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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Spar, Sper, n.¹ Also: sparr, sperr-, spare, spair, speir, spear, spir. [ME and e.m.E. sparr, sperr (Cursor M.), sparre (c1340), spare (1341), spar (1460), sparre (a1490), MDu. sparre, spar, spaer, sper(re, MLG sparre, spare, spar, ON sparri, sperra. Cf. OF esparre (1175 in Larousse).]

1. A piece of timber, varying considerably in thickness or heaviness, but chiefly of the type of a beam or rafter; also, a pole or rail. Also in pl. without inflection. 1366 Exch. R. II 246.
[Pro triginta sperrys pro camera et stabulo regis 1380 Exch. R. III 654.
Solute pro bordis, sperris, ferro, plumbo [etc.] 1425 Exch. R. IV 391.]
Sperris de quercu et … sperris de fyr(1) 1492 Acta Conc. I 248/2.
Four skore of sparris … xl gestis [etc.] 1492 Treas. Acc. I 204.
Fifty geistis and tuelf gret sparris 1497 Treas. Acc. I 331.
xxij lang sparris, of xxxvj fut lang or thareby 1503 Treas. Acc. II 272.
j^cxij small sparris 1517 Edinb. B. Rec. I 169.
Ane pairt of sparris and rachteris 1517 Treas. Acc. V 118.
xviij quartar sparris 1531–2 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 58.
For lautht takin of the sparris wrocht in garronis and ribbis to the plateforme 1548 Aberd. B. Rec. I 259.
Thre dosoun of Heland sparris 1577 Reg. Privy C. II 653.
The ȝettis … being stekit, … [they] violentlie … brak up the same ȝettis with greit sparris and jeistis 1583 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 184.
Ane greit scheitht of irne to the said quheill with ane lang stalk axtre & sparis 1593 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 18 May.
Ane spar of tuolf futtis in lyntht 1624 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 159.
To … steingmen that … layed thame [sc. pieces of artillery] on sparres 1628 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 233.
For sawing ane lang spar twyse through(b) 14.. Acts I 386/2.
Of the setting of bestis … Gif at wp werk that ox may stride our a sper [L. tignellum] the borows sall ansuer for the meil … gif the hindir fut twechis the sper the borows sal halde the ox to thaim self [etc.] 1452 Ayr B. Ct. 16 Oct.
xliii sperris 1457 Peebles B. Rec. I 119.
xiiij pessis tember, a sper [etc.] 1506–7 Rentale Dunkeld. (SHS) 91.
Lie speris et plaunkis 1512 Treas. Acc. IV 454.
ij dusan sperris to the greit schip 1539–40 Treas. Acc. VII 347, etc.(c) 1561 Treas. Acc. XI 116.
Ane fire spare 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 369.
For sawin of thrie great spares in cliftis and four dailles 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 381.
Aught laid of hame spares(d) 1553–4 Edinb. Old Acc. II 24.
Ane aickin spair 1639 Dundonald Par. Rec. 451.
The spairs of the kirkyaird dyk(e) 1536 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 167.
xl^ty kyppill of speiris and uther grit tymmer 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Sudes, a speir brunt at the end(f) 1536 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 167.
In to that hous thair vas ane spir and ane burdin dur … and als I saw divers gret tymmer lyand heir and thair(2) 1496 Treas. Acc. I 278.
To a Duchman … for twa hunder sparris to the werk of Striuelin … to the artailȝeiry werk 1513 Treas. Acc. IV 512.
Rauchteris … to mak the clois cartis, … iiij duson greit sparris to be lummaris to thaim 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 25, etc.
viii dosoun fyrn sparris for cuppillis to the ii masonis luggis 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 48.
vi small akin sparis for stane barrowis 1531–2 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 108.
To the sawaris sawand rauchtaris and sparris to the grathing of the maister houshald chalmer … to the samen sawand sparris and wanscot for bund werk in the dusty hall 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 230.
vj sparris to be beik ledderis for theking of the munitioun hous 1541 Treas. Acc. VIII 125.
xij sparris of fyr, to be cole rakis and stere the mettell with 1548 Treas. Acc. IX 259.
Ane spar and ane half to be ane ravill to the turnpik 1552–3 Edinb. B. Rec. II 276.
For making of ane skaffalt … and furnessing of sax sparris thairto 1558 Mill Mediæv. Plays 187.
For making of the convoy kart with sparris, rauchteris, gyrstingis [etc.] 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. V 67.
For careing of four sparris to withtstand the preas of the pepill 1682 Cullen Kirk S. II 3 Dec.
For making a pillar to the seamens loft … for a spar whereof the … pillar was mad 1694 Boharm Kirk S. 8 June.
Sparrs and dealls to build ane common loaft in the kirk(b) 1512–13 Treas. Acc. IV 462.
xij greit sperris to mak wynding spakis of 1512–13 Treas. Acc. IV 508.
Ane dusan akyn sperris to mak wyndes spakis 1513 Treas. Acc. IV 481.
Sperris to mak hand spakis of(c) 1582 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 149.
Tua dousoun fir spairis to be eiggis in the buriall ȝaird 1602 Edinb. B. Rec. V 305.
Sex spairis to flure the hie schole(3) 1507 Treas. Acc. III 395.
xij singill sparris 1515 Treas. Acc. V 15.
For the close cartis … twa dusan gret double sparris 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 97.
viii grete doubill fyre sparris for reparing of the armynghous 1573 Treas. Acc. XII 345.
iij^c singill sparris and ij^c dowbill sparris to be gabionis 1613–14 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 346.
iii^xx of grit single sparris … to be ruif and geistis for the … houseuninfl. pl. 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 29.
60 single spar and x double spar 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 362.
xii draucht of single spare 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 363.
50 draucht of long dowble spar(4) 1503 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 132.
Ane sqvair spar 1535–6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 180.
For viii dosone x clauer sparis ilk dosone xviii s. 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 32.
Ane kantit spar

b. specif. A rafter. Also attrib. as sparoof, sparroofe = Ruf(e)-spar n. 1513 Doug. i xi 63.
From the gilt sparris [L. laquearibus aureis] hang down mony a lycht 1513 Doug. ii viii 19.
Troianys … Rent turettis doune and of hows hedis the thak … The gilt sperris [L. auratasque trabes] and gestis gold begane Down on thame slyng thai 1513 Doug. viii i 18.
The twynkland lycht Glitterand on euery spar and ruf [L. laquearia tecti] on hyght 1673 Kingarth Par. Rec. 88.
A tree to be set under the sparrs of the kirk to secure the couplsattrib. 1672 Old Ross-shire I 193.
20 scor of sparoof … 5-6 in. sq. 22-24 foot long … 18 sh. each 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 245.
To build the houses of Bunchrive and Dalcross … all his [sc. Lord Lovat's] beames and sparroofe [were taken] out of Dalcattaig woods

c. In combs. balk spar, garron spar (cf. Garroun n.¹), see also Ruf(e)-spar n., Wikkir sparris n. pl. 1497 Treas. Acc. I 331 (see Ruf(e)-spar n. (1) uninfl. pl.).
Spar 1497 Treas. Acc. I 331 (see Balk n. 4). 1530 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 52.
ii doson schort garron sparris 1582 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 206 (see Ruf(e)-spar n. (1) pl.).
Spearis

2. pl. Splinters, fragments. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xi 44.
Thocht thow be taklit nevir so sure Thow sall in deathis port arryve, Quhair nocht for tempest may indure, Bot ferslye all to speiris [dryve]