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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Her(e, Heir, n.¹ Also: heer, heyr. [North. ME. here, heere (114th c.), OFris. hêra (mod. Fris. dial. hear(e, heere, hiere), MLG. and MDu. hêre (LG. here, Du. heer). Used chiefly in poetry, esp. by Douglas.] A lord, a chief; a man of high or senior rank; a master or superior. 1375 Barb. ix. 640.
Ay for ane thai var thretty And twa men ar a manis [E. mannys] her c1420 Wynt. iv. 1968 (W).
As hawtane heris thai will rys c1475 Wall. iv. 419.
His leiff he tuk at heris [1570, heiris] of the toune Ib. vii. 41.
Arnwlff … Off South hantoun, that huge hie her and lord a1500 Seven S. 1811.
The gret heres of the towne c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvii. 107 (Asl.).
To dyte how all this thing befell Befor Mahovne the heir of hell 1513 Doug. v. vi. 8.
Thiddir the heir [L. heros] with mony thousand gan by Ib. vii. iii. 59.
And heir full oft … The heris [L. patres] war wont togidder syt all sam 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 338.
Thov art bot kyng of bone Frome tyme thyne hereis hartis bene from thé gone 1533 Boece ii. ix. 75.
To remove all rankoure & fede amang the heris [Bell. nobillis] rasit Ib. xi. 79.
The king … requeistit the heris & cheif of clannys [Bell. thir capitanis] to pas with him to banket a1594 Marioreybanks Ann. 4 (J).
The feild of Melros was strukin ... quherof the laird of Buckleugh bure the seid of the heers

b. More generally, = Man. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxi. 29.
I se ane heir in bed oppressit ly