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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.

Perk, n. Also: perke; peirk; pirk; park. [ME. and e.m.E. (chiefly north., north midl., and East Anglian) perk(e (c 1350): cf. Perch n.² and North. F. perque.]

1. A (? substantial) pole or stake. ?1438 Alex. ii. 9210.
The perk [sc. of the standard] he hewit euin in tua 1513 Doug. xi. ii. 65.
He bad the capitanys … In syng of trophe or pomp triumphall Gret perkis [v.r. pykis] bair or [v.r. of] treyn saplyng that squair is Cled with the armour of thar aduersaris Ib. iv. 76.
For all the Tuscane menȝe … rich spulȝe hydder bryngis On perkis [Ruthv. And parkis] rychly cled with thar armyngis Ib. xvii. 59.
[They] Perkis gret with byrslyt endis and brunt … doun swakkis 1540 Treas. Acc. VII. 357.
And viij fyre perkis witht utheris fyre werk schot

b. spec. A heavy staff used by fullers, ? for beating the cloth in fulling by hand. a1400 Leg. S. vii. 2 15.
Thane ane a walkare perk hynt & gafe Sancte Iamis sic a dynte That [etc.] c1420 Wynt. v. 639.
Off Jacob … Wyth a walkarys perk … The harnys all war strykyn owte

2. A horizontal bar for a hawk or tame bird to rest on; a bird's perch.(a) c1500 Fyve Bestes 167.
At evyne apon his perke he [the cock] gat 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1774.
The falcon this behalding quhair scho sat Vpon hir perk(b) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3237.
This saw the py on hir pirk quhair scho sat

3. A pole or rod, set up horizontally, to hang cloth or clothes on. 1620 Perth Kirk S. MS. 21 Aug.
They apprehendit … sum claithis hingand on perkis 1621 Ib. 6 Mar.
Admoneissit nocht to hing out claithis on his peirkis on the calsay