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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.

Carcage, Carcatch, n. Also: carcadge, ca(i)rcaige, carka(i)ge; carkache. [Med. L. carcagium (1264 Exch. R. I. 12, 26), variant of carcosium: see Carkace.]

1. The carcass of an animal. (See also Karkage.)(a) 1477 Edinb. Chart. 151.
The nolt merket of carcagis and mutone [to be] about the Trone 1513 Doug. xi. v. 35.
Full mony carcage of thir oxin gret Abowt the fyris war brytnyt and downbet 1515 Treas. Acc. V. 20.
xij carcagis of fresch martis 1533 Ib. VI. 164.
For ij carcagis of beiff 1549–50 Ib. IX. 365.
Ane carkage of beif 1553 Reg. Privy C. I. 139.
The haill best carcaige gers beif unspulyeit, … xxx s. the carcaige 1558 Rentale Dunkeld. 358.
In beif ane carcage and v service 1575–6 Lanark B. Rec. 71.
Ilk carkage, of onfremen, for beiff, j d. 1578 Inverness B. Rec. I. 265.
Ye ar followit for bying of carkagis of martis … quhilk aucht to steaik the towne 1580 Edinb. Test. VII. 359.
The remanes of ane carcage of beif saltit estimat to xl s. Ib. VIII. 193.
Ane carkage of beif in the tub 1581 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 225.
That the said flesche haif the hyde stikking with the carcage 1605 Elphinstone Chart. 148.
Payand thairfoir … , fifty caircaiges of beif 1638–9 Misc. Spald. C. V. 154.
For thrie carcages of bieff coft … for the use of the soiours 1698 Lanark B. Rec. 262.
Ilk carcadge of beiff without hyde, 8 d.(b) 1573 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 5.
The saidis fleschouris … did cutt, … from euery carkache of beif … almaist half quarter of flesche 1610–11 Misc. Spald. C. V. 85.
For tua carkaches of beaff 1637 Ann. Banff I. 81.
That the haill flescheouris … bring the carcatchis of thair beiffis and muttounes haill to the marcat place

2. The dead body of a person. 1558-66 Knox II. 434.
Ellis your carcageis salbe cassin to the heit of the day 1582 Reg. Privy C. III. 506.
[They] laid out his carcage to be a prey for doiggis and revenus beistis 1604-9 Grahame Anat. Hum. 59 b.
Carying the dead carcatches, both of age and youth to the graue 1616 Crim. Trials III. 587.
Than, the … galloussis of all the cuntrie sall nocht be laiden with the wecht of the hangit vp carcadges 1661 Nicoll Diary 321.
These odious carcages … wer … hangit up at the severall angellis of that tripill trie