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.
Kow(i)sworth(t, n. Also: -wirth. Plur. also ky(i)s-. [Cf. OIcel. (13th c.) kýr-verð, Norw. dial. ku-verde, -vyrde (Aasen), Sw. ko-värde, what a cow is worth, the value of a cow.] In Orkney: A portion of, or that amount of, land formerly valued, for rental purposes, at one cow: see esp. A. McKerral Ancient Denominations of Agricultural Land in Scotland in Soc. Ant. LXXVIII. 73.(a) 1551 Rec. Earld. Orkney 245.
I … hes sauld … the said merk land and kowis wortht mair to the said Nychol 1595 Orkney Rentals ii. 3.
Holland, … in land male pro rege of ane mk. land, and x s. land viz. v kowisworth or ane halfpenny land and ane kowisworth xi set. cost, tant. flesche, j pultre 1612 Ib. 2.
Ther is also ten kowsworth of land in ane penny land. There is no kowisworth of land in the Kingis land or Bishoppis land, bot only in the vdall land 1614 Ib. 140.
Kirbister … in land maill of ane merk 3 pt. kowis wirth … 8 st. 22 mk. ½ mk. ordei [etc.] … inde heirof the 3 pt. of the kows wirth was never fund nor na land thairfor to pay dewtie no was never payit [etc.](b) 1557–8 Rec. Earld. Orkney 262.
To all hys ayris, executoris. and assignais, twa kyis wortht of land 1614 Orkney Rentals ii. 141.
Moasound … in land maill of 5 kys wirth terre perteining somtyme to Mistris Margrat Sinclair, [etc.]1660–75 Ch. in Orkney 263.
[Utterstromness, … Hugh Dingwall compts for 3d. 1 k[owswor]t[h] udall 1739 Orkney Rentals vi. 5.
Manklet, 2d. land, 8 mk. p. d. land, 4 k[owswor]th p. mk. Ib. 35.]
Inner Town [of Stromness] 36d. land, 3 mk. p. d. land, 3 k[owswor]th p. mk.
