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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Poind, Puind, v. Also: poynd, poyind; puynd, puuynd, pwind, pwynd; powynd; poyn(e. [Sc. var. of Pind v. Cf. also Pund v. and Pound v.? By taking the vowel of pind, in its labial environment, as an instance of Older Sc. ü: (f. earlier o:), which was spelled oi, oy, ui, uy etc. as well as u-e, o-e etc., as in Abone prep. and adv., Crune v., done, dune etc. p.p. of Do v., Mone n., etc. It is possible that some at least of the examples of Pund v. have the same explanation.If this is correct, then late ME (once) poyn (c 1450) is unrelated.The commonest form in the 16th c. and later: cf. Pund v.]

1. tr. To confine (stray animals or the like) as surety for the damage committed by them; to impound (in a public pound or otherwise). Also absol.(a) 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II 53.
All vther bestis that eetis vther menis corne salbe poyndit, quhill the awnar thairof redres the skaith 1550 Cupar B. Rec. 27 June.
In raiffing of his hors poyndit on the said Allexanderis corn in wardis c1575 Balfour Pract. 438.
Gif ony of the parties happinis to poind ony gudis beand upon the saidis debaitabill landis 1583 Reg. Privy C. III 603.
Turnand his guidis that sal happin to enter in the wod, or to poind thame, letting thame out for reasonable poindlaris fee unhoundit slayne or hocht 1584 Aberd. B. Rec. II 51.
Witht powar to poynd and hald the saidis guidis quhill the saidis unlawis be satisfeit 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 72.
Because the eavers … poynded … sould not be lang deteined 1612 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bk. 22.
For the secund fault sall poind the said swyne and wairne the awner thairof … to cum and sie the skaith comprysit quhilk they sall be haldin to pay within twentie four houris, quhairfoir it sall be lesum to the baillie to poind a1650 Row 9.
Poore sillie sheep … that are poyndit in a fold where there is no meat 1653 Peebles B. Rec. II 8.
All the goodes (except the tounes) to be houndit and poyndit off Venlaw and Homildoun, and the inhabitantes to hound and poynd, toure about 1681 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 118.(b) 1478 Acta Aud. 79/2.
For ij hors takin and puyndit be the saide Robertis seruituris 1554 Prestwick B. Rec. 63.
The third tyme … to pwind the sad kawif or cauis

b. ? To restore (an impounded animal) for a certain sum paid as compensation. 1627 Banff Ann. I 56.
Ilk nolt to be poyneit for 6 s. 8 d., ilk sheip for 2 s.

2. To levy a distress upon (a person) or to seize and sell under warrant (a person's goods), in order to realise funds to pay a fine or a tax, meet a debt, or the like; to distrain (upon) by legal authority. Also absol.

