A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1424-1652
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Burrow-male, n. Also: burow-, burov-, buro-, bwrrow-, burro-; borrow-, borow-, borrou-, borou-, borrov-, barrow-, barraw- and -maill, -maile, -maell, -meal(l, -mall. [Burrow attrib. n. and Borow attrib. n.] ‘The annual duty payable to the sovereign by a burgh for the enjoyment of certain rights’ (J).(a) 1424 Acts II. 4/1.
That all the … burovmaillis of the realme byde & remane with the king till his leuing 1488 Lanark B. Rec. 2.
The buromallis sat to Tomass Wer 1501 Acts Lords of Council MS. XI. 25.
Chargit with vj li. xiij s. iiij d. for the burow male of the sade burgh(b) 1456 Peebles B. Rec. 117.
The balyeis has racwnnis the wast land in the North Gat for faut of the kyngis burrowmallis 1479 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 36.
That the burrow maill be vngadderit of the nichtbouris, considering it is payet to the chakker of the commoun purs 1494 Acts Lords Auditors 201/1.
The soume of x li. ȝerely of twa ȝeris bigain of the burrow male of the burge of Narne 1509 Reg. Privy S. I. 298/2.
A lettre … of the custumis of Peblis and burrow malis of the samyn 1531 Glasgow Protocols Abstracts IV. 32.
Ane born lyand in the sayd gaet … for ten schillingis of anwell, with the burrow maell 1571 Lanark B. Rec. 58.
The burro malis … quhilk restis awchand in the yeris bypast 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Dissolution.
The King's … rentall, that is, his gressumes, customes, burrowmailles, … or ony vther dewties & service 1641 Peebles B. Rec. 102.
All and sundrie infeftmentis, seasinges [etc.] … , togidder with the burrowmaill, small customes, … as the Kinges royall brughis hes(c) 1438 Ayr Fr. Preach. Chart. 48.
Thre halfe peneis of borow male yerely [to be paid] … be the said Alan 1456 Peebles B. Rec. 116.
Tom Dekyson is borch for scottyng, lottyn, … and borou mallis payn 1500 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 633.
The … myll and the borow malis 1591 Lanark B. Rec. 101.
The borow mailis of the toun(d) 1456 Peebles B. Rec. 113.
For his borrou mall paing the said Gorg drauys his land in plegis 1470 Prestwick B. Rec. 6.
A porciunkle of commoun land, quhilk acht ȝerli … j d. of borrov maile 1530 Protocol Book of M. Fleming 7 b.
Paeand ȝeirlye … with the borrow maell 1561 Reg. Dunferm. 425.
In … annuellis, customis, borrow meallis [etc.] 1617 Acts IV. 579.
Tua hundereth threttene pundis … of borrow maill 1651–2 Peebles B. Rec. II. 191.
From Iohn Cleg for … the borrow mealis, £6(e) c 1480 Lindores Abbey 423.
The barrow maillis of Newbruiche yeirlie four poundis tuelf schillingis 1558–9 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 276.
To the Comptrollar for the barraw maill the yeir of the compters office, iij li.
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"Burrow-male n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/burrow_male>
