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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.

Stent, v.² Also: staint, stend, stint. P.p. also -(t)itt, stent. [Late ME and e.m.E. stent (Prompt. Parv.), stynt (a1513), stinte (1570), med. L. stentus ‘extended’, valued (1242 in Latham); Stent n.¹, Extent v.]

1. a. To set a value on (land, stock, goods, a person in respect of his land) for the purpose of taxation. b. To set a tax on, to tax (land, rents, etc.). Const. at, in, upon, (un)to (a sum, being the valuation or the consequent level of tax).a., b. (1) 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I 166.
Our tenandis … sal hafe fredome in the myre efter as tha ar stentyt 1523 Dundee B. Ct. I 148a (26 June).
The rowm stentit as vnder writyn 1553 Dundee B. Ct. II 273b (4 Dec.).
The terme assignit to the feriaris to stent the ferry botis conforme to quenis gracis lettres purcest be Andro Lessellis 1581–2 Reg. Privy C. III 452.
The schirefdome of Tarbert, quhilk hes nevir bene in use of paying ony taxatioun … the saidis haill landis … nevir being stentit nor retourit 1584 Orkney and Shetl. Deeds in Soc. Ant. XVIII 263.
[The provost of Orkney … directs his] office man … to ryde and stent the lambes … to stent the butting … to ryde and estimie the outbrek teyndis 1639 Old Ross-shire II 10.
Ilk third to provyde 500 men with muskettes … the haill rentis of the shire be stentit—everie chalder rent to pay ane dollar 1643 Kinghorn Kirk S. 47.
The saids gentlmen and heritors of the said landward parochin sett taxt and stented ilk pleughe of land within the said parochin to pay ten marks 1640 Spalding I 251.
And the anuelrent salbe frie of ony vther payment for that ferme out of whiche the said proportionall parte salbe deducit, and sall not be stentit for the samen 1654 Balmerino 408.
Stentours impartiallie to stent and sie what bolls of victuall everie heritor was(b) 1694 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. IV 230.
The lands held of the King, and so could not be stinted with the burgh(2) 1595 Lorimer St. Cuthbert's 109.
Everrie pleuch land with in the parochin to be stentit to three punds and everie mylne to be stentit to ane pleuch and everrie walk mylne to be stentit to half ane pleuch 1602 Reg. Privy C. VI 334.
[Another tax roll of the shire of Peebles … in which the lands of Blakbarony are stented at £40] 1607 Reg. Privy C. VII 311.
Upliftis … grittair souwmes then thair saidis benefices ar stentit unto in his Majesties taxt roll 1613 Aberd. Tax Roll in Sc. N. & Q. 2 Ser. I 41.
The Earle of Huntly's haill lands … are only estimate and stented to three hundred and six pound thirteen shilling and four pennys land 1617 Orkney Rentals ii 150.
Ilk penney land underwritten being stentit according to old use and wont termelie to 5 s. money 1664 Rothesay B. Rec. 84.
The proveist [etc.] … thinks meit that ewerie boll conteinit in the valuatioune be stentit in viij s. and that ewerie pund of the facultie roll pay vi s. viij d. 1667 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 151.
I am informed that in the whole shyre yow have stentit each horse upon a thousand pounds and my Lord Wigtounes vassals at fyve hundreth merkes which I thinke strange of 1671 Cramond Ch. Grange 31.
The fabrick of the kirk being ruinous each plough wes stented at one lib. 10 s. for repairing therof(b) 1646 Dumfries Kirk S. 17 Dec.
Mathew Baillie … averring that he was too … highlie stinted in publict burdens [etc.]

c. Of property: ? To be valued or considered (for valuation) as belonging to (a person or persons). 1505–6 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 6.
Katryne … hes gevin to the said Robert Bennet twa fut of hir berne waw with the stanis that is in it and the said Robene Bennet sall big the haill gawill to stend the said Katrin and hir airis

