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

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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.

Markis worth, n. Also: markys, marcis, markks, merk(i)s and wortht, wourth, wrth. [Mark n.²]Appar. distributed somewhat more easterly than markland, viz. in the South-west and South, East and North-east, but not in the Highlands or the South-east.

1. Chiefly, markis worth of land: Land assessed as yielding the specified number of marks in rent per annum. b. With the assessment specified as Old Extent.Cf. Markland n.¹ 1379 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 2.
All my rycht clayme [etc.] … to fourty markis worth of land in the qwilkes the forsaid Erle of Angous was obligit … to gyve me heritably 1393 Ib. No. 26.
And in to fourty markys wrth of land within the barony of Bwtyll 1397 Ib. No. 32 a.
Twa hvndir markis worth of tha ilke landis [sc. of Calder] 1402 Ib. No. 54. 1410 Ib. No. 75.
Of the said twa hundreth markis worth of land [in Cunningham]; … gif the forsaid landis … extendis noucht to twa hundreth mark of ferme be yere 1425 Montgomery Mem. II. 8. 1438 Ib. 29. 1443 Highland P. II. 178.
(Kilmun, Cowal) 1457 Exch. R. VI. 344.
Terre de Markis cum le Markisworth de Kilbride 1471 Acta Aud. 19/1, 2. 1476 Ib. 52/1; etc. 1482 Bamff Chart. 32. 1484 Grant Chart. 36.
Markis wourth 1488 Acta Aud. 126/2. 1494 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 354.
(Esslemont) 1516 Reg. Cupar A. I. 298. 1528 Inchcolm Chart. 63.
Fyif markis wortht of my landis of Beitht callit the manis of Beith 15.. Clar. iv. 494.
Alse mikill [money] as wald by of heritage Thrie hundereth merkis worth to thair waige 1611 Scrymgeour Invent. 22. 1631 Auchtermuchty Chart. 22.
All and whole the sixth part, extending to forty shillings worth of land … ; and the twelfth part … extending to two merks worth of landb. 1496 Lennox Mun. 160.
Four merkis worth land of auld exstent … lyand in the paroschin of Inchenan 1506 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 162.
The saidis twa merkis worth and ane half of land of the Hagthornehill of auld extent 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 243/2.
Licence to Robert Menȝeis of that ilk … to sel … xx merkis worth of land of ald extent of ony parte of his … heretage Ib. 265/2.
Within the barony of Uchiltre … four merkis worth of ald extent of Burnokistoun

2. Markis worth of land = Markland n.²1447 Rec. Earld. Orkney 189 [see Mark n.² 3 coll. (a)]. — 1495 Ib. 201.
The forsaidis sex merkis worth of land

3. A mark's worth (of wealth, of specified goods). 1574 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 262.
Ronald Still … had nothir tak nor steiding nochttheles the said Ronnald grantit … that he haid tuentie merkis wortht of geir in respect thairof the shreff admittit him 1614 Crim. Trials III. 288.
I hop to bring … more then tuentie thousand merks worth of brasin ordinance