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-land, n. Also: hwsband-, housband-. [North. e.m.E. and ME. husband lande, husbondeland (1414), the holding of a ‘husband’.] In south-east Scotland: a. Orig., the holding of a ‘husband’ (Husband n. 2). b. In later use chiefly, A measure of arable land explained as equivalent to two oxgangs or (normally) twenty-six acres.c 1290 Liber Calchou 461.
[Habent villam de Bolden in qua sunt viginti octo terre husbandorum, quarum quelibet solebat reddere per annum [etc.] c 1300 Coldingham Priory p. xci.
Sunt ibi [lower Ayton] xvj tofta husbandorum ad quæ pertinent iiij carucatæ terræ Ib. p. xcii; etc.
Sunt ibi [Aldengrave] quatuor tofta husbandorum ad quæ pertinent x bovatæ 1327 Liber Calchou 361.]
Inquisicio ... de diuisis carucate terre in Prestfeld ... dicit quod fuit ... ad tenuram quattuor husbandorum [etc.](a) 1481 Acta Aud. 96*/1.
A tak and maling of foure husband landis of the landis of Ȝester 1496 Doug. Chart. 159.
Fourty and four husband landis … liand in the town and sulȝe of Brygeame15.. Acts I. 198 red.
The erll of Marche causit his seruand Sim Samond to divide the haill landis in the Mers in husband landis ilk husband land xxvj akkeris quhair pluk and syth may gang. Item ... tua ox gang is ane husband land1509 Reg. Privy S. I. 290/2.
A lettre of tak … of the thre husband landis of the Kingis towne of Grenelaw 1537 Ib. II. 346/1.
The … malis [etc.] … of tua husband-landis and sex cotlandis quhilkis the said William occupiit of befor 1584 Acts III. 365/2.
In immediat tenent … of all and haill the thrie husband landis and ane coitland with housis, ȝairdis, and outsett thairof 1597 Skene Verb. S. (1599) s.v. Swa.
Hvsbandland conteinis commonly twentie sex aikers of sok and syith lande Ib.
I finde na certane rule prescrived anent the quantity and valour of ane husbandland 1606 Melrose Reg. Rec. I. 5.
Ane few charter maid to the said umquhile James of ane husband land and ane quarter of ane husband land 1627 Rec. Parishes 2.
Thre husband landis of Kirkland in Prestone … worth thre bollis ane husband land stok and teind 1633 Acts V. 22/1.
To … stent vpon everie plough or husband land according to the worth for maintenance … of the saids schooles 1666 Decis. Lords G. 129.
A threave of oats out of every husband land(b) 1544 Reg. Privy S. III. 140/1.
Ane half housbandland … extending to viii aikeris of land or thairby, lyand within the toun … of Pinkertoun 1561 Edinb. B. Deeds 7.
The said tua housband landis 1617 Acts III. 569/2.
Ane chartour of alienatioun … off … ane of thair tua housband landis lyand in the toun … of Ballincreiff
