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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.

Kirk-werk, -wark, n. Also: kyrk- and -work(e. [North. ME. kirkwerk (1444), early ME. chirche-weorke (a 1225), e.m.E. church-work.] Building-work on a church or (rarely) churches. Also plur.(1) 1418 Liber Melros 502.
The forsayd Nychole has frely gyfen till the hovse and the kyrkwerk of Melros all the fermys … at langis … till the said landis 1422 Stirlings of Keir 209.
Twenti pund … to be payit … in name of scathis … and othyr twenti pund … to the kyrk werk of Glasgu 1467 Acts II. 87/1.
Vnder pain aboue writtin & a tone fraucht to the kirk werk of the toune 1493 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II. 338.
Jonhne Rossale, masone, … to hew and wirk at ale his pouer to the … bigyne of the queir and kirk werk 1514 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 147.
xv s. to the kirk werk, and v s. to thair awin altar(b) 1483 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 38.
Johne Alanson has saulde to the kirk wark … his said bote ful of lyme 1556 Inverness Rec. I. 3.
Johne Damster is mad fre burges … and hes payit thairfor … twenty merkis to be gyfin to our kyrkwark 1560 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 70.
For mair haisty … completing of the said kirk wark … the said siluer wark … to be sauld or cunyet 1590 Ib. V. 26.
To gif to Nicoll Gilmure, wricht, the sowm of ten pund for his bounteth at the kirk wark 1622-6 Bisset II. 205/26.
The actis … for the weill of the kirk, kirkwark [etc.] 1636 Banff Ann. I. 74.
The judges ordanis that na persone … by onye lyme to thair awin wse befoir the compleitting of the said kirkwark 1668 Ellon Par. Rec. 129.
[For the] kirk wark … everie tenant is stented [etc.](c) 1477 Reg. Great S. 285/1.
Twa thousande markis to be pait to the bischope of Glasgw and his kirkworke 1512 Selkirk B. Ct. fol. 15 b.
viii [s.] of unlaw to be payit to the kyrk work wyth out favor(2) pl. 1561–2 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 152.
The necessar expenssis debursit be the compter upon the kirk, kirkworkis & vtheris effaris of the guid toun

b. In Aberdeen: Maister of (the) kirkwark, also -warkis, = Kirk-master n. 1. 1442 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 7.
xl s. … the quhilkis the alderman sal ressaue and delyuer to the maisteris of the kyrk werk 1474 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II. 331.
Sir Andro Wrycht, maister of the kirk wark of Aberdene 1518–19 Ib. 352.
The tovne … ordanit the masteris of kirk-werk to translat thair funt and passag to the rudloft … and mak a fair wyndo in that gavill of thair croce kirk 1544 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 199.
The maisteris of artilȝery to pas with the mayster of kirkwark, and sers quhar ony irn may be gottin 1581 Sc. N. & Q. 1st Ser. I. 19.
[The sacrists not to disturb the pavement] without speciall command of the maister of the kirk wark [of Aberdeen] 1647 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 77.
The ane half of the said penaltie to be payit to the master of kirkwark for helping to mantein the fabrik of this kirk, and the vther half thairof to the collector of the kirk session for the vse of the poore 1680 Ib. 299.
The maister of kirkwark to caus hew the tounes armes and bischop Elphingstounes armes wpon the port of the Bridge of Die 1692 Ib. 313.
William Soupar, master of kirkworkpl. 1634 Aberd. Council Lett. II. 21.
I grantis me … to have resauit frome Maister Thomas Gray, maister of the kirkwarkis of the burghe of Aberdeine [846 li. 6 s.] for … theiking … the north yle of Saint Nicolas