A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Ry, n. Also: rye, rie; rey; ray; raij. [ME and e.m.E. ruȝe (a1327), rye (a1352), rey (1676), OE ryge. Cf. ON rúgr, also Ryens n. and Ruggam-breid.] Rye.
1. The food grain.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 988.
He socht to saw thare bere & ry 1532–8 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. vi (Young v Seytoun).
Thre bollis of ry sawing 1550–1 Elgin Rec. I 107.
Johane Annan aucht keip nychtborheid in schawin of ry in the crofts 1671 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct.) 6 Sept.
The sawing of twa pecks ry(2) 1436 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 4.
Ony schip enteret in the Tolbuith with quheit mele rye [etc.] 1444
Aberd. B. Rec. MS V ii 687.
He had sald to the toune al the ry that is in his schip … ilke soundis last for vij lib. x s. 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I 191.
The said Katerine … beand fre and allegit of al payment of ry a1500 Henr. Fab. 361.
Full beinly stuffit, baith but and ben Of peis and nuttis, beinis, ry and quheit 1479 Acta Aud. 94/2.
Ilk last … ry pertening to the said Nichol & … salde be him in Camp in Flandris 1508 Treas. Acc. IV 42.
Payit to Martin Huntar, baxtar, for xij bollis j firlot ry to pure folkis, of quhilk thare com jmxx bred 1508 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 118.
To mak certane watter mesouris … till quheit beir and ry and all vther victuallis … , swa that the chalder … contene xviij bollis land mett 1529 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 101.
Ane furlat of ry and ane firlat of ait mell for twa yowes that he sauld hyme 1546 Reg. Privy C. I 30.
That na ry be sauld dearer nor xxv s. the boll, and the quhete for xl s. the boll watter mete 1552 Elgin Rec. I 117.
Palmersyid ry 1558 Admir. Ct. Bk. (St. S.) 74.
Ane carvell schip … of Amstardam … ladin with certane ry and knappald 1582 Exch. R. XXI 207.
14 chalders Danskyne ry 1585–6 Forres B. Ct. 21 March. 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Serplath.
Ane last of rye is some-time auchtene bolles and somestime nine-teene bolles in measure c1650 Spalding II 137.
To the gryte wrak of our countreis who can not weill leive without iron, lynt, piss, whyte, ry, and sic commodeteis 1659 Irvine Mun. II 80.
Corne beir wheit peis ry and uthir stuff grindable 1691 St. A. Baxter Bks. 26 n. 2.(b) 1589–1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 76b.
I haue tane with me vi bollis of rey at v pound the boll 1665 Forbes Baron Ct. 264.
They sall not suffer any tenentis to put any dust or rey attour thair ferme(c) 1657 Balfour Ann. II 388.
They found … aboundance of raij, beanes, peasse Ib. IV 334.
Ray, the boll, 14 lib. 1669 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 243.
For any corne that he had abstracted beffor he hes given him 2 fulls ray in satisfactione(3) 1513 Treas. Acc. IV 488.
Sour breid furneist be the comptrollar, half quheit half ry 1596 Dalr. I 89/19.
Sum vset breid of ry, sum of quheit
2. A crop of rye; (a plot planted with) growing rye.13.. Liber Melros 337.
De Philippo de Rydale 1439 Haddington Corr. 231.
[The lands commonly called] the Ryhill 1581 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II 408.
James Steuart of Ryland 1475 Prestwick B. Rec. 26.
Distroyin of his rye and othir gudis witht hir swyne gangand lows c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 100/17.
Lyk a stirk stackarand in the ry a1568 Bann. MS 93b/10.
Lo quhair thay ryd in till our ry 1590 Crail B. Ct. MS 6 Oct.
That the samin [bestiall] enter nocht vpon ony manis corneis sic as quheit … ry or beir to eit … or stramp doun the samin 1662 Soc. Ant. XXII 224.
When they trampit down Thos. White's rie
4. Comb. with bowt (cf. Bout v.), breid and caik.See also Ry-mele n.1662 Crim. Trials III 605.
His wyff brak it [sc. clay] verie small … and sifted it … and powred in water among it … and vrought it werie sore, lyk rye-bowt Ib. 618. —1569 Canongate Ct. Bk. 60.
For certane quheit and ry breid —1549 Compl. 43/4.
Thai hed na breyd bot ry caikis and fustean skonnis maid of flour
