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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
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Tenand(e, Ten(n)ent, n. Also: tennand(e, ten(n)ant, -end, tanand. [ME and e.m.E. tenant (Manning), tenand(e (c1375), tenaunt (Piers Plowman), tenent (1607), OF tenant.] A lessee; one who enjoys the use of land, property, etc. in return for rent.For further examples see also Fermorar(e n. 2, Maister n. 6, Malar n., Pur(e adj.² 2 b (4). 13… Liber Melros II 342.
[In predictis terris de Eskedale pasturis hominibus tam tenentibus quam servientibus 1357 Liber Melros II 439.
Le dit monseignour Rauf ad enpris de mayntenir les tenantz du dit manoir 1384 Cart. Levenax 7.]
Tenenda et habenda … cum tenentibus et tenandriis(1) 1413 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 364 (see d below). 1418–19 Liber Melros II 503.
Frely to put ovt and take in all tenandis at thair awen lykyng c1420 Wynt. vii 2354.
The Pape … made new feftment, Till hym and hys posteryte Than tenandys off the Kyrk to be 1425 (1426) Reg. Great S. 11/1.
Al the inhabitandis and tenandis off our said ward of Yarow 1437 Cop. St. A. 156.
Oure tenande … awcht of law for defawt of laychfull elde to warde till ws 14.. Quon. Attach. c. 39.
Quhen ony tennand is mot of ony tenement of the quhilk he is infeft of ony lord be charter of warandy [etc.] 14.. Quon. Attach. c. 39.
Tennande 1446 Reg. Cupar A. I 125.
Vs … abbot of the abbey of Cowpar … to haue set … our landis of Innerychtny … with the fysschyngis [etc.] … Item the … altarage of the kyrk of South Alveth to our laeyt tenand John Wilȝamson for all the dayis of hys lyfe 1456 Hay I 123/21.
The lordis takis thair rentis and fermes of thair men and thair tenandis 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I 166.
We hafe grantyt hym … for wynnyn and gudyn of his land to mak tenandis onder hym 1474 Acta Aud. 35/2.
The said Johne Dempstar sall … haue the tak of the samyn landis of the said Jahne as he had thaim of the king & be tennand & malar to hir & nocht to the king for all termes contenit in the letter of tak … that is to say sex ȝeris … and pay hir sic like male as he suld haue done to the king and anent the part of the land that was occupijt be the iiij tenandis pur folk [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xiv 62.
Sa peur tennandis 1510 15th Rep. Hist. MSS App. viii 14.
[The said William had made to him … a new infeftment of the 18 merks worth of land of Achingascill (etc.)] … Tharefor I and my ayris sall stand leile and trew tennandis to the said Wilȝeam … [and he and his heirs would remain] affald tennandis to the said Wilȝeam and his ayris for euyr 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 107.
The tenand that tuk the myll enterit … at Wittsonday 1515 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 32.
This inquest declaris that Jok Sandersone is fund nerest and lauchfull ayr to umquhill Andro Sandersone throw the quhilk he is als fre to posses the ground as ony other tenand of the laiff of that lordschip 1546 Edinb. Hammermen 170b.
For the warning of thar tenandis of the land of Nedryis Wynd to flyt(b) 1499 Exch. R. XI 395.
Ane sufficient tenant and nychtbour thairto that beis abill to keip the said steid nychtbourlike accordin to the auld statutis 1541 Rec. Earld. Orkney 63.
Tenantis, occupiaris [of] the saidis landis … to remove … and utheris in thair places to input 1662 Wodrow Hist. I (1828) 322.
That heritors, feuars, farmers, tenants, possessors, and others liable, make … payment 1670 Urie Baron Ct. 91.
No tennant … sall presume to sell any peittes … without leaw(c) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2756.
Hes thow not reuth to gar thy tennentis sweit In to thy laubour, with faynt and hungrie wame 1487–8 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 320.
The tennentis and inhabitantis [of] the saidis landis salcume to the said bischoppis cowrte and payand heriȝeld and bludwit 1494 Acta Conc. I 344/2.
That thair tennentis of thair landis suld nocht compere in the justice are of the regalite of Dunkelden 1494 Acta Aud. 189/2.
To enter Effe Monylaw to the possessioun of all landis & tennentis liand within thar boundis 14… Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 249.
Ser Alex. Ferquharson et Robert Farquharson tenentis to the Lard of Echt c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 190/30. 1515 Reg. Privy S. I 408/2.
To ressave … Andro Cullane [etc.] … in tenentis to thaim thairof and to infeft thaim heretablye in the samyn 1561–2 Reg. Privy C. I 199.
The ingevaris of the rentalis … sall never haif actioun to … ressaif fra the tennentis … forther nor is contenit in the saidis rentalis 1562-3 Winȝet I 8/6.
Of the depaupering the tennentis be ȝour fewis 1567 Inverness Rec. I 157.
To … admitt him … as tennent for his gods penne, viz. xx s. c1575 Balfour Pract. 200.
Landis beand brint, waistit [etc.] … the tenentis … ar not bund … to mak payment of thair maillis, fermis and dewties 1576 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 19b.
Quha evere of payd seruandis tennenttis cottaris or utheris servandis feis thame selfs with doubill maisters [etc.] 1640 Spalding II App. 490.
That the provisioun of armes be maid … be the tennent, who is able to buy, or be the heretour quhair the tennent is not able(d) c1450-2 Howlat 609 (A).
Ilk braunche … bowit thaim till And ilk scheld … Thar tennend or man was 1467 Reg. Panmure II 242.
In the ressaving of … thame to be tennend til us a1500 Prestis of Peblis 297 (Asl.).
Thar tennendis be pure 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 249/2.
The landis of the barony of Oxinhame extending in tenend and tenandry to xl pundis worth of land 1512 Reg. Privy S. I 369/2.
Alexander Makculloch … and all his kyn, surname, freyndis, men, tennendis, firmararis, familiaris and servandis 1515–16 Misc. Spald. C. II 266.
My said gude lorde … has admittit me … tennend in and to … the landis of Lesk 1522 Dundee B. Ct. I 116a (12 Dec.).
Becaus that the said Mechell gef nocht the key & the maill thairof at Witsonday last bipast to the said James he is adiugit to be tennend for this ȝer & pay this ȝeris maill(e) c1540 Carnwath Baron Ct. (SHS) 210.
The tanandis that hes rycht to pastour in the cowmownd(2) 1502 Acta Conc. III (1993) 150.
That na porcionare tennent nor uthir tennent immediat to him within the availe of ten pund of new extent present entir nor gif ony soyt or soytouris before ony schiref … or uthir officiaris in ony courtis 1502 Acta Conc. III (1993) 150.
Small tennentis 1670 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 260.
That he and his tuo servandis, and all wther his mentennentis and servantis sall keepe the peace

