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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.

Len, Lend, n. Also: lene, lenne, lennd. [f. Len, Lend v.: cf. Lane n.¹] A loan. In len, on loan. Also comb. with -money.(1) c1575 Balfour Pract. 197.
Quhat is ane lenne, and of the restitution thairof 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i. 47, 51, etc. a1598 Ferg. Prov. 2 b.
A borrowed len should come laughing hame(b) a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS. No. 959.
Lang lend maks hemeld cattell 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. (1678) 192.
Theft, in the case of a misimployed lend(2) 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 257.
Gevin ane man for the lene of ane paking tre to wowp the slangs with, vj d. 1579–81 Reg. Privy C. III. 389.
[He] burdynnit the said Alexander with the len of … twenty six hundreth merkis 1596 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 141.
[He] knew the same [coulter] in respect he had gottin the len thairof of befoir c1650 Spalding I. 134.
He wreit to his cusing … for the len of his hous in Abirdene 1664 Wemyss Corr. .
Send me ouer to-morou the len of my Lord Broghils romans calied Parthinsa 1681 Red Bk. Menteith II. 196.
I hope your Lordship will get the lene of robs to me from sume Earle or other Ib.
Get the lene from sume Earle thair robs(b) 1595 Wedderb. Compt. Bk. 31.
Mr Alexander for the lend [pr. bend] of a crown 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 22 Nov.
For the lennd of a pan 1664 Alford Rec. 38.
Seeking the lend of a pair of currecks 1671 Douglas Corr. 269.
The tree of the famely of Douglas, which I desired you to send me the lend of — 1647 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII. .
The Counsell grants ane lend of the laich hous in the Hie school yaird 1659-60 Hay Diary 244.
This morning … I reseaved a letter … together with a lend of Hutchison upon John 1684 Erskine Jrnl. 70.
Having got a lend of horses from John Noble 1697 Wemyss Corr. 157.
If I had not promised the Master of Burleigh a lend of my pale herce and other thingsfig. 1692 Pitcairn Assembly i. iii. (1817) 21.
They have got a good enough lend of him already(3) 1581 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 202.
x^m merkis grantit be the guid town in len to the Kingis Grace 1600-1610 Melvill 12. 1619 Fam. Innes 210.
That ye vill doe me honor the day off my laureatione in giffing me in len the best ornaments ye heue 1620 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 216.
Grantis in len to Verissimus Cockis, Inglishman, ane hous in the Work to dwell in 1704 Rothesay Par. Rec. 182.
The abovewritten soume … should be given in lend to the forsaid Alexander Ramsay(4) comb. 1652 Aberd. Council Lett. III. 212.
The said burgh … was never burdenit with any len money since that time