2. To assess for tax; to impose a tax or levy on, to tax (a person, community), to raise money by this means. Also const. for, in, to the sum, etc. raised and for the purpose for which it is raised; also to pay a sum. Also fig. b. reflex. Also fig.(1) 1471 Ayr B. Ct. 115a (7 Oct.).
The inquest has the bailȝeis of this ȝere by gane to gader the stenttit that was stent in tharis tyme & tharis gudis to the ansuer thar for 1547 Cal. Sc. P. I 6.
The Maister Maxwell kepis it clois fra Anandall, and is stentand Gallwa 1552 Reg. Privy C. I 129.
The quhilk men of weir can nocht gudlie be reasit without the realme be stentit 1557 Aberd. Council Lett. I 3.
But in the meyntyme stent ȝour burgh as the support of the quenis lands suld releif the burrowis for ane feyrd part of the taxt 1566 Reg. Privy C. I 487.
To … elect certane personis to stent thair nychtbouris 1574 Acts III 88/1.
The names of the inhabitantis stentit … tobe likewyis registrat 1583 Perth Guildry 424 (19 Sept.).
That he sall … pay taxatioun as he salbe stentit with the merchandis 15… Old Dundee II 26.
That young men … that hes ony guids or gear of their awn be stentit in ilk taxation according to their substance c1650 Spalding I 135.
Southesk speirit be what auchtoritie thay war thus stenting the Kinges leiges c1650 Spalding I 294.
Both Abirdeins wes … valourit and stentit and ordanit to furneish out … six ritmaisteris 1667 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 194.
Inhibits all stent masteris … to stent any salters pertaining to the Laird of Bogie(b) 1649 Inverurie 322.
The minister promised to stint them accordinglie and to report his diligence anent the stinting to the presbytrie 1651 Dumfries Kirk S. 19 Jun.
These who ar slak, & remisse in thair weeklie allowance to the poore … sall be stinted conforme to the act of parliamentfig. 1592 Warrender P. (SHS) II 184.
Gif he [sc. the king] aggreis to this promise … thay wil juge of him as ane easy to be stentit … and his counsellouris consentaris therto easy to be corrupit(2) c1522 Doug. in Doug. (Sm.) I cx.
He [sc. the Duke of Albany] … has stent the hole realm to one contributioun and taxt of twenty five thowsand pund 1531 Edinb. Hammermen 131b.
Item deliuerit to the tovne for the stent that we wer stentit to iiij li. vj s. viij d. 1533 Edinb. B. Rec. in Conv. Burghs I 513.
Walter Cousland[etc.] … granttis till pay the sowme of iiij^c li. greit to the men of Myddilburch and that the burrois be stentit for the samyn 1556 Aberd. Council Lett. I 2.
To stent the foirsaid burgh for thre quarters of thair part of the said taxatioune and to leyff the ferd part thairof unstentit 1590 St. A. Kirk S. 679.
The taxt the parrochenaris ar stent to 1618 Inverurie 204.
The haill persons within the bruch, stentit for myrbeir 1637 Elgin Rec. I 259.
William Rob … wes stentit to ane stane talloun ȝeirlie 1653 Stirling Ant. II 12.
An act of parliament to stent the parish for a fiall as the maintinance of [a] scoolmaister not above two hundreth merk 1663 Decis. Lords G. 70.
The town of Inverness having stented John Forbes … in a certain sum … for his burrow-lands 1666 Rothesay B. Rec. 121.
If the towns meinis be exhaustit the inhabitants ar to be stentit for the equivalence thairof at the nixt occasioune 1669 Edinb. B. Rec. X 62.
Such of the said militia that ar stented within thrie pund Scots sall be exeemed from payment of stent in tyme comeing 1673 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II 181.
It is pretended that the pursuer could not be stented nor imprisoned summarily for cess 1687 Acts Sederunt ii 176.
That they be stented for their proportiones of these impositiones(b) 1684 Law Memor. 138.
The end wherefore they were to meet was to staint the kingdom in a considerable summ for levying of men to secure against forrain invasions and intestine commotions(3) 1551 Mill Mediæv. Plays 128.
The bailȝeis … gaif povar to the dekynnis … to stent the nychtbouris of thair avin craftis for … furnesing of thair … bannaris of the processioun on Corpus Christi day 1603 Aberd. Council Lett. I 95.
To taxt and stent the inhabitants of the said burgh for nurisheing and interteining of the puir misterfull people 1636 Elgin Rec. II 231.
James Gordoun, measone, is desyrit to sie the queir and what he will tak to pathement the same … and the remnant of the parosche to be stented for that effect 1636 Aberd. B. Rec. III 101.
The said craftismen consentis to be stentit for thair pairtis … for bying of the said hous, and disassentis to any farder taxatioun heireftir for that caus 1647 Cramond Ch. Lhanbryd 9.
The parochine to be stented for repairing the kirk and kirkyard dyke c1650 Spalding II 137 marg.
Abirdene is stentit for the ministeris stipendis 1659 A. Hay Diary 127.
To stent the parish for a schoole(b) 1678 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 97.
The baillyies and burgesses of Kirkintilloch … wes stintit for outputting of the toune sex militia souldeours 1679 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 102.
Everie stander that is not willing to paye it be the land shall have libertie to stint thaire cottarrs that payes maille to them for their help heirin(4) 1643 Carnock Kirk S. in Row xxiv.
Carnok was stentit to pay 3 libs.b. reflex. 1557 Aberd. Council Lett. I 3.
Stent ȝour burgh as the support of the quenis lands suld releif the burrowis for ane feyrd part of the taxt. I beleif simplie that it suld come to ane thrid but nochtheles stent ye as said is as it sald come to ane feyrd part 1633 Aberd. Council Lett. I 378.
To charge the towne to stent thair selffis for defraying of the expens 1639 Aberd. B. Rec. III 180.
That thay wald giwe no support nor grant, nor stent thameselffis for any sowme of money quhatsumewir for quartering of soiuris 1659 A. Hay Diary 42.
The heritors to meet and stent themselves for a bell, for grasse to the minister and reparation of the manse 1670 Galloway Synod 167. 1686 Dunkeld Presb. II 469.
The major pairt of the heritors did meet and stented themselvs in 28 lib. Scots on each 100 lib. of valued rentfig. c1705 Nimmo Narr. 5.
I thoght quhat if I should be afronted by not doing it [sc. conducting family worship] to the aprobation of the famely & for that I resolved on a forme I had collected, not that I wold stent my selfe thareto but to be as a refuge in caise otherwayes straitned

