A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Muttie, Muty, n. [Origin unknown; conceivably a shortened or altered form of mutter Multur(e n., with dimin. ending. Also in the mod. north. and north-eastern dial. (Cf. also Moudefow.)] In the north and north-east: A measure used in mills, equal to a third or a fourth of a peck, with which the ‘knaveship’ due was taken. —1672 Brown Suppl. Dict. Decis. II. 670.
The lords found the feuers' allegeance of immemorial possession of the muttie at the third part of a peck sufficiently proven Ib. 698.
The lippie or muttie, which is the measure by which the knaveship is received and paid … which the town [of Inverness] alleged was only the fourth part of a peck and called it a lippie; and the feuars contended it was the third part of a peck and which was termed a muttie (it may be from the French moietie) Ib. 699. 1673 Morison Dict. Decis. 10859.
That the destroying of their muty was most unwarrantable, upon pretence that it was more than a lippie or a fourth part of a peck, because they [sc. the feuars of Inverness mill] had been in immemorial possession of the knaveship by that measure Ib.
And the third part of a peck being no measure, not known in law or custom, nor the name or quantity of a muty, the thirlage must be restricted to a lippie 1676 Forbes Baron Ct. 304.
In ewerie mylne belonging to his lordship the mylne peck and the muttie, quhich is heirby declaired to be fowrt pairt of the said peck, shall be sighted and measured with water and sealled with my lords own seale
