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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Fald, Fauld, n.¹ Also: falde, faulde, fawld(e, faild. [Northern ME. fald, falde (midl. and southern fold, folde), OE. fald, falod, early falud, falæd.]

1. An enclosure for cattle, sheep, or other domestic animals.See also nowt-, pund-, and schepefald.(a) c 1200 Liber Calchou 108.
Iuxta quandam veterem fossam ubi ipse Henricus quondam posuit faldum suum a1400 Leg. S. xl. 446.
Thefis, that cuth behald That the catele ware nocht in fald 1488 Acta Aud. 117/2.
The citineris … has erit, and brokin the erde [and] maid dikis and faldis within the saidis landis 1491 Lennox Mun. 144.
As twyching the … twa ky … , at was slayn in his fald 1513 Doug. ix. ix. 86.
As a ravanus wolf … Hyntis in hys gowl, furth of the fald be nycht, The litill … kyd 1535 Stewart 12392.
The deid bodeis that la als deid vntald, As euir did scheip that la intill ane fald a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. cix. 3.
Thocht … thevis hes done my rowmis range and teymd my fald 1595–6 Misc. Spald. C. V. 62.
For careing of ane letre to the Laird of Clunye, quhen he keist downe the faldis of Cabrastone 1604 Urie Baron Ct. 9.
The haill gressmen within the barroney … saill help to walk the fald, … or to agre with thais that walkis the fald, and pay thaim thairfor 1661 Misc. Spald. C.V. 232.
Ilk ane … to walk the fald thair nicht about, least the guids, for want of attendance, brak the faldattrib. 1509 Reg. Great S. 725/2.
Le fald-yettis et le stilis(b) 1407 Reg. Great S. 397/1.
Per superiorem viam transeundo versus Monros inter duas fauldas, videlicet le Kochilfaulde et le Morefaulde c1420 Wynt. i. 220.
The yhownge he partyde fra the awld And oysyde thame to bowcht and fawlde a1500 Henr. Fab. 2450.
Full war he [sc. a hound] wes to walk his fauld but weir c1475 Wall. v. 177.
Twa scheipe thai tuk besid thaim of a fauld 1525 Carnwath Barony Ct. 22.
The meir … vald nocht byd in the fauld 1565 Inverness B. Rec. I. 125.
Efter thai tuike vpon hand … to keip my fauld and the cattell and gudis thairin nychtlie 1576 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 19 b.
That ewerie tenent … big the fawldis of feall and erd ?1549 Monro W. Isles 62.
In this ile ther are maney schiep; … ther wool is bot anes in the ȝiere pluckit aff them in some fauldes c1650 Spalding I. 81.
Houssis, killis, cottis, fauldis quhairin beistis war keipit [were] all distroyit 1670 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. III. 145.
M^cDougall of Logan did import … Irish oxen and catle … [and] had them in pasturage within his parks and fauldsattrib. 1565 Inverness B. Rec. I. 125.
Thai tuike out thair awin gudis and left the fauld duyr oppin 1692 Conv. Burghs IV. 633.
The yearly annual rents, comon fauld deuties, … loch mealls [etc.]

b. fig. in a spiritual sense. 1533 Boece xiii. ix. 517 b.
To teich & bring elike baith riche and pure, to the fald and law of Criste 1562-3 Winȝet II. 65/13.
Quha euir inuadis and trublis the faldis of Godis Kirk 1596 Dalr. II. 471/20.
Sum he brocht hame agane to the true fald and bosume of the true Kirk

2. An enclosed piece of ground used for cultivation; a small field.(a) 1446 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 250.
The samyn tennentis occupijs ane fald of vj bollis atis sawing 1557 Inverness B. Rec. I. 9.
Ane fald of land occupit be tham as tennentis to the landis of Lytill Draky 1577 Reg. Cupar A. II. 130.
Certane faldis of corne land, allegit be the said George to pertene to him in commonte 1592 Edinb. Test. XXIV. 135 b.
Land lyand in the commoun fald betuixt the landis of William Ȝoung & … William Irnes 1611 Reg. Panmure I. p. xcix.
Twa wther lytil pendicles … , the ane callit Both loninge, the wther the Firth Faldis 1662 Highland P. III. 15.
His father … was comeing with 3 horse load of flittings throw a fald … and … found the slap bigged up(b) 1479 Soc. Ant. XV. 142.
To gyff heritabill stait and possession of … the faulde lyand within our said lordscheip of Ledalisdall 1538 Prot. Bk. Sir J. Cristisone 64.
[He promised to her one house … in the] fauld [called] Athra 1571 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 396.
The Blaik fauld, whilk is now in corn land, quhairupon the house of Hadoch standit of auld 1614 Ayr Fr. Preach. Chart. 108.
All and haill the fauld and croft of land [etc.]

b. In the phrase befirth andfald. a1500 Henr. Robene & M. 96.
Thair cairis cauld, That first preissis with thé to play Be firth, forrest, or fawld c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxi. 34.
Great court hors puttis me fra the staw, To fang the fog be firthe and fald 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 162.
Quhen frostis doith ourfret bath firth and fauld

3. An enclosure for any purpose. a1500 Doug. K. Hart 776.
Quhat haue ȝe now ado in this waist fald 1513 Doug. ix. x. 18.
Aschame ȝe nocht … To be inclosyt amyd a fald of stakis 1533 Boece iii. xxi. 121 b.
Thai walit ane place … hegeit with ane feild dyke, … bot haistelie Romanis bett downe the fald 1547 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 127.
All maner of persouns … that hes ony cairnis of staynis, fawlds, or vther red, on the hie gaitt 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 133.
For biging of the fald for keping the lyme 1594 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 532.
For making of ane dure to the fauld fornent the poupet, as also for closing with timmer ane part of the fauld that was patent to all personis 1601 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 284.
To remove thair red, falds, staynes and lyme, quhilk thai haif in the girs merket under the wall