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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.

Dowcot, Dowcat, n. Also: dowcott, -coite, -coitt, -coat, doucot(t; dowcatt, -cate, -caite, dowkat, -kcate, dowcket(t; dovcat, doucat(t, -cait, douket; ducat(t, -cait, dwcat, dukat, duckat; docat. [ME. dowecote (c 1425), doufecot (a 1500).]

1. A dovecote.(a) 1424 Acts II. 7/2.
Distroyaris of conyngaris and dowcottis … salbe punyst [etc.] 1474 Ib. 107/2.
That na man … tak ony foulis out of wtheris dowcottis 1498 Acta Conc. II. 158.
The sade dowcot … standis within the mansione of the sade manys of Lasingtoune 1522 Ib. MS. XXXIII. 20.
The castell of West Nvdry, … medowis, grene, and dowcoite of the samin 1553 Lanark B. Rec. 29.
The said dowcot and yard … with the pertynens 1592 Acts III. 593/1.
The saidis landis … with the castell, … ȝardis, dowcoittis, partis and pendicles 1655 Lamont Diary 109.
David Browne … did poynt … the dowcoat of Lundy 1696 Foulis Acc. Bk. 196.
To Hugh Douglas for 6 dayes work at lifting and laying the kaips of the doucot(b) 1493 Acta Conc. 300/2.
The said sext parte of the landis … togidder witht the sext parte of the dowkcate of the sammyn 1498 Ib. II. 158.
As to the thrid part of the proffittis of the dowcat, fisching and orchard 1516 Reg. Privy S. I. 426/2.
Ane land with ane dowcate pertenyng to Andro Mailvile 1535 Acts II. 344/1.
Off brekaris of dowkatis, ȝardis, cunygaris, parkis, and stankis 1550 Buccleuch Mun. II. 199.
The Manys of Cranstoun, … parkis and dowkatis thairof 1588 Exch. R. XXI. 351.
The fewmaill of the rewinis dowcat … pertenyng in feuferm to Jhon Fentoun 1609 Peebles B. Rec. 358.
Gif itt be possibill, ane dowcat to be biggit vpone the Hie Kirk stepill 1652 Lamont Diary 48.
The dowes, in severall places, fled away from the dowcats, the crawes from the tries 1698 Foulis Acc. Bk. 225.
Got out of the dowcat last weeke 7 pair of dowes(c) 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I. 189.
He sal hafe our doukat, puttand it til all possibyl profit to the behufe of the Abbay 1491 Acts II. 225/1.
Thai sall nocht … distroy thair … parkis, stankis, myndis, nor dovcatis 1509 Justiciary Rec. (Reg. H.) II. 145.
Gif thair be ony brekaris of orchattis, doucattis, or ȝardis 1589 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 143.
Vnderstanding the grit … dampnage done to thair nychtbouris of the toun haifand doucattis, and specialie the doucat on the Grene 1593 Acts IV. 36/2.
The barnis, ȝardis, and doucait of Tynninghame 1627 Misc. Hist. Soc. I. 100.
My lord allegis … sume uther defectis in the rentall of the fisching and doucattis 1674 Melrose R. Rec. II. 396.
[Who took away] certan dows out of the doucatt 1703 Foulis Acc. Bk. 328.
Drink monie at Mr. Charles Bennets doucat buildingfig. 1629 Boyd Last B. 413.
O who shall giue to my soule the wings of a doue, that it may flee out of the douket of this bodie vp to its God!(d) 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I. 189.
Gifand leyl cunt bath of the dukat and of the stankis 1535 Acts II. 344/1.
All thai that brekis dukatis, cunygaris, parkis, stankis, … salbe callit and pvnist 1592 Reg. Great S. 713/1.
The yaird … with the ducat and dowcat-yaird 1597 Acts IV. 155/2.
The said abbay ludgeing, … orcheardis, ȝardis, ducait, … and grenis c1650 Spalding II. 98.
The balleis … causit messounes throw doun to the ground the bischopis dwcat 1696 Aberd. Chart. 383.
Ane rigg of land lyand benorth the duckat at the foot of the brae 1699 Urie Baron Ct. 109.
William Gray [fined] … for killing of dooves within the bounds of the lairds ducat

2. Attrib. with chalmer, dore, dow, yaird.Also in place-names as doucott aiker (1593), ducat burne (1592), dowcat wynde (1660). 1572 Edinb. Test. 237 b.
In the doucat chalmer ane litill buird 1651 Buccleuch Mun. II. 292.
In the dowcat litle chamber, ane standing bed 1629 M. Works Acc. XXI. 45.
Ane lok and ane key to the dowcat dore in the nether gairdeine 1653 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 272.
Craving licence to build some litle fixit work befoir his dowcat doir 1678 Ann. Banff I. 158.
[Several fined] for killing of heris and schouting of ducat dowes — 1505 Blackfriars Perth 108.
Ortum nostrum qui dicitur Doucat Yard 1584 Acts III. 365/2.
The landis of Clwny with the … milne, ducatt ȝairdis [etc.] 1592 Reg. Great S. 713/1.
The yaird callit the Fermorie-yaird, with the ducat and dowcat-yaird 1601 Reg. Great S. 445/2.
De lie Brewland ejusdem, cum horto columbino, lie dowcat-yaird 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII. 369.
In the doucat yaird & foir yaird is great nurseries of ash, plain & uther sort of barren timber