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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Waith, Waif(f)(e, n.² and adj. Also: waithe, waitht, wayth, waeth, wathe, we(a)th, veth, (waich(e, waycht, watche, wauche); wayf(f, wayfe, wayif, wafe, waff. [f. as Waith n.¹ and ME and e.m.E. weyf (1228), wayf (1293), weif (1447), wayff (1546), AF waif, wayf, weif, weyf something lost, ON veif something flapping or waving.]See also Waithing and Waith in Shetland by Brian Smith (Shetland Folk Book IX, 1995).

A. noun.Lost or stranded goods or animals, strayed animals for which no claim of ownership is made, and which are, in consequence, after due notice, escheat to the overlord or the crown.(a) 14.. Acts I 342/1.
Actionis that pertenis to be inquirit … be the justice clerkis … all thai that conselis the kingis wathe other hors nowt or schepe … and presentis thame nocht to the kingis officiaris(b) 1499 Exch. R. XI 393.
The punctis to be inquirit at the inqueist. Scab, waitht, lippir, pikry 1536 Carnwath Baron Ct. (SHS) 186.
My lord gart put in to his heid court skap lypyr and waith(c) 14.. Acts I 289/1.
Wayf c1500 Barounis Lawis 15a.
Waif challange of thift … it is to witt that giff ony best hors ox kow or ony vthir catell to be fundin … it aw … to be brocht to the lord [etc.] … it may nocht … be mad eschete befoir the passing of xii monethis & a day [etc.] … gif he [sc. the rightful owner] dois nocht in that tyme [claim the animal] it aw to be iugit the lordis waif and eschet of law 1539 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 9 Oct.
Na scab, waif, lypper, nor pykrye

b. specif.In or with reference to the tenendas clause of a charter as a right of ownership, in collocation with Wra(i)k n.¹ 6 b.(a) 1413 Milne-Home MSS 18.
Venacionibus et piscacionibus curiis et curiarum exitibus bludewitis, merchetis, et waitht, et aliis eschaetis quibuscunque(b) 1467 Reg. Dunferm. 354.
Terras … cum wrak waeth waier cum molendis [etc.] 1478 Reg. Great S. 281/1 (see Hafe-waith n.). 1575 Orkney Oppress. 7.
In uptaking of the wrak and waithe [Cal. Sc. P. V 207, watche] of the haill country of Orkney and Zetland, but commission, not being contained in his infeftment whilk will extend sen his entres to better nor 10,000 merks 1581 Acts III 255/2.
Penalteis dew … be the inhabitantis of the saidis landis of Orknay and Ȝetlande for transgressioun of his hienes lawes … with the haill wraik and wayth that salhappin to be fund … within the boundis of the saidis landis or sie cost thairoff 1588 Wemyss of Bogie MSS.
To buird quhatsumever shipis boitis and utheris veschellis wrak or waith … and apprehend the samin 1592 (1610) Reg. Great S. 118/1.
33 merkland of Aith with … gers wair fischingis waithing … reservand [gap in text] the wraick and waith that sall fortoune cum in the said ile 1598–9 Reg. Privy C. V 535.
[His tenants having according to his infeftment, which contains the privilege of] wrack and waith [taken 29 whales upon the sea coast of his said lands] 1606 Acts IV 295/2.
The … erldome of Dunbar … togidder with all privileges fredomes [etc.] … wrak wair waith and all vtheris liberteis 1606 Retours I Inq. Spec. Kirkcudbright (70).
Omnibus et singulis bonis, lie wrak, waith, wair, aliisque bonis et rebus quibuscunque, quae naufragio [etc.] 1615 Misc. Maitl. C. II 178.
[In Orkney and Shetland] na persone … sall hyde … wrak or ony kynd of waith bot sall … delait the same to thar bailies 1565–6 Reg. Privy S. V ii 16/2.
The gift of the schirrefschip of Orknay with all casualiteis and dewiteis belanging thairto … with wraik, waich and the eschetis of the schirrefschip thairof(c) 1591 Sc. Hist. Rev. XX 123.
To have maid … James Weymes of Bogie our onlie general vice admerall of this realme haill vatteris iles [etc.] … With all fies casualities profeittis previlegis wrak wauche pyrrattis guidis and utheris dewties quhatsumeuir … escheitis and casualiteis … to … uptak … all and sindrie wrak wauche and pyrattis guides that … salhappin to fall heireftir be sey(d) 1587 Orkney & Shetl. Rec. I 210.
With … waters, strypes, wreak, weath [etc.] 1602 Reg. Great S. 476/1.
De Inverbervie [etc.] … cum parvis custumis, tholis, anchoragiis, lie syisbollis, wrak, wair, weth [etc.] 1611 Reg. Privy C. IX 297.
[In Orkney] the confiscatioun of goodis and geir of suche personis who happenis to mell with wrake and weath cassin up be the sea 1621 Peebles Chart. 99.
Cum furca, fossa … vert, veth, wrak, wair, vennysoun [etc.](e) 1482 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 214.
Tenendas et habendas … cum wrak waire et waif 1589 Reg. Great S. 565/2.
[In Orkney and Shetland] wrak, wair et waif 1632 Milne-Home MSS 199.
With the intromissioun and keiping of the wraik and waif within the Lordship of Coldnighame taking to themselves tuell pennies of ilk pund of the said wraik and waif

