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.
Hyr(e, Hire, n. Also: hyir(e, hyer(e, heyr, hair, hayre, and ire (see Hors-hire). [ME. hire, hyre, early southern huire, huyre, OE. hýr.]
1. Payment, recompense, reward, wage.Also in fig. expressions. But hyre, withoutin ony hire, without having to be paid, voluntarily, willingly, promptly. In early use chiefly confined to poetry.(a) 14.. Acts I. 34/2.
Gif the criour … takis any hyre … to empare the constitucion of the toune … he sall tyne his office c1450-2 Howlat 424.
I sall haist me … but hyre a1500 Henr. III. 141/44.
The pane of hell thow sall haif to thi hyrea1500 Rauf C. 105.
Dame, I haue deir coft all this dayis hyrec1475 Wall. x. 450.
‘Say furth’, quoth he, ‘thow may for litill hyr’ 1513 Doug. viii. vii. 92.
Scho that has nane other rent nor hyre 1535 Stewart 9267.
The Pechtis … withouten ony hyre Agane the Romanis … did conspyre c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4806.
For that office thay serue bot lytill hyir 1581 Sat. P. xliv. 8.
The Protestant … For hyire the fyire sal get of Cerberus 1596 Dalr. I. 214/24.
Vortigerne had for a hyre alluret the keipers of Constantine, … to betray hima1605 Montg. Sonn. xxxvi. 8.
I dreid dispair, ȝit hope hes heght me hyre1604-31 Craig ii. 92/8.
Thou shalt haue friendly hostage to thy hyrec1650 Spalding II. 320.
Thair meit and drink, togidder also with thair hyre or levie or loan money1662 Crim. Trials III. 617.
Agnes Grant ... gott hyre from Elspet Monro, to destroy the lairdis (b) 1535 Stewart 54005.
Richt haistilie, withoutin ony hire, Vp tha rais 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7002.
The knicht … feit wark men, and promeist thame guid hire 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 36 b.
That na man sell … ane approven theif … for silver, … or for anie other hire
b. spec. A seaman's pay for a voyage: see also Half-hyre n.c1420 Bute MS. fol. 172 b.
And thai pas tyl ane vthyr recept ... the maystyr is haldyn for to engrose thair hyrys 1506 Treas. Acc. III. 341.
For ijc xv frankis ... in part of payment of the said schip ... and of hir expens of wittales and hiris cummand furth of Bertanȝe1589-1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 1 a.
Summa of hiris is v scor1622-6 Bisset II. 256/14.
Ane schip cummed to discharge, the maryneris will have there hyris
2. Payment for the temporary use of anything. In, till, to hire, as something hired.See also cart-hyre, Cart n.1 3, and Hors-hire n.14.. Acts I. 386/2.
Gif ony man settis his best till hyr till ony man till a terme for iii bollis of meil [etc.] Ib.
The ox that he tuk to hyr c1475 Wall. x. 976.
Schyr Amer hecht he suld it haiff in hyr Till hald in fe, and othir landis more 1494 Treas. Acc. I. 244.
For the fraucht and hyre of a schip furth of Are 1503 Dunferm. B. Rec. 132.
The wrangvis withhaldyn of the hyir of thre cheip 1558 Treas. Acc. X. 386.
For the hire of xij hors1565-6 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 235.
Cairt hyer1567 Reg. Privy C. I. 517.
He … hes travellit in the same schip continewalie … andeftir that he had sayit hir lang for hyir, … he coft hir a ȝeir syne or thairby 1611 Conv. Burghs II. 317.
The insufficiencie of thair hors … , exhorbetand heyrs, and unreddines to serve the lieges1668 Stirling Common Good 50.
For thair horse hairs1670 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 25 May.
Hyere of his horse1679 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 315 (9 July).
And deteineing the saids horse, meires and staigs and hayre therofattrib. 1576 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 19.
It is ordinit that … hyre siluer is ockir and aganis the lawis
b. A lease.1502 Orkney Rentals i. 15.
The said tennentis payand for the fredome of the said hyir yeirlie [etc.]
