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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Husband-, Housbandman, n. Also: housbande-. [e.m.E. husbandman (1497), ME. husbondman (c 1330), housbond(e)man (Wyclif), f. Husband n.]

1. A farmer, peasant. = Husband 1. Also qualified by gude.(a) 14.. Acts I. 602.
That the erlis … leif … apon thair awne landis … and nocht as husbandmen [L. husbandi] or pastouris wastand thair landis with multitud of scheip 1500 Reg. Brechin I. 218.
Siclik as the landis besyd thaim ar lauborit with husbande men 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 75.
Puyr lauboraris and bissy husband men 1533 Boece viii. xii. 277 b.
Mare copios nowmer of Saxons … with husband men to lauboure the grund … come in Albion 1574 Three Reformers 119.
When there was gude husbandmen That to the Lard gude service made And bakkit him unto the rade a1578 Pitsc. II. 10/26.
Beleiwand that thai had beine bot husbandmen and fallowis and knew nocht thay war gentillmen 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i. 73 b.
All quha ar inferiour in parentage ar husbandmen (or ȝeoman). And the cro of ane husband man is sextene kye(b) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4712.
The Vicar … wyll nocht faill to tak ane kow Frome ane pure selye housband man 1596 Dalr. I. 14/30.
Quheit … walde … grow in mony places … , gif the housbandmen could persuade it to be thair proffite 1621 Acts IV. 626/2.
That the housband men and laboreris … weare no cloathing bot grayes

2. spec. = Husband 2. 14.. Acts I. 67/2.
And gif he be servandman or husbandman or ȝit bondman … , his lorde sal tak of hym a kow and a scheip 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II. 203.
All the huisband men of the saidis landis are oblist to commoun careage to salt, colis, [etc.] … , and all the cottaris ilkane to ane lang draucht 1549 Ib. 240.
The said subtenentis beand husbandmen, lawboraris of the said grund, and duellaris thairupon c1575 Balfour Pract. 199.
Gif ony man … dwellis upon ane uther manis land and haldis as ane husbandman land of him1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Herreȝelda. 1601 Elgin Rec. II. 92.
Everie husband man absent fra the kirk to pay 6s. 8d., and the cottar man 12d. 1626 Misc. Spald. C. V. 223.
Quhatsoeuer husbandman beis fund absent from ony vapinschaw, he sal pay fourtie schillingis … and euerie coatter and girsman … tuentie schillings

3. A man who is head of a household; a householder. (ME., 1382–1450.) 1533 Bell. Livy I. 98/26.
Ane husband man [L. patri familiæ] amang the Sabynis had ane kow [etc.]