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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.

Cottar, Cotter, n. Also: cottare, -or. [Variant of Cotar, after Cot n.³] A tenant occupying a cottage and the land attached to it.(a) c 1400 Newbattle Chart. MS. (Reg. H.).
The said Ranald sall haif ane cottar duelland on the said land 1450 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 135.
Landis … to be haldin and had to the said Iohnne … with powar to mak tennendis or cottaris under hym at his lykeing 1527 Ib. 248.
Gewand … full … power … cottaris, fischaris, and ferrearis to inbryng and out put, quhow oft it sal be thocht … expedient 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II. 203.
That all the huisband men of the saidis landis ar oblist to commoun careage … , and all the cottaris ilkane to ane lang draucht … anis in the ȝeire c 1567 Liber Calchou 489.
The greit maillis of the said towne … the small maillis of the cottaris therof 1576 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 18.
All tennentis and cottaris within the baillierie 1595 Bamff Chart. 140.
His vast [= west] pairt of the landis of Ardormie occupeit be David Cuming [etc.] … and thair cottares 1640 Kirkcudbr. Min. Bk. 53.
The heritor shall pey twentie punds; and the yeoman or cottar shall pey foure merks, for ilk failzie 1685 Corshill Baron Ct. 170.
The shearing … of the corne of ane peice of ane headrig of land, pertaineing to … his cottar 1697 Peebles B. Rec. II. 157.
The Dodhouse and Westerhouse sall not be sett … bot only to two cottars(b) 1543 Fam. Innes 108.
To have sett … to the said Iames Innes … his subtennentis … and cottorris all and haill my landis 1683 Wodrow MSS. 4to. XXXVII. No. 6.
Have yee reset ore conversed with any of the rebells, ore is any of thaim your servants, cottors, ore children?(c) 1596 Brechin Test. I. 144 b.
Iohne Paterson, cotter in Windiaige 1604 Urie Baron Ct. 4.
Euerie husbandman to be answerable for his cotteris 1621 Brechin Test. IV. 25.
They beinge simple cotteris haid no guidis nor geir 1659 Forbes Baron Ct. 225.
The haill cotteris, croftmen, and girsmen ar ordanit to help … for carying and transporting of stane 1675 Red Bk. Grandtully II. 229.
The fellow is ane cotter of Margaret Campbell's

2. Attrib. with hous, land, man, multir, toun, woman, ȝaird. 1599 Reg. Great S. 284/2 (see cottarȝaird below).
Cotterhous 1684 Glamis Bk. of Rec. 35.
The offices att the barns no better then a company of small … cottar houses — 1594 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. (Reg. H.) 76 b.
v markis money of male of hir cottarland 1617 Reg. Great S. 605/2.
Partem terrarum suarum … olim the Cotterlandis of Nether Balmakewin vocatam 1620 Ib. 8/1.
Cum 6 lie buttis terrarum … ad fines terre lie Cottarland dicte — 1596 Brechin Test. I. 145.
Iohne Scot, cottar man in Auchquhanelaie 1601 Elgin Rec. II. 92.
Everie husband man absent fra the kirk to pay 6 s. 8 d., and the cottar man 12 d. 1649 Strathbogie Presb. 101.
Ther vas a bairne brought be a voman to his boundis, and giuen by hir to a cotter mannis vyf, to be fostered — 1552 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 227.
Molendinum de Fyntra … cum lie cottir multir villarum de Ester et Vester Fyntra 1565 Ib. 424.
The actioun … persewit be Willeame Wod … anent the clame of the … cotter mvltyr and knaivschip of Cragorthie 1600 Reg. Great S. 337/1.
Cum lie cotter multer ville … de Eister et Wester Fintray — 1601 Brechin Test. I. 203.
Alexander Neichtie, induellar in the cottertovne of Drumnagar — 1598 Elgin Rec. II. 68.
The cottar man and woman … [sall pay] xl d. — 1599 Reg. Great S. 284/2.
Quhill it cum to the north pairt of the cottaryairdis and cotterhousis of C. 1602 Reg. Great S. 475/2.
West thairfra … till it cum to the cotter-yaird-dykis of Haltoun