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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Taxt, Taxat, Taxed, ppl. adj. Also: tax. [e.m.E. taxed (Cath. Angl.).]

1. a. Of a payment: Assessed, laid down. See Tax(t v. 1. b. Of a person: Liable for tax.a. 14.. Quon. Attach. c. 11.
In mut of thift quhen ony man is fundyn thar with all & ony man chalangis him tharof with wordis of law entaxand his harmes … the party deffendand may deny thyft & … than it behuffis him till haf sufficient borowys til ansuer to the party plenȝeand of his taxt harmes a1538 Abell 83a.
Quhen I oblis me to pay taxat sowm I am nocht oblist to pay mair na that sowme 1550 Cupar B. Rec. 28 May.
Jhone Muray requirit the iugis to caus Rob Barclay rid his hows … protestand gif he remuffit nocht for taxt mail efter use 1595 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 314.
Quha protestit he micht haue vj s. viij d. money daylie of the said Thomas of taxt maill salang as he occupit his houses sen Witsounday last and ay and quhill he remowe thairfra 1657 Bk. Dunvegan 113.
[Lands] being in the hands of … the late king … sex years and one terme be reasoun of taxt ward and of seasing not being taken out … For the taxt release thairof [£53 6 s. 8 d.] 1661 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 33.
The taxt availl of the said countesse her mariage 1661 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 33 (see 2 b below).
Taxt deutyesb. 1562 Inverness Rec. I 93.
The stent quhilk wont to be vpliftit of anne taxtman … quhilkis taxt roll followis

2. Taxt-ward, a form of feudal holding whereby the rents and duties due to a superior from lands held in ward tenure were commuted to a fixed annual payment. Also, to hold (lands) in taxt ward, and quasi-adv. without in (also, of a superior). Also attrib. and absol. b. An instance of this. 1603 Elgin Rec. I 224.
To dispone of new the saidis haill lands in Parliament to grant the warde landis in taxt warde 1630 Acts Sederunt ii 41.
Of the change of holdingis from the ancient holding of wairde and releiff, to blench or taxtwairde, since the yeir of God 1540 1641 Acts V (1817) 652/1.
The landis … to be haldin of his maiestie in frie blenchferme taxtward & fewferme respective 1654 Burnett of Leys App. 287.
The forsaidis are holdin … for the payment of the dewties vnderwrittin to witt the baronie of Leys, blenshe … The baronie of Muchalls taxt waird for payment of the soume of tuentie pundis yeirlie in name of taxt waird 1657 Bk. Dunvegan 113 (see 1 above). 1672 Glasg. Univ. Mun. I 418.
The saids lands were holdin be the said erle and his said sone taxtwaird of his majestie 1686 Lauder Notices Affairs II 767.
Ther ware many signators obtained from the king, changing the waird-holdings to taxt-waird 1687 Lauder Notices Affairs II 786.
The Lords fand a gift of taxt-waird did not defend against, nor comprehend, a simple waird c1690 Cunningham Diary 118.
By charter produced, the above lands hold taxward of the prince 1695 Fountainhall Decis. I 671.
They were temporal lands, and held taxtward of the kingattrib. 1663 Decis. Lords G. 60.
The lands being taxt-waird landsabsol. 1672 Acts VIII 73/2 (see 3 below).b. 1621 Acts IV 620/1.
A taxt warde being insert to pay … the halff pryce that the landis or baronye payeth at the signet 1661 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 33.
Without prejudice … of his majesties right to the taxt waird or any uther waird of the saids lands … and to the taxt deutyes or any other duetyes of the samin

3. Taxt marriage, a marriage on which the feudal casualty of avail (Avail n. 4) was payable, see Mariag(e n. 4. 1672 Acts VIII 73/2.
Act for the retouring of taxt marriages … the great prejudice his maiestie sustaines by the severall services of aires holding land of his maiestie waird, taxt or few with the mariage; and the retour making noe mention of the taxt of the mariage, his maiestie is oft tymes frustrat of his casuality of the mariage 1681 Stair Inst. ii iv § 50.
The burden of the avail of a marriage may be easy … a vassal … is liable but for one avail and that to the king … Yea, though the marriage were taxed by the king, it excludes any other superior as was found [etc.] … where it is … determined that one marriage can only be due for one vassal and it was not respected, that a taxed marriage becometh like a feu-duty, so that if a vassal have several ward-fees with taxed marriages, he pays all the taxed duties