a. To distrain upon (a person) (for a fine etc. or an amount due, or of (also in) what is payable, or with omission of of). b. To distrain (goods or animals) (for a fine etc. or an amount due or their payment) (fra (from) the person); also, to levy (a fine) by this means. c. absol. To levy a distress (for, also of, a fine or other due payment).For further examples see Compell v. 2 and Distrenȝe v. 3 and 4.a. (1) 1516 Renfrew Arch. Coll. I 107.
It salbe lefull to the said lady or hir factouris to curs or poynd the forsaid persouns 1516 Treas. Acc. V 85. 1517 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 171.
And he that disobeyis heirin the deykinis and the laif of the craft sall poynd thame with ane officer of the toun 1550 Grey Friars II 11.
Letters gevin upon thame to compell, poynd and distrenȝie thame 1551 Cupar B. Rec. 17 April. 1555 Treas. Acc. X 283.
To Alexander Foryister, purschewant, witht ane uthir officer … to poind the Laird of Cranstoune 1563–4 Perth B. Ct. 49 (15 March).
Malcum Hall … manesit the bailȝeis saying thai durst nocht for thair livis cum and poynd him c1575 Balfour Pract. 397.
It is not leasum to poind ony man bot for provin and confessit debt 1585 J.M. Beale Fife Schools 116.
Bailies to poind the bairnes frelie that refuses to pay [school fees] 1604 Elgin Rec. II 122.
Jhone Cogiell foir clatering on the Sabbothe daye was poyndit 1605 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 2. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. (Latin) i 70 a marg. 1632 Cullen B. Ct. 21 Dec.
And to poynd Alexander Blak [etc.] … for not presenting of thair stoupis to be mett c1650 Spalding II 321.
Sore wes the pure people of the old toun pluckit and poyndit to mak wp thir 12 soldiouris charges quhairas sum of thame had not to by a loaf 1655 Stitchill Baron Ct. 3. 1678 Craven Ch. in Orkney 76.
There was ane elder and officer sent to poynd them for thaire contumacie, but they did lock up all thaire goods(b) 1556 Carte Northberwic 73.
Quhow for the gaddering of ane taxt the said Robert gaiff iniurius vordis and vald nocht suffer to be puyndit(c) 1552 Crail B. Ct. MS 31 Oct.
Vnder the pane of tene pound ylk & falyeand thayrof to be powyndit(2) 1512 Treas. Acc. IV 338.
To Robert Betsone messingeir to poynd Allane Wilsone and John Schaw for the shireffis of Wigtonis rest 1513 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 145.
Thai that hes disobeyit … [shall] pay for ilk tyme viij d., failyeand thairof thai to be poyndit for ij s. ilk tyme 1542 Ex. Processes Tenants of Fairnynton v. Hepburn.
The saidis poure tenentis … ar dowbill poindit for the saidis termes maill and hereit thairthrow 1562 Stirling Chart. 209. 1571 Crail B. Ct. MS 22 May.
Ylk persoun ather hawand scheipe nolte or horse within the kyrk ȝarde to be poyndit for viij s. of vnlaw 1581 Glasgow B. Rec. I 89. 1582–3 Perth Kirk S. in Spottiswoode Misc. II 244.
Every one … that is absent from the kirk may be poinded for twenty shillings 1663 Writers Signet 291.
[No officer of the burgh or soldier allowed] to quarter upon or poind any member of the college of justice for stent, cess, etc. 1667 Culross I 338.
Suche persons … to be poyndit or wardit therefor 1694 Corshill Baron Ct. 187.(b) 14.. Acts I 84*/2.
Gif ony be puyndit in Ingland or Scotland for his awin dett, sone ane of Scotland or sone ane of Ingland his poynd sall borow [etc.] 1531 Treas. Acc. VI 54.
To pas to pwynd the shereff off Renfrew and uthirs for restis of the chakkar 1538 Perth Guildry 207 (26 July).
That he be nocht puyndit for ony money that he suld pay to the dene of gild(c) 1605 Inverurie B. Ct. 4 Sept.
Ilk persone that may be sufficientlie prowin salbe poyindit for the sowme off fyiff libis … giff thai be waillȝeand(d) 1673 Corshill Baron Ct. 107.
The absents … fyned in tuentie tuo shilling … ordayned to be poyned for the same(3) 1533 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 104.
To be summond literatorie to the nixt curt and poindit this amerciament 1593 Elgin Rec. II 33.
The fischar vyues to be poyndit of a doussand haddokis 1608 Inverurie B. Ct. 13 June.
Ilk persone conwict to be poyindit of fourtie s. 1670 Kingarth Par. Rec. 58.
Gabriel Waker to puind John Glasse and Finlay McFie for ther disobedience in 20 s. Scots the peicb. (1) 1505 Douglas Chart. MS (Reg. H.) VIII 9 (13 Nov.).
The sovme of ten pundis quhilkis he allegis that John Lorde Drummonde poindit his gudis for a 1516 Crawford Mun. Invent. I 54.
Maukyne Deuchir … poindet … nolt … scheip and xx horse and meyris extending to twa yeris proffitis of the saidis landis and tharthrou hareit the pure tennentis of the grund 1572 Reg. Privy C. II 166.
He causit poynd and appryise twa mearis … extending to xx li. c1575 Balfour Pract. 41, 390. 1576 Orkney Oppress. 54.
Poyind 1586 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 57.
It salbe lesum to him … to poind the horse and corneis at his … awin handis 1591 Bk. Old Edinb. C. XXXI 175.
That he had … lauchfully comprysit the guids … poyndit be him fra John Dundas … and the maist that was bidden [etc.] 1599 Aberd. B. Rec. II 202.
[£20] for satisfactioun of certane Frenshe blak poyndit from her 1601 Sciennes Conv. 60 n. 1666 Corshill Baron Ct. 72.
In … pryseing of any thing poyndit within the lairdshipe 1670 Murray Lyon Hist. Lodge Edinb. 423.
The foresaid maister … has full power to cause his officer to poynd his work loomes 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xxxi 1 (1699) 155.
That no sheriff or officer shall poynd or destreinȝie the oxen [etc.] … pertaining to the plough … the time of the labouring of the same, where any other goods or lands are to be apprysed or poynded Ib. 4 (1678) 313. 1691 Stitchill Baron Ct. 106.
In taking violently from him certain poynds legally poynded be him(b) 1522–3 Old Dundee II 28.
[The deacon] puindit twa spulis and four shillings belonging to Rob Nicholson(2) 1526 Reg. Soltre 96.
The officiaris … to pas termelie, poynd and distrenyhe the said thesauraris rediest gudis for payment of the said tene pund 1572 Aberd. B. Rec. II 9.
The reddiest of the geir and guidis of thame that ar restand on payit the samyn and refuissis and dissobeyis to be poyndit and comprysit thairfoir 1668 Glasgow Chart. II 139.(3) 1513 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 24.
All thir articles … under the payne of ii s. to be poyndit and payit one Setterdaye at ewyn of the falyearis 1621 Misc. Spald. C. V 222.
The said Jon sall poynd for ewere man, womane, hors or nolt that is apprehendit within the said dyks, iij sh.c. 1511–12 Treas. Acc. IV 333.
Johne Adamsone, messingeir, to pas with lettrez to poynd for byrun maillez of recognist landis 1512 Ib. 355. 1518 Edinb. B. Rec. I 183. 1536 Ib. II 79.
That the dekyn sall haue power to poynd for the preistis meit 1545 Reg. Paisley App. 6. c 1554 Misc. Bann. C. II 27.
That no persone tak or poind within the landis pertening to the said abbay 1558–9 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 159.
Thairon this inconuenient suld cum that upone ony mannis allegeance … [men] mycht poynd at thar awin hand 1567 (c 1650) Dundee B. Laws 34.
It is statut … the officers poynd of any debt decrettit incontinent efter the decreeting 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 152.
Pvrveyours … to the king … that they poynd mair aboundantly then they haue command to doe, and … gather to them self singular profit 1625 Linlithgow B. Rec. 28 Jan.
The thesaurer to caus poynd for the rest of the annualis adebtit to Saint John the Baptist ?a1640 Copie of a Baron's Court 17.
[Chamberlain:] I poind, arrest, remove, And all I do is for the laird's behoove 1662 Decis. Lords G. 26.
The young lady, when she came to poind, she was always debarred by the old lady 1662 J. Livingstone Sel. Biog. I 205.
Let them drive and poynd and [etc.] 1699 Cramond Kirk S. IV 13 Nov.
Not to suffer the land lords … to poynd or arreist in the thesaurer's hand for the mailles of the poores dwelling houses(b) 1495 Bk. Carlaverock II 450.
And for thaim for to puuynd and distrenȝe in forme of law geve nede be 1528 Red Bk. Menteith II 386.
Pvynd 1532 Aberd. B. Rec. I 146.
Puind 1542 Fraser P. 181.
Pwynd a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 903.
Ye may puind for debt, but not for unkindnesse(c) 1542 Fraser P. 182.
Poyne 1584 Acts III 329/2.
Or ellis that the schireffis … poyn and distrenȝie thairfoir

