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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.

Bouster, Bowster, n. Also: bovstir, bowstir; boustar, bowstar(e; bustar, buster. [Common variant of Bolster and Boster n.]

1. A bolster for a bed.(a) 1456 Misc. Bann. C. III. 94.
A compt burd, a bouster 1482 Acta Aud. 109/1.
Twa nop beddis, … a feder bowster 1496 Acta Conc. II. 27.
A fedder bed withowt a bowster 1498 Dunferm. B. Rec. 84.
Ane new feddirbed, ane bovstir 1505 Treas. Acc. III. 151.
Ane fedir bed and ane bowstir to the gromes in the Quenis chamir 1519 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II. 174.
Item ix feddir beddis with vij bousteris 1535 Stewart 33672.
But bed or bowster to lig on the stro 1548 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 260.
Sindry wther small geir … , sic as fedder bed, bouster [etc.] a1568 Bann. MS 231 b/18.
In my oxster fast I find the bowster richt 1566 Fleming Q. Mary 499.
Tuelf ellis of fustean to be ane matt and bowster with ane codde … .Ane stane of fedderis to put in the bowster 1584 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 115.
To furneis the bedding with bed coveringis and blankattes, stray or heddir, with ane grose bowster 1609 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I. 89.
Tyking to be … bowsters for the Inglish warkmen 1630 Bamff Chart. 223.
Fywe cods and twa bowsters 1645 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III. 44.
Ane downbed and bowster(b) 1535 Stewart 49183.
On the bair erd, but bowstar … or bed 1538 Treas. Acc. VII. 90.
For ane steik of quhite fustiane … to mak ane mat … and ane bowstare 1566 Ib. MS. 61.
To be ane matt and bowstar 1578 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 57 b.
Aucht fedder beddis with the boustaris full and twa toume boustaris a1570-86 Maitland M. Fol. xcv. 42.
Thai leif not … Bed, boustar, blancat, sark nor scheit 1615 Haddington Corr. 292.
Of feddar boustaris, ij; of calf boustars, iij(c) 1562 Edinb. B. Deeds 31 b.
Ane fedder bed and ane bustar 1590 Edinb. Test. XXII. 64 b.
Ane buster

2. A bearing for a wheel-shaft. 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 265.
Thir naills were usit to the bousteris and stirropis of the said myln 1563–4 Ib. 465.
Making of ane new scho and ane new bouster [to the malt-mill] 1619 Edinb. Test. L. 213 b.
Ane iron bouster