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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Macer, Masar, n. Also: mass-, mais(s)-, mayss-, meas(s)-, maes-, mes(s)- and -ar(e, -air(e, -er, -eir(e, -ir, -yr, -or, -our; and maccer, meacer, meassr, mec(c)er, messear, -ier, misser. [ME. macer (14th c.), OF. maissier, massier f. masse Mace n.¹]

A mace-bearer, an officer who carried a ceremonial mace or ornamental wand as a symbol of authority or badge of office.a. An officer of arms of the Crown, under the Lord Lyon's authority, who delivered royal commands and summonses and uttered public proclamations. b. An officer seconded or specially appointed to serve as usher to a court of law or other public authority, who kept order, summoned persons to appear and acted as messenger, and made certain announcements. c. Applied to officials with similar duties in ancient Rome.(a) c1420 Wynt. viii. 6932.
Qwhen he [sc. the king] Suld wend till his cownsall prewe, The folk … Pressyt rycht rudly in … Bot he … can arrace Owt off a maceris hand a mace And sayd [etc.] 1500 Acta Conc. II. 451. 1529 Red Bk. Grandtully I. 67.
Maceir 1622 Soc. Ant. XIII. 163. 1642 Misc. Bann. C. II. 257. 1663–9 Sel. Biog. I. 152. 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. ii. xv. 1. (1678) 424. 1679 Lauder Notices Affairs I. 227. 1689 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 441.
Being called by a maccer 1691 Glasg. B. Rec. IV. 27.
Maceris(b) 1457–8 Acts II. 48/1.
Thay personis to be arestyt furthwithe with a masare, and justice to be done therapone 1461 Liber Plusc. 399.
Quhen ony makis rebellioune, … Deforsand serrefis, masaris or sergeand 1464 Liber Aberbr. 138.
James … tyl our masar Hector of Meldrum owr scyref in that part gretyng c1475 Wall. vii. 304.
Maser 1474 Treas. Acc. I. 53. 1489 Ib. 107.
To Bwte purcyfant and Nesbet masar to pas with letteris [etc.] 1491 Ib. 185 (see Mace n.¹ 2 (b)). 1498 Acta Conc. II. 283. 1501 Acta Conc. III. 105.
Masaire 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 268/1. 1511 Hannay College of Justice 21. 1526 Acts II. 317/2.
Ordinance … be lyoun king of armys … anent the massouris 1531 Bell. Boece II. 399. Id. Livy I. 291/5.
Before him that had the administratioun … went xij seriandis … & afore ilkane of the remanent ix [judges] went ane maser Ib. II. 9/11.
Silence was commandit be ane masare [L. per praeconem] Ib. 96/10. 1532 Acta Conc. & Sess. MS. I. 3.
That all massaris … sall reveil na thing that thai heir comonit 1534 Treas. Acc. VI. 125.
To Edinburgh masar to pas with ane lettre to … Pettinweme 1535 Ib. 263. 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 138.
The herauldis … With maseris vpon ather of thare haindis, To rewle the preis with burneist siluer wandis 1539 Misc. Spald. C. II. 194.
Massir 1552–3 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 72.
To the seriandis massers that past thairto 1552 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 168.
For the dissobaying of Richard Trowop Edinburgh masour and vtheris seriandis of this burgh in the refusing to tak doun James Culanis turnpik vpoun the schore of Leyth 1554 Reg. Privy S. IV. 409/2. 1563–4 Ib. V. i. 439/1. 1567 Coll. Rebus Alban. 5. 1575 Reg. Privy C. II. 476. 1582 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 253.
Robert Stewart, towne maser 1584–5 Reg. Privy C. III. 720.
Ane cataloge of … heraldis, extraordinar maseris, maseris, pursevantis and messingeris 1587 Acts III. 449/2. 1592 Ib. 555/1. 1625 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II. 318. 1665 Lauder Jrnl. 100.
First their massers [in France] have not silver masses as ours have, only litle battons, yea the massers to the parliament at Paris have no more(c) 1489 Treas. Acc. I. 112.
To Nesbet mayssar 1514 Acta Conc. MS. XXVI. 122 (see Mace n.¹ 2 (b)).
Maiser 1540 Ayr Charters 17.
The lordis ordanis ane maissour to pas to the tolboith dur … to call all pairteis [etc.] 1563 Cal. Sc. P. II. 83.
[Lennox's restitution proclaimed at the mercat cross by 5 heralds in coat armour &] tua maisseris 1587-99 Hume 72/147.
Maissars 1622-6 Bisset I. 153/27 (see Mace n.¹ 2 (a)). 1628 Edinb. B. Rec. VII. 48. 1634 Wemyss of Bogie MSS.
My gude friend Mr Wm. Dowglas ane of the maisseris of Counsell and Exchekquer 1637 Baillie I. 26.
If they would send in their supplications by a maisser or clerk, and not come themselves? 1641 Acts V. 349/1.
The maisseires of counsell and sessione 1649 Ib. VI. ii. 158/2.
Jhon Douglas maisser … commanded … to put on ane of the heraulds coats and to goe [etc.] 1651 Stirling B. Rec. II. 308.
For the maisseris dinner efter their proclaiming the acts of parliament 1658 Conv. Burghs III. 473.
Maisseris dewis(d) 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 31.
Ane herald, measer, or vther officiar of armes, to pas to the mercate crose 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 1065.
Sone efter that, for sowmes of debt, A measour vpon the gait him mett, Gewing him charges [etc.] 1601 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 282.
Maeser 1600-1610 Melvill 144.
Meassar 1631–2 Misc. Spald. C. V. 149.
Meassris 1641 Ib. II. 238.
To a messenger of armes or meassir 1649 Lamont Diary (M.C.) 9.
The Earle of Laderdaile was serued aire to his father, att the session house of Edenbroughe, before the meassers 1668 Aberd. Council Lett. IV. 335. 1669 Bk. O. Edinb. C. V. 147 (see Mace n.¹ (c)). a1634 Forbes Rec. 404. 1685 Bk. O. Edinb. C. IX. 124.
James Irving meacer(e) 1550 Reg. Privy C. I. 105.
The lordis ordanis ane messer or uthir officiar of armes to pas to the mercat cros of Edinburch, peier and schoir of Leith [etc.] 1569 Fam. Rose 252.
Richard Dowglas mesar 1569 Events Q. Mary & Jas. VI 36.
Thomas Crechtoun, messar in Edr. 1634 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 22.
Four dollouris gevin to William Stirling messour, for summounding ane assys vpoun thes twa men 1638 Thanes of Cawdor 295. c1650 Spalding II. 296. 1643 Baillie II. 114.
The messier of the parliament 1653–7 Irvine Mun. II. 255.
Gevin to the misser [sic] halfe of on dallor 1661 Aberd. Council Lett. IV. 112.
Recave heir ane act at the instance of the messears 1665 Conv. Burghs III. 578.
William Tennant, messour, … to be there comon poist 1684 Law Memor. (1818) 185. 1684 Bk. O. Edinb. C. IX. 124.
A mecer of counsell 1689 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 420.
That the boy … be brought by a meccer to be examined before the councill 1692 Stirling B. Rec. II. 339.
To Walter Richardson messer for publishing a proclamation att the crosse

d. Maissar-wand, a macer's mace or baton. 1535 Stewart 41053.
Syne King [Malcolm] … Arreistit thame [the ravaging and plundering English army] syne with ane maissar wand [slaying many thousands of them] 1559 Balfour Pract. 271.
Gif ony maisser that daylie servis in the tolbuith wantis his maisser wand in the said tolbuith or in the executioun of his office [etc.]