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.
Quotation dates: 1553-1589, 1641-1671
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Toun buik, Towne buiks, n. Also: townes-, townis-, tunis- and -buikes, -bukis. [e.m.E. towne bookes (1547).] Chiefly pl. (The books used to keep) the records of a town. — 1553 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 15.
The kirkmaster to make compt ȝearly of all sic actes as be foundis in the townes buikes for that ȝear 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 506.
The townis bukis, court bukis, and scrollis 1588–9 Irvine Mun. I 76.
We … charge the proweistis and baillies of our burrowis of Abirdene Montrois [etc.] … to fens and arreist the same schipis … and take the saillis fra the rais unto the tyme they find sufficient … souerteis actit in thair tunis bukis that [etc.] 1641 Hawick Arch. Soc. (1937) 27.
Quhilkis premises the said Adam Gowanlock desirit to be insert in the common toun-buik of Hawick 1656 Rothesay B. Rec. 266.
Patrick McGilchrist … gave in the procuratorie and consent underwritten desyreing the samyn to be insert and registrat in the towne buiks of Rothesay 1671 Rothesay B. Rec. 310.
I am content thir presentis be insert and registrat in the court buiks of justice, towne buiks of Rothesay, or uther ordinar judgis buiks in Scotland
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"Toun Buik n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/toun_buik>