b. Kindly tenant, see Kindly adj. 5.

c. Immediat(e ten(n)ent, the lessee holding his lease directly from the superior or overlord of the land, the tenant-in-chief. Cf. sense d below. Cf. first quot. in (2) above. 1516 Reg. Privy S. I 444/2.
Lord Gray, our soverane lordis immediate tennent of the samyn c1575 Balfour Pract. 114.
Landis falling in non-entres be deceis of the immediat heritabill tenent thairof c1575 Balfour Pract. 276.
Gif ony man or tenent holdand landis heritably or ȝit in tak and assedatioun of ane uther beis unlawit … because the … superiour or maister enterit not ane suit in court … he sould be … keipit skaithles … because the immediat tenent to the over-lord sould … keip skaithles all uther mediat tenentis … anent all sic unlawis 1576 Reg. Privy C. II 519.
George Maxwell … to ressave the said Thomas in immediat tenent to him of the landis … and to infeft him his airis [etc.] … heretablie thairintill

d. Fre (unremovable) tenant, tenent hereitable, a lessee possessed of all the rights and privileges of a tenant-in-chief or feudal vassal.See also Fre adj. 2 b. 1381 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 4.
Landes rentez & [possessiouns] … with courtes eschetez seruice of fretenantez & natyves with the apportenancez forsaid 1413 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 364.
Til haff saulde … all my landis … wid tenand and tenandryis and service off fre tenand, lyand widin the schyrrefdome of the Merenys 1512 Reg. Privy S. I 366/2.
The kingis hienes has ordanit him to resave the musteris and wapinschewingis of all his folkis, baith fre tennentis and malaris 1526 Reg. Privy S. I 536/1.
We sall … present the said Archibald in tenent hereitable to the said Johnis uther ourelordis … and sall mak him be infeft of the samyn 1528 Renfrew Arch. Coll. I 141.
The said James Hammiltoun … callis the free tennentis … to gefe soit and presence thairfor c1575 Balfour Pract. 259.
Landis beand decernit … to be in the superiouris handis be ressoun of non-entres sen the deceis of the last heritabill possessour and principal fre tenent to him thairof 16… R. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 394.
Thois who held thir lands of the king in few being … unremovable tennents

e. attrib. Also tennent hennes, hens given in payment of rent. 1670 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 437.
Cottman houses [and 11] tennent houses 1676 Old Ross-shire I 111.
Thrie shill. four pennies … pryce of ilk henn … and that for tennent hennes … yearly