A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Stur(e, Stuir, Stu(i)ver, Stiver, n.2 Also: stwire, stir, stuwer, styver, steiveir. [e.m.E. stufer (1502), stuuer (1543), steuer (1547), stiuer (1585), MDu. stu(y)ver, MLG stüver.] A small coin of the Low Countries.(a) 1493 Halyb. 5.
For his costis … 10 sturis 1496 Halyb. 45.
Sturis 1501 Exch. R. XI 377.
Et eisdem pro expensis intratis in libris domicilii … pro speciebus et le stur ad duodecim libras 1502 Halyb. 268.
A kyrtyll belt vas sald xxvii sturis the ons 1523 Dundee B. Ct. I 155b (14 Aug.).
Robert Criste is maid quyt of the clame of ane angell noble & a stur that Will Wichtis wif clamit hym of that he was merchand to 1543 Reg. Privy S. III 51/2.
Ac in alia moneta viginti sex lie sturis, unum novum collobium nigrum Hispanium velveto [etc.] 1554 Dundee B. Ct. II 334b (10 Sept.).
The said Andro to pay Jeoffra sex sturis for sex babeis of lent money 1554 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 634.
[That each crown makes 39] sturis [Flemish, and 120] sturis [go to the] pund greit 1565 Reg. Privy C. I 334.
The conservatour sall haif … of euer ilk sek of gudis twa sturis 1575 Reg. Privy C. II 473.
The Commissaris of Burrowis … hes gevin and grantit to Maister George Halkett, Conservatour of the privilegis of the Scottis natioun in Flanderis, sex sturis of every sek of gudis pertening to the marchandis of this realme arryving in the partis of Flanderis, attour and abone the twa sturis quhilk he had of auld 1578 Conv. Burghs I 53.
Letteris sall be direct … commanding him to … ceis fra forther vplifting … of sex stures of euer ilk sek of guddes 1578 Conv. Burghs I 53.
To be vplifted and tane of euery sek of gudes that sall cum in Flanderis the sovme of ten stures 1590 Conv. Burghs I 350.
The office of conseruatorie … with speciale libertie … to tak and vplift tuelf sturis of euerie sek of guidis … and thrie stureis fra the maister and awneris of the schip 1593 Edinb. Test. XXV 187b.
Tua greit myrrour glaceis at xxxiiij stureis the pece(b) 1535–6 Perth Guildry 201 (18 Feb.).
And quhat merchand faillis in payd of his contribucioun sall pay for ilk sous viij d. and for ilk stuir viij d. 1571–2 Canongate Ct. Bk. 350.
Ane stuir Dence money 1592 Conv. Burghs I 427.
To gif in … commoun howssis be the merchant ludgeit thairin for thair denner … fyve stwires drink and Inglis beir 1602 Conv. Burghs II 132.
That thai [sc. mariners] be payit … in Flanderis for ilk croun … xxiiij stuiris 1606 Conv. Burghs II 228.
Guidis ar laydnitt be straingeris in ane Scottis schip … the schip to pay for ilk seck tua stuiris 1625 Conv. Burghs III 198.
Ane … impost of all guides imported … fra the … Law Cuntreyis … ilk coffer, threttein stuires … ane caice, seven stuires [etc.](c) 1669–70 Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. 600.
Ten gilders ten stirs at 2 merks the gilder is in scots money 14 0 0 1670 Aberd. Council Lett. V 71.
In the last stepell port a packe of plaiding payed of publicke dewes but 6 stirs(d) 1552 Dundee B. Ct. II 165b (27 June).
xxix stuweris for ilk ȝocundaler 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 25 Sept.
Auchte pound butter at 5 stuuers the pound 1661 Conv. Burghs III 544.
[A duty] of ilk seck of goodis at the said port … aucht stiveris tua doitis, to be payit be the marchant by and attover his other dewis 1670 Aberd. Council Lett. V 73.
Vessels … must pay 3 pilatages before they come to Dort … together with 30 stivers of bridge money for the shipe and 13½ stivers last money 1676 Conv. Burghs III 668.
That there be no more payed for measureing of plaiding then … ane half stiver per taillie, or ane stiver ane hundred elns 1676 Conv. Burghs III 671.
For each sack of goods, to be paid by the merchant sixteen stivers and by the skipper four stivers 1684 Bk. Old Edinb. C. IX 167.
Eight gilders 18 steiveirs at tuentie four sh. per gilder payed … for books 1685 Paterson Sc. Arithm. 9.
In the Low-Countreys their denominators are guilders 20 stuivers: 16 pennies 1694 Dunbar Social Life I 149.
A hundred thousand countrey needles, of the greatest sort, about fourteen styuers the thousand 16.. Admir. Ct. Form 64.
In Scotland everie crown is 10 s. … In Holland 24 stivers 1701 Brand Orkney & Shetl. 74.
The Dutch money doth ordinarily pass among them, as stivers, half-stivers