d. To seize by legal authority the goods on (certain lands or ground) (for a fine, due or debt).On the poinding of the goods of the tenants of an estate for the landlord's debts, see ‘Poinding of the ground’, Stair Inst. iv xxiii, esp. §1, §2 and §4.For numerous other refs. f. 1612, see Morison Dict. Decis., s.v. Poinding of the Ground, 10543 ff. 1465 Buccleuch Mun. II 67.
Sal nocht … vptak na malis … of the said landis … nor poind nor distrenȝe thaim … for ony payment [etc.] 1486 Stirlings of Keir 256.
Myn and thair landis and guddis … to be puyndit thair foir, led and away hede 1527 Carnwath Baron Ct. MS 26 b.
Ellis he sall haif fredome to pwind the said landis 1558 Inverness Rec. I 28.
Ordanis thair officaris to puynd the viccar mans for the kingis malis 1638 Aboyne Rec. 282.
It sall be lesume to us … to poynd and distrengȝie the ground of the saids lands

e. With multiple object. 1553 Reg. Privy C. I 146.
That lettres be direct to poynd and distrenye thame conjunctlie and severallie, thair landis and gudis, for the said sowme yeirlie 1569 Ib. II 17.

3. transf. To seize booty, to plunder. absol.Cf. also Poind n. 2, Pund n.² 1 b and Pound n.² 1 b. c1420 Wynt. viii 6960.
The trwys he pressyd hym fast till hald, The qwhethir offt ryot wald thai ma To pryk and poynd [W. and tak poyndis] bathe to and fra