Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Malar, Maillar, n. Also: -er, -or, maller, mail(l)air, -er, maylar, mealer. [Male n.¹ 1.] 1. One who in return for rent occupies a property, as farm-land, a fishing, a house; a tenant, esp. a tenant-farmer. b. specif. A tenant-farmer who pays his rent in money rather than kind.Also const. of the tenancy, to the landlord.(a) 1392 Lennox Mun. 48.
The sayde landis … to the forsayde Erill … as malar beforsayde 1405 Ib. 58. 14.. Acts I. 357/2, 386/2. c 1423 (1431) Reg. Great S. 45/1.
To be tane … of our landdis of Ballergus be the haundis of the mallerys 1450 Coll. Aberd. & B. 428.
The quhilk sett of the landis … witht … all rychtwyse pertinens pertenande till ane maler … we retify 1467 Reg. Dunferm. 358.
The fisching of the Calate pertening to oure souerane lord the kyng and the maloris and the occupyoris of jt 1474 Acta Aud. 35/2.
He … sall … be tennand & malar to hir & nocht to the King 1485–6 Newbattle Coll. (Somerville).
The tenandis of … the Bradeschel Burne malaris to Robert Logane 1501 Acta Conc. II. 479. 1503 Sc. Hist. Rev. XL. 97.
Stewartis, malaris, fermoraris 1512 Reg. Privy S. I. 366/2.
All his folkis, baith fre tennentis and malaris 1535 Aberd. B. Rec. XV. 638 (Jam.).
It is nocht the vs … within this burgh to ane malar to … reperall ony thing that is … nalit fest with the hous 1536 Annandale Corr. .
Gif it beis fundin that the said Johnne … wes in possessioun of the saidis landis as malar closit within termis 1547 Reg. Privy C. I. 79. 1561 Treas. Acc. XI. 71. 1575 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 267.(b) 1460 Peebles B. Rec. I. 135.
[The lands] to be haldin … as maylaris brukis on four half abowt a1500 Henr. Fab. 2744 (Bass.).
Lordis, that … settis to the mailleris [B. maillairis] ane village 1530 Selkirk B. Ct. MS. 145 b.
Maillar c1575 Balfour Pract. 62, 208. 1578 Reg. Privy C. III.21.
Ony maillaris, taksmen, rentallaris or commonis 1582 Ib. 496.
He being kyndlie mailler and possessoure thairof 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Dissasina.
As mailler to his maister a1633 Hope Major Pract. II. 92. 1622-6 Bisset I. 245/22. 1649 Kelso Baillie Ct. 53.
Johne Ker maltmane, Thomas Chatto maillor 1656 Craig-Brown Selkirkshire II. 388. 1668 Stitchill Baron Ct. 52.
12 soume maileres, … 6 soume maileres, … coatters(c) 1686 Mackenzie Observ. 19.
Reckless fire-raising is punishable, either in the owner or the mealer or tennentb. 1610 Morison Dict. Decis. VII. 5408.
A tenant, whether he be mailer or farmer, and whether he have tack or not, deceasing, his master will get an hereȝeld 1636 Urie Baron Ct. 80.
The haill tennentis sick as are mailleris within the barrony … to content … the haill rest maillis, Witsounday and Mertimes termes Ib.
Sick of the saidis tennentis, mailloris allenerlie

2. The person who lets one a property for rent, a tenant's landlord. 1456 Hay I. 103/35.
That the cristin men that ar duelland in the mistrowand menis housis under malis suld be lele to thair malaris [F. leur seigneur] and obeisand