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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pere, Peir(e, n.² Also: peyr, pear(e, peer. [ME. and e.m.E. pere (1340), peore (c 1290), peere (Piers Plowman), peare (16th c.), pare (17th c.), also pyre (1495), OE. peru, pere (f. late L. pira, pēra fem. sing., whence also F. poire Poir n., for L. pira, plur. of pirum pear). Cf. also Pare n.²]

A pear, the fruit. Also, a pear tree.Pear de plume: cf. e.m.E. and 18th c. Eng. peare-plum (1600), a (? pear-shaped) variety of plum.(1) c 1400 Aberd. B. Rec. (S.H.S.) 175.
A cart sadil & i^c peris viii d. 1503 Treas. Acc. II. 391. 1506 Ib. III. 346. 1507 Ib. 394.
For xxxvij peris to the tree of esperance … for ij^c platis to be leifis to the tree 1511 Ib. IV. 309 (see Huny n. 2). 1512 Household Bk. Jas. IV 3 b. 1536 Treas. Acc. VI. 452.
To the maister cuke to by apillis peris wannotis and sindry othir frute 1567 Q. Mary in Misc. Maitl. C. III. 187.(b) 1491 Treas. Acc. I. 180.
Til a cheld brocht peyris fra the Lard of Lws to the King 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 26.
Of fructis feggis bytter almondis dry rasingis sowr apill or peir orange [etc.] 1596 Dalr. I. 30/25.
Lyke a lang peir sett in a round aple 1598 Household Bks. Jas. VI 30 Sept.
And for peiris to his majestie 1607 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 170.
Aucht pund of barbassat peiris orenges lemontis at xxxvi s. the pund 1631 Peebles B. Rec. I. 417.
For ane hundreth plowmis and thrie desone of peiris 1649 Scots Lore I. 275.
For 2 hundereth winttar peiris 1665 Lauder Jrnl. 42.
We have bought a quarter a 100 of delicat peirs for a souse 1670 Dumbarton B. Rec. 86.
Thrie pund confected peires and quinches(c) 1587 Carmichael Etym. 4.
Pyraster, a wilde peare 1681 Foulis Acc. Bk. 75.
For 7 imps from the gardiner in the Surgeons Yard viz a black pippin, a pear dangerous, 2 honie pears, a bon criteon [etc.](d) 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 25 Sept.
For apills and peers to the kichen 1665 Lauder Jrnl. 46.
The poir blanchette (which comes wery neir our safron peer we have at home)(2) 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 312.
Wett confectionis … pear de plume … preserved plumes

b. As a type of something of little value. c1420 Wynt. iv. 769.
Na I prys na payne a pere [pr. apere] Myn honowre and my land to were 1535 Stewart 4876.
Quhilk hes … into weir No policie nor prattik wirth ane peir a1568 Bann. MS. I. p. 45/5.
No man is countit wirth a peir Bot he that hes gud hors and geir Ib. 141 b/41.
Scho said scho comptit me nocht a peir [: geir]