismen of the saidis landis and teyndis 1607 Stirling B. Rec. I 115.
The takismen of the tounes customes and rentis 1614 Orkney Rentals ii 119.
William Sinclair, tackisman 1631 Banff Ann. I 67.
James Maltman … ferriour and takisman of the ferrieboit(c) 1545 Elgin Rec. I 84.
Andro Mylln … taxman … to the haill biging and land callit our Lady hous 1557 Inverness Rec. I 12.
William Cumyng … desyrand the half of the mill croftis now … vacand … for the auld mail paying conforme to the rentall, quhilkis provest [etc.] … ressauit the said William Cuming thair tax man to the said half mill croftis 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 139.
Mr. Wiliam Cok, as lauborar and taxman of the landis of Kynglasse 1572 Crail B. Ct. 17 Oct.
Jhone Blak ane off the taxisemen of the custome of Anstrother 1583–4 Burntisland B. Ct. 10 March.
Taxmane of the ankarage 1584 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 193.
Quhatsumeuir persoun chances to draw blude vpoun another … sall pay to the toun thair collectour or taxman thairof for the blude [etc.] 1595 Paisley B. Rec. 163.
Johne Baird had set the hous and yaird to him for the space of ane yeir to cum … provyding … that the said James pey for the samin during the … space of ane yeir to Johne Wilsoun now taxisman tharof 1613 Misc. Spald. C. V 217.
The taxmen that ocupeis ane pleuche 1615 Black Bk. Taymouth 52.
The laird of Laweris beand bot taxsman of the said sex merkland to vmquhile Andro Toscheoche of Monzie 1627 Orkney Rentals iii 79.
Ranibister … payis to his majesties chamerlandis ane barrell halff barrell butter bothe for teind and landmeillis, and payis to the maister, quha is taxman thairof, tuelff maillis malt and sax meillis meill 1681 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 33.
The imposition upon wynes and aill is set to taxmen whoe [etc.] … Therefor … during the said imposition of wynes and aill is under tack [etc.] 1683 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 63.
Ane petition … be the taxman of the shod cairts compleaning upon the baillies of the Cannogate for imprissoning ther servants becaus they collect the dewes of the shod cairts at the watter gait(d) 1568 Old Ross-shire I 18.
I Maister Mungo Monypennie, Dene of Ross and factor to Maister Wilyame Strachin perpetual viccar of Ethertene … resavit fra … Alexander Ros of B. tacksman of the fruitis and emolumentis of … vicarage twelff merkis compleit paiment 1588 Reg. Privy C. IV 319.
Eustachius Rooghe, Fleming, tacksman general of the mines 16… Jervise Epitaphs & Inscriptions I 37/1.
Robert Straton, heretable tacksman of the lands of Wardropton 1641–2 Misc. Spald. C. V 159.
John Gordon, taksman of the wyhous 1642 Falkirk Baron Ct. 12 July.
William Walker to flit … fra the Carmure walkmylne possest be him and to suffer Johne Burne takseman thairof … to enter thairto 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 110.
Stratharick … which the Frasers formerly possest, but as tacksmen; now they got it in heritage 1681 Purves Revenue Crown 78.
The tacksmen of the excyse(e) 1587 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 20 June.
George Coull … taiksman of thre aikir of landis 1644 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 34.
The takisman of the customes of the meill and malt mercattis(f) 1597 Logie Par. Hist. I 49.
Patrik Home of Polwart taskiman of their teinds(g) 1613 Yester Wr. 315.
[She and the Lords of Yester] has possesst thir sindrie ages bypast as tactismen thairof to the abbottis of Halyrudehous 1658 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 9 Oct.
That na tactsmen of the said hauches … who sall be warranded to sett the same, sall sett or give mae [etc.](h) 1502 Orkney Rentals i 7.
Okilsetter … quhilk lyis with all the dettis thairof to the grange of Grenevall extract fra this takmannis soum 1503 Ch. in Orkney 309.
We charge the takman be the sowmes of this rentale for the full malt scat of Swanbuster 1605 Inverurie B. Ct. 4 Sept.
Comperit William Reid tackeman at the myln of Innerrowrie 1612 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bk. (ed.) 43.
The erle of Orknay his chalmerlanes and takmen 1613 Orkney Rentals App. 93.
Hew Sinclair, takman of Stromnes 1613 Orkney Rentals App. 95.
Aucht meilles malt allowit to the takman yeirlie in his fie 1614 Crim. Trials III 295.
To send him [sc. the Earl of Orkney] money, of that quhilk he sould gett frome the Tak-men, for auld restis 1615 Orkney Test. and Inv. 136.
The takman, bygane restis, £5 10 s.(2) 1547 Reg. Privy C. I 79.
That it sal happin, as God forbid, ony erle, lord, barone … fewaris malaris takkismen rentalaris and possessioneris or commonis to be slane [etc.] 1557 Aberd. B. Rec. I 302.
The haill taxismen quhilkis hes fischingis and land takkis in few of this guid towne 1557–8 Peebles B. Rec. I 243.
Gif the takkismen will teill it thair selffis with thair awne propir pleuchis [etc.] 1561–2 Reg. Privy C. I 196.
All uther beneficit men, thair factouris, fermoraris, and takkismen 1573 Nat. Reg. Archives ((Scotl.) Rep. (Ewart Lib., Dumfries) 56.
Maist part of town consistis halelie upon labouring of the ground … have a parson and taxman to whom they pay their teindis 1573–4 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 80.
To the six taxismen … iii^c merkis quhilk thai avansit for the toun in wynning of the colpot 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Cvrialitas.
For bruiking … of the landes and for … out-putting and inputting of tennentes … as gif he were proprietare, lyfe-rentar, tackes-man or rentaller 1598 Edinb. B. Rec. V 231.
That in setting of taks of ony teynds pertening to the toun that the last takkisman, be it tennent or heretour, be preferret 1652 Glasgow B. Rec. II 235.
To resolve the best way for rectifieing the table of the pittie customes … and that all the takismen … bring in thair severall brods for that effect 1657 Conv. Burghs III 442.
Ane law dischairging taxmen to import such comodities quhairof they ar farmoris 1676 Edinb. B. Rec. X 278.
The dewes … for the … milnes … the dewties payable for the shoir dewes of Leith [etc.] … peyed in be ther respective taxsemen … to James Lands collector 1690 Shields Grievances and Sufferings 7.
Proclamations … commanding all … heretors, landlords [etc.] … to cause their servants, … tennents, taxmen, cottars, … to submit and conform 1701 Brand Orkney & Shetl. 98.
The tithes are farmed to viccars, a kind of inferiour tacks-men