3. intr. To be liable for tax, to pay tax, to contribute financially. 1514 Aberd. B. Rec. I 92.
That euery baillie sall pas … to euery persone awand thair taxt that thai stentit to, and requyr paiment thairof 1518 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 178.
Becaus the said strayngeris and vnfremen [nother] stentis waikis nor wairdis nor beris na vther portabill chairges within this burgh 1558 Edinb. B. Rec. III 18.
That all maner of personis that hanttis vsis or exersis the libertie and privielege of merchandis … stent scait lott and beir chargis 1569 Reg. Privy C. II 12.
Our Soverane Lordis liegis, landit men … that thai convene … and stent and contribute every man according to the avale of thair landis for the sustentatioun and furnissing of fourty men 1575 Prestwick B. Rec. 77.
Quhatsumeuir persoun that is ane fre man of the said toun … and duellis out with the samin and nouther stentis nor wardis w^t the said toun as thai aucht to do 1581 Elgin Rec. I 160. 1584 Glasgow B. Rec. I 113.
That thay and euirie ane of thame stent, scat, lot, wake and warde within this toun as burgessis and counsellouries aucht and sould do 1649 R. Brown Paisley I 240.
Swa that the priviledge sall only be extendit to burgesses, inhabitants who stentes and leives within the towne and watches and wards when neid is

4. To impose and collect taxation, a levy and the like.(a) 1633 Acts V 22/1.
That the bischops … sall haue power … To set downe and stent vpon everie plough or husband land according to the worth for maintenance and establisching of the saids schooles 1650 Banff Ann. I 136.
[The burgh being liable for … putting forth certain horse … ordain that … stenters shall be chosen to stent for the same] 1669 Stitchill Baron Ct. 56.
Johne Lowry is authorised and impowered to stent and collect mony for [etc.] 1697 Glasgow B. Rec. IV 234.
Lykewayes that they have power to stent, receive and uplift from all(b) 1679 Buchan Cl. I 156.
To 40 lib. Scots payable yearly off of the town of Peterhead, they being bound to stint and collect in among themselves

5. tr. To levy (money, goods, etc.) as taxation, also, to fulfil some communal purpose; to determine the amount of (money, goods, etc.) to be levied. b. To stent taxatioun (taxt), charges. 1556–7 Inverness Rec. I 5.
The consell hes condiscendit … thair be twelf bollis wyttell stenttit on the commone takis … to be gyfin yerle to the master of sculle 1557–8 Treas. Acc. X 334.
Thair oxin stentit to carie the munitioun 1587 Aberd. B. Rec. II 61.
To stent the same [sc. sum] on the merchandis, burgessis and brether of gild 1598 Elgin Rec. II 69.
Williame Gibsoun, [etc.] … ar electit … taxmen for laying of the taxatioun … and hes layed and stentit the sowme of aucht hundreth merks 1604 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 118.
That my lord haife twelff accustomet wodderis and ane ox … send in to the lating this yeir … the fold, … accompaneit with sax honest men to skance and stent the samin throche the parochin 1612 Old Ross-shire I 31.
The number of all the bollis beir sowings within the brughe of Tayne … beinge stentitt for the reparatione of the Kirk 1612 Old Ross-shire I 31.
Summa … xxxiij scoir v bollis stentitt at vi shillings the boll 1626 Aberd. Council Lett. I 251.
We gatt not a charge for payment thairof … and so culd not possiblie have tyme to stent and collect the same amangis our nightbors 1644 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 12.
That they sould stent the foirsaid soume on the nichtbors of this toun justlie, but any respect of persons 1650 Kingarth Par. Rec. 24.
The heritours and elders … doe stent and applott vpon them selves halfe ane merk the merk land … for building of the said chamber 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 266.
A competent soume of money was stented and contributed among them 1688 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. 3 Ser. XXXVI 39.
[The commissioners for the militia were required] to stent the number of horse and men upon the paroches, heretours and lyfrenters in their respective shyresb. 1556 Perth Guildry 303 (15 July).
And anent the liberte and fredome of the said burght and merchandis hes bundin oblist thame in maner forsaid to defend the samyn with thair personis gudis and geir insafar as thai may of law and to stent taxt amang thame 1578–9 Conv. Burghs I 73.
Quhatsumeuer taxatioun salbe heirefter lemated and ordainit to be tane of the burrowis … the samyn to be stentit be Edinburgh 1590 Aberd. Council Lett. I 50.
Thair was dyvers taxatiouns stenttit sett and imposit upoun the inhabitantis of oure said burgh 1665 Old Ross-shire I 98.
I … desyre … course be taken in stenting my charges [sc. as Commissioner to the Estates] … at fyve pund Scots ilk day