B. adj.a. Of animals or goods: Lost, strayed or stranded. b. transf.Applied to other possessions or privileges. c. Of stallions: Not owned or in the control of an owner, wild. d. Stray, inconsequential, of little value.a. attrib. 1565 Linlithgow Sheriff Ct. 4 Oct.
Thair is ane waith meir … gangand in Perkley 1610 Crim. Trials III 98.
The steilling of ane waith naig 1626 Broxmouth & Pincarton Baron Ct. 14 Feb.
My lordis tennentis … repairing to … Broxmouth for getting of wair … Oftymes foirgadder with wrak & waith guidds pertening to dyvers personnes 1644 Barry Hist. Orkney (1808) App. 483.
The baillies of ilk isle … that they take exact tryall … of all … wrack and waith goods 1671 Holmains Baron Ct. 16 Oct.
That none … keep or conceal any waith beasts longer than 24 hours 1681 Stair Inst. i vii § 3.
Things lost … In these our custom agrees with the Roman law … except in the matter of waith and wrack goods 1681 Stair Inst. ii i § 5.
Things strayed, or waith, whose owners cannot appear, are public 1681 Stair Inst. iii iii § 27.
Shipwreck and waith-goods or treasures in the ground(b) 1569 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 26 Jan.
That quhat sumevir gudis be fundin upoun utheris mennis cornis & geir, it salbe lesum to him to poynd thaim, and gif na man will releve thaim [etc.] … the poynder to use thaim as waiff gudis c1575 Balfour Pract. 141.
Gif ony waif beast be fund in the forest [etc.] 1576 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 18b.
Gif ony man findis ony wayfe geir and knawis not the awner … that he … proclame it in the paroche kirk 1576 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 19.
Wayif 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Waife.
Waife beast pecus vel animal aberrans quhilk wanders and wavers without ane knawen maister quhilk being fund be onie man [etc.] 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. (Latin) i 117b.
De animali invento wayff [marg. Errans pecus ane wayfbeast] 1662 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 22.
A waiffe yew and lamb 1697 Fountainhall Decis. I 768.
To seize upon all the supernumerary and waiff cattle as escheat(c) 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 154 b.
Ane wafe beast after ȝeare and day is escheit to the King(d) 1674 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II 271.
These horses … were given up by them to the sheriff as waff goods, being found in loss graisonpredic. 1515 Alloway Baron Ct. 28 June.
Twa waith scheip quhilk has beyne waith within thar baroynye c1575 Balfour Pract. 525.
The persewar … may challenge his gudis and geir as past away waith fra him 1644 Falkirk Baron Ct. 29 Oct.
That thair was tua grey quhyte faceit wedder scheipe going wathe near his scheipe(b) 1622-6 Bisset I 43/33.
Ane beist beand gangand waif or vyld salbe gevin to the awnare, … quha withhaldis it thrie dais salbe accused of thift 1655 Cockburnspath Baron Ct. 20 Dec.
Ane mare found going wafe 1668 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 215.
The said sheep being proclaimed waife at the kirk door 1674 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II 272.
That goods should have been delivered to the sherriff as waffb. 1677 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. III 198.
Some thought the rights of all parties so obscure, that it might be reputed a waiff patronage, and as caduce devolve to the king, none of the pretenders having a clear title thereto 1698 Black Bk. Kincardineshire 69.
For his wrongfully detaining & keeping up of waiffe moor for the which he cannot give burgh and householdc. c1420 Wynt. i 1035.
On the ta syde off that flwde The stede hors gayis … On the tothir half … The merys ar … Swa waycht [C. waiche, W. wild] and wod than ar thai hors [etc.](b) 1662 Crim. Trials III 610.
He wold be amongst ws lyk a weath horse amongst mearsd. 1513 Doug. vi Prol. 68.
Virgil sawis ar worth to put in stor Thay aucht not be hald vagabund nor waith, Ful riche tresour thai bene and precius graith