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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Davach, Dawach, Dauch, n. Also: davache, -a(u)cht, -och, -ak; dawache, -acht, -auch, -och, -ich, -igh; dauche, dawch(e, daach. [Early Gaelic dabach (Book of Deer, fol. 4 a), mod. dabhach, perhaps identical with dabhach a tub or similar vessel, with reference to the amount of seed-corn required. Hence med. L. davata.]

1. A measure of land, commonly explained as equivalent to four ploughgates.The exact extent, to which the early examples rarely afford any clue, may have varied in different localities, and later statements regarding it do not agree with each other. That each ploughgate contained eight oxgangs appears to be based on a misunderstanding of Skene's note on Quon. Attach. xxiii.(a) 1199–1207 Coll. Aberd. & B. 588.
Ecclesiam de Alford, cum dimidia dauach terre ad ecclesiam ipsam pertinente 1413 Misc. Spald. C. V. 254.
Totas terras meas de half davach de Ardendracht 1446 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 248.
Tirepressy is and ay has bene twa dauach of land in the bischapis rentale Ib. 249.
War that land fra it that Forbes clemys … , the lave war nocht a dauach and a half 1535 Grant Chart. 79.
Ane davaucht of land within the boundis of the perrochin of Advey 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Herreȝelda.
The best aucht … , quhilk ane husband man, possessour of the aucht pairt of ane dauach of land, … hes in his possession 1620 Grant Chart. 318.
That hallf toun and landis of Corthullie, extending to thrie oxgang land of the davach of Letoche 1641 Acts V. 615/2.
The … few dewties of the davakes of Kintore 1675 Sutherland Chart. 206.
The graseing of two bowes of kye in the dauach of Dyrie a 1714 Cromarty Corr. II. 489.
This Alexander … procuireing … a voluntar resignatione of these four davoches … to him and his aires(b) a 1245 Sutherland & Cai. Rec. I. 15.
Decimas garbarum … de duodecim dawachs 1435 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 189.
The Cabrach, with the halfdawach in fre forest annexit to the sad lordschep of Auchindor 1483 Grant Chart. 35.
All and haill the foure dawachis of Kynrara, Raite, Blarowye and Gask 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 258/2.
The Dawoch of Ardune with the myll of the sammyn, extending to x lib. 1552 Misc. Spald. C. IV. 221.
The said erle, … sall infeft the said Arthure in lifrent … of ane dawauch of land … , extending to four plewis, callit the dawauch of Ouchterkig 1571 Grant Chart. 143.
All and haill the landis of the halfe dawache of Reragie 1599 Fam. Rose 288.
To infeft the said Murdoch and Margaret in the dawach of land of Killewnan and Spittall 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i. 81 (= Quon. Attach. xxiii. 1).
Provyding that the husband man did have of him the aucht part of ane dawache of land, or mair c 1620 Sutherland Corr. 338.
The ten dawich on the east syde of Strathvlly Ib. 347.
The lands that Walter Innes … hes sold … ar redimable to yow for a thousand marks the dawigh 1656 Marischal Coll. Rec. I. 214.
The toun … and landis … extending to half ane dawache or aucht oxingat of land(c) 1518 Sutherland Chart. 70.
The vii dawchis in the hycht of Straithflet 1593 Grant Chart. 294.
In all and heall the toune and landis of the dauch of Tullochcrubine 1607 Reg. Privy C. VII. 291.
The lands of the half ‘dauche’ and two oxengang of Mekle Dean a 1660 Coll. Aberd. & B. 10.
Tantum arabilis soli … , quantum quatuor aratris singulis annis proscindi posset. Hae terrarum sectiones prisca lingua daachs vocabantur 1663 Alford Rec. 19.
The lands of the daauch of Glenkindie 1673 Forbes Baron Ct. 295.
James Duncan … and all vther persones vithin the daach of Towie

2. Attrib. (or ellipt.) with land. 1637 Misc. Spald. C. IV. 162.
Extending the saidis lands to ane dauch land, lyand within the parochin of Kingussie Ib.
Payment … of fiftie markis furth of the said dauach landis Ib.
As the said dauache land was in wse to do