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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.

Chalder, Chaldir, n. Also: chaldre, chaldyr, chawder, chader. [? OF. chaldere, chaudere, L. caldāria. The med. L. celdra is represented by Celdre. Cf. also Chelder. In northern Eng. the word appears late (1570– ) as chalder, chawlder, chaudder.] A measure of capacity for grain, malt, lime, coal, etc. The chalder of grain contained sixteen bolls.Frequently used without of, as a chalder mele.(a) 1388 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 294.
The annuale of a chaldre of mele 14.. Acts I. 303/2.
Of ilk chaldre of corne, mele, or salt, i d 1423 Edinb. Chart. 55.
[To have] thair corne grundin at the saide millis … , payand of the chaldre as vse and custume is(b) 14.. Acts I. 32/2.
The baxtar sall hafe to wynning of ilke chaldir eftir as sall be sene [etc.] Ib. 312/2.
Qwhen the chalder is sauld for xl. s., the galloun salbe at ij. penijs 1412 Melville Chart. 18.
The annuale aucht to the kirk of Andirstoun, the qwilk annuale is a chaldir of mele 1462 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 20.
Quha sa dois in the contrair heirof … sall pay to the kirk wark of Sanct Gele … ane chalder of quheit 1474 Acta Aud. 35/2.
For the sawing bath of the said atis & bere of ilk chalder the thrid kurne 1482 Edinb. Chart. 169.
Of ilk chaldir of salt, viii d. Of ilk chaldir of smethy colis, vi d. 1483 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. 336.
The said Johne Alanson has sauld … his said bote ful of lyme … for xvj s. the chalder 1509 Justiciary Rec. (Reg. H.) II. 147.
Geif ony maltmakaris … tak mair than a boll of beir for a chalder making 1517 Misc. Spald. C. II. 80.
Tua chalderis aitis … , price of the chalder, vi merkis 1518 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 95.
Johne Brabner promittit to the biging of the port … ane chaldyr of lime. Alex. Gray promittit ane vther chaldir of lyme 1538 Reg. Privy S. II. 401/1.
For ilk boll of beir vi s. viii d., the soume of the chalder v lib. vi s. viii d.; for ilk boll of aittis xl d., the soume of the chalder liii s. iiii d. 1547 Stirling B. Rec. I. 46.
Thai sall pay tharfor iiij d. of the chalder of mettege silveir 1583 Sat. P. xlv. 444.
He gat allowance, … Ane pensione of a chalder of meill 1585 Wemyss Chart. 213.
Aught chalderis victuall, tua parte thairoff ait maill, and thrid parte beir 1603 Reg. Privy C. VI. 525.
All … landit gentlemen, valiant tuentie chalderis of victuall 1614 Lett. Eccl. Affairs I. 340.
Comptand ane last and ane half last to ane chalder of beir c1650 Spalding I. 294.
Thay gat about threttie chalderis of vittell … out of the bischopis kavell 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. 421.
If he be a landed man, whose rent exceeds a thousand merks, or ten chalders of victual(c) 1488 Peebles B. Rec. 193.
William of Twedy [made a burgess] for ane chawder of lym to the stepil byggin 1604 Misc. Hist. Soc. II. 246.
Ane … assignasion off ten chaders victuall mell and ber to … [the] bissop of Dunblen 1671 Wodrow MSS. XXXVII. No. 7.
One of them lost a chader of meell, bier, and grots

b. In the sing. form used as a plural. 1474 Acta Aud. 35/2.
vij chalder of hommyll corn 1483 Ib. *116/1.
Four chawder of atis 1490 Acta Conc. 129/1.
Twa chalder of mele … out of a boce, thre chalder of mele out of his girnale 1490 Reg. Paisley 60.
The wrangwis detentioun … fra the saidis abbot and convent of xj chalder of mele 1526 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 115.
Foure chaldyr of collis 1545 Reg. Cupar A. II. 38.
Payand … ȝerlye affering to the said thre chalder wictall aboune writtin 1558-66 Knox II. 198.
Sax chalder beir, nyne chalder meill, thre chalder aittis for his horse 1570 Haddington Treas. Acc. MS.
viij chader of lyme 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Pension.
The pension of the ferme meil of Kirk patrik, quhilk conteinis fiue chalder of aitmeill 1655 Fam. Innes 243.
George Innes obliges him to give … five chalder of victual 1660 Lamont Diary 123.
James Lundy … bought from his brother … foure chalder of victuall of the lands of Straerly