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.
Hamehald, Hamald, n. Also: haymhald(e, -ald, aymald, haime-, hamhald(e, hamball, hamel, hammel, hammet, hawmald. [ON. heimold, usually heimild, title to, right of, possession.] In the phr. borch of (later and) hamehald, a pledge exacted that an animal sold is one's lawful possession, and not stolen. See also Hamer.1337 Exch. R. I. 436.
Cuius plegii eidem Ade quamdam summam animalium liberauerunt, sub plegio de haymald1398 Aberd. B. Rec. (S.H.S.) 63.
Johannes Spryng calumpniauit Patricium Crane quod, ex quo fuit plegius de haymhald pro Henrico de Louthiane pro quodam equo ab eodem Henrico per ipsum Johannem empto1398-1400 Ib. 132.
Thomas Scynner, plegius de aymald pro dicta equa ad dictum Bricium, eodem die comparebit ad warandizandum sibi dictam equam1424 Acts I. p. vii.
Borgh of hamehaldIb. 51/2.
The king alsua hes statut that na man by ony manner of gudis bot gif he haf tharof lauchful borch of hamehald1444 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 399.
[He] oftsys callit til folow Johne Patovnson til fynd borch and hawmald of a hors, comperit1506 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 102.
Johnne Oudny … deponit … that he come borgh and hamald for ane hors sauld … be Johnne of Mylne 1555 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 283.
Becaus the said Johnne desyrit brocht and hamball of the said James for the said horse, he wes content that … four mark suld remane in the said Johnnis handis for the space of ane yeir … in caice the said horse be challangit fra him1597 Skene Verb. S. s. v. Borgh.
Borgh of Ham halde1615 Inverness Rec. II. 137.
Thow promisit to haiff giffen Donald McRobert in Darris as brocht and hammel for the said horse1619 Brechin Kirk S. 10 Aug.
When they socht burgh and hammet for the cattell forsaid fra these men wha sald them that man with the straik in his face ... said he neid none1634 Aberd. Council Lett. II. 22.
That the goodis are lawfull and boght frome a lawbiding man according to burgh and hamald 1679 Kelso Baillie Ct. 77 b.
William Bell … obleist him as cautione soverty for borghe & hamehald for John Bevelstoune, Patrick McKolennell … not able to find cautione of borch & hamehald c1750[ Lord Auchinleck in Black Bk. Taymouth xxix.
It is common in the Highlands to exact caution when one buys cattle from a person he does not know, and they call it borch hamel, which is just borch hamehald]
