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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Barras, Barres, n.¹ Also: barrasse, -ais, barrace; barresse, bares; barrous, barrowis. [ME. barres (14th c.). barras, OF. barras, f. barre bar.]

1. A barrier or barricade forming an outwork of a castle, etc. 1375 Barb. iv. 96.
Mony tymes ysche thai wald, And bargane at the barras [E. barrais] hald Ib. xvii. 756.
The folk that assalȝeand wer At Mary ȝet, to-hewyn had The barras [H. Barres] a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 948.
At his bares is my bewyst c1420 Wynt. viii. 4741.
The Inglis ischeyd to ma debate To thaire barras Ib. ix. 682 (C).
At the barres he faucht sa weil That on thar brig he slew a man c1475 Wall. ix. 830.
Off hewyn temyr in haist he gert thaim tak Syllys off ayk, and a stark barres mak 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 114.
Twysday … they begouth to make the barrace aboue the Buttertrone, for the defence of the castell Ib. 117.
Woddinsday … they began to mak the vther barrace at the strate of the Wester boll [= Bow] Ib. 151.
The barrese bewast the Wast port a1578 Pitsc. I. 336/13.
Thair was … ane greit portculis of trie falland doune the maner of ane barrace witht ane greit draw brege 1578 Reg. Privy C. III. 81.
To fortify and strenthin the keipar dyke that enveronittis the toun of Annand and to put tua strang barressis into it

2. An enclosure for judicial combats, duels, or tournaments; lists.(a) 1456 Hay I. 73/15.
Be that caus the lawe forbedis bataill in barras c1515 Asl. MS. I. 228/6.
Cunynghame and Dalrumpill faucht in the barras of Striuling befor king James the secund 1508 Misc. Spald. C. II. 214.
Notwithstanding that our said lord Constable has giffen to us the unlawis and escheets of courts and barras c1500-c1512 Dunb. Asl. MS. II. 89/19.
The buthman on the barras blent Ib. 28.
Quhen he on the barras blenkit 1531 Bell. Boece II. 261.
He solist sindry his liegis … to appele the thevis … in barras, aganis ane prefixt day. And quhen thir thevis war enterit in barras, quhare thay suld have fouchtin aganis thair nichtbouris [etc.] 1535 Stewart 39911.
With thair hand to preve That all wes suith. … In plane barras befoir the Kingis grace Ib. 57404.
The lord Cliffurd richt oft provoikit he With him to fecht in barras hand for hand 15.. Clar. v. 603; Ib. 2350.
Sum bissie was … to make the barras great and wyde a1578 Pitsc. I. 347/20; Ib. 23.
[They] provockit wther in barras to fight to deid 1615 Reg. Great S. 435/1.
Sub muro castri de Edinburgh apud portam occidentalem (juxta hostiludium lie barras)(b) c1420 Wynt. viii. 6735.
A stalwart barres maide thaire was Off mekyll bastyn rapis thrungin Throw stowpis that rycht deipe ware dungin Wythin the erd rycht stalwartly c1515 Asl. MS. I. 227/11.
James of Douglas … facht in the barres at Striuling 1502 Treas. Acc. II. 345.
To the heraldis for thair composicioun of the eschet of the barres 1506 Ib. III. 259.
Thomas Bosuell, Patrik Sinclair, and James Stewart, squires for the barres 1513 Doug. xii. xiv. 10.
We debait suld this barres within 1535 Stewart 57642.
The place wes set and day, Quhair thir tua parteis in barres sould meit 1538 Lynd. Justing 3.
Twa campionis … Past to the barres, enarmit heid and handis 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 35.
To that fyne that thir twa nationis enterit in barres the ane agains the vther 1596 Dalr. I. 92/6.
To spend that tyme in rinning, fenceng with swordes in the barresse Ib. 94/1.
To exercise thame selfes continuallie in the sueit of the barresse(c) c1475 Wall. xi. 96.
A fell lyoun the king has gert be brocht With-in a barrace c1550 Rolland C. Venus iv. 672.
I knaw weill be his face, He is not ane man to rin in our barrace Ib. 693.
The time hes bene I wald haif run ane race, And brast ane speir in mid of the barrace(d) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvii. 19 (B).
The tailȝour on the barrowis blent Ib. 28.
Quhen he on the barrowis blenkit a1568 Scott i. 183.
Enarmit knychtis at listis with scheild and speir, To fecht in barrowis bayth on fute and hors

3. A barrier or barricade for various purposes. 1503 Treas. Acc. II. 380.
For ane dosan rachteris to mak ane barres to keip the tymir in, x s. 1517 Ib. V. 118.
To v wrychtis … makand the barras in the quenis chamir 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 297.
For furth bringing of the tymmer of the nether tolbuith to mak ane barres on the tolbuith stair at the parliament 1561–2 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 158.
To the warkmen for upsetting and dountaking of the barrowis at the secound communion 1570 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 279.
Nichole Vddart, theasurare, to caus big ane barrous of tymmer befoir my lord Regentis yaitt 1590 Ib. V. 12.
To … repair the barres of the Over Tolbuith in maner desyret be the Lords of Sessioun 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 50.
The said Robert … receavet … the key of the barress and steple of the Grayfreir Kirk 1649 Ib. 95.
To caus big partitioun wallis, barres with ane seat for the judge and clerkis [etc.] fig. 1629 Boyd Last B. 412.
A fraile and feeble creature, yet tugging and wrestling in the barras of this sinfull flesh

4. Attrib. with dore, port. (See also Barras ȝet.) 1574 Reg. Privy C. II. 418.
He … being standand at the barras port to await as ane appointit for uptaking of the scheref feis 1664 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 213.
That no servant women sall enter within the tirlies or baras dores of the saids pewes 1687 Ib. 308.
That no servant woman presume … to enter within the barrows dores … in ather of the said kirks