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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.

Lawricht-, Lawrycht-, Laricht-, Larycht-aith(e, -ayth, n. [ON. lýrittar-eiðr in same sense in early Norw. law, f. gen. of lýrittr, lýréttr (*lýðréttr) ‘folk-law’, common law, and interdict, legal veto, and cf. also ON. lýrittar-steinn (also lýritti) one of the three stones set about a march-stone: erron. conformed to lawricht-, laricht- as in lawrichtman.]

In Shetland: A compurgatory oath in which the accused had two compurgators, one nominated by himself and one by the foud for the Crown, imposed as an oath of the first instance for various lesser offences: cf. Saxter- and Twelter-aith.In cases of failure of acquittal by the lawricht aith, fines of 2, 3, or 4, but most frequently of 2, marks were normally imposed in 1602–4. 1576–7 Orkney Oppress. 69–70.
At the lairdis cumming thair, the said Christopheir … was decernit to quyt him thairoff [the allegeit uptaking of ane pece see-drewin tre] with the lawricht ayth. The maner quhairoff is, the sheriff sall chois ane honest nichtbour that knawis his lyff, and him selff ane vther to stand on ilk hand of him; and first, he sall quyt him selff be his ayth, and than the vther twa ar requyrit giff thai will sweir that it is ane trew ayth that he has maid. … Bot giff thai or any of thame refuisis than of the law for samonie as refusis him, he man pay ane merk Ȝetland payment, quhilk is the third part of ane dolour 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) i.
Sinnie … is decernit to quyt hirselff with the laricht aithe of the bleiding of Mareoun Magnusdochter upoun the feace … and failyeing thairof to pay xl s. Ib. 2.
To quit hirselff of the bleiding of Magnus Gilbrekis wyff … within hir awin hamefrie with the larycht aithe and failyeing thairof to pay iiii merk for the bluid and xl s. for the hamefrie Ib. 9.
To quyt himselff of the ressett of the said stowth [of corn] with the twelter aithe becaus he hes failyeit twyse the lawrycht aithe of befoir Ib. 22.
Magnus Eafirthe [etc.] … to quyt themselffis with thair boitsmen of the stowth of ane swing tow of Jhone Eadisonis, and that with the larycht aithe (marg. All thir foure quite be Androw Wischert, fold, and Androw Stewart) Ib. 27.
The haill tennentis … ar dempt to quyt themselffis and thair houssis of stowth of Alexander Smythis fische and corne … and that with the larycht aithe (marg. All quyte be Sandie Smyth awner of the skeo, upoun thair greit aithis, except Airthour Coupland and his hous) 1603 Ib. 68; etc.
Magnus Nicolsoun is dempt to quyte his awin hous of the stowth of certaine butter stollin fra himselff and that with the larycht aithe (marg. Quite be Nicole Jacobsoun fangit for himselff and Nicole Manison nameit be the fold for the King upon thair greit aithis)