Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Pund, n.¹ Also: punde, pwnde; pun; puind. [ME and pund(e, not recorded in OED after Rolle, OE pund (pl. pund), WGmc. stem *pundo pound weight, OFris., ON pund, MLG punt, etc., L. pondo (indeclin.) a pound (weight), orig. instr. abl. of *pondus, -um, = pondus, -eris weight, put for libra pondo pound weight. Cf. Pond n., Pound n.¹] A pound.Also, esp. in sense 3, denoted by li. or lib. or lb., abbreviations of L. libra.Freq. pl. without inflexion (in all main senses), and freq. with postposition of a specifying term, as pund trois, pund Scottis, etc.

I. 1. A measure of weight.Varying in absolute weight and in equivalent in ounces according to the system of measurement, the date, the locality and the commodity: see esp. R. E. Zupko ‘The weights and measures of Scotland before the Union’, Sc. Hist. Rev. LVI 134–6, and s.v. Trone and Troyis, and Stane, Unce and Waw, qq.v. also for further examples (also of Pond and Pound).See also Lispund and schip-pund.Pund tro(y)is, trois pund, a pound Troy: see Troyis.(1) 14.. Acts I 309/2.
The pund [L. libra] in King Dauidis dayis weyit xxv schillingis. Now the pund aw to wey in siluer xxvi schillingis and iij sterling penijs … Item the pund sould wey xv vncis 1425 Ib. II 10/2.
That there be maid a stane for gudis saulde & bocht be wecht the quhilk sall wey xv lele troyis pundis ande at the stane be diuidyt in xvj lele Scottis pundis 1491 Ib. 226/2.
[Former statutes concerning measures to be observed] and specialy of wechtis alswele of wax as spice and xvj vnce in the pund 1587 Ib. III 521/2.
The stane contening sextene pund trois ilk trois pund contening sextene wnce 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. fol. 1b.
3.m. & 3.c. & 40 myttis is ane pwnde 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Serplath.
Ane stane and twa pund Scottish makis ane lesh pund(2) sing. 1444–5 Peebles Chart. 10.
A pund of wax … to be brynt on Saynt Androis altar 1473 Treas. Acc. I 64. 1496 Ib. 287.
For half a pund of clowis 1501 Ib. II 62.
For i pund of quiksilvir to the samyn goldsmyth Ib.
j pund of Birge threid 1567 Edinb. Test. I 20b.
Ane pund … of knittingis … xviij s. 1627 Linlithgow B. Rec. 17 Aug.
Ane pund of powder and ane pund of leid in bullott — 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 106.
For i pundis [sic] of rossait, viii d.pl. 1456 Misc. Bann. C. III 99.
xl pundis of the bonage grottis [etc.] 1517 Caldwell P. 56.
Twa pundis of clowis 1552 St. A. Baxter Bks. 7.
And hes payt thair pundis of vax 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II 311.
For fyve punds of steill to the quarioursuninfl. pl. 14.. Acts I 305/2.
Of a hundreth pund of threde to mak kellis 1512 Household Bk. Jas. IV 1a.
For ii pund of butter 1583 St. A. Test. II 19b.
Sevin pund of anis heklit lint 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 90.
For xii pund of brinstane, xlviii s. For xii pond of rosen, xxx s. 1633 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II 375. 1639 Aberd. B. Rec. III 150.
For twa pund of pulder, Inglis weycht 1684 Elgin Rec. II 312.(3) 1501 Treas. Acc. II 63.
i pund quhit lede Ib. 130.
For vj pund coppir to him 1504 Ib. 445.
Half ane pund lang piper 1577 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 55.
[4s. 6d.] for ilk pund blew woll litting of xxj li. and half ane pund blew woll … quhilk he littit to him 1581 Elgin Rec. I 159.
Through the insufficiencie of certane pundis vnȝeon seid sauld be the said Patrik 1597 Household Bks. Jas. VI 5 Jan.
Ane pund salt butter 1681 Foulis Acc. Bk. 70.(4) 1500 Edinb. Hammermen 32b.
A paire of new tortas weyand ix pund & a half 1501 Treas. Acc. II 44. 1551 Edinb. B. Rec. II 159.
That thay haue thair wechtis and ballandis … and be reddy to sell the samyn [candle] in pundis [in] houssis and vtith 1567 Old Dundee I 140.
Quha buys the same [butter] in greit sall sell it at the same price, pund or twa pund, as effeirs 1586 Cunȝiehous Acc. 8.
Past the irnis in nobill lyonis [etc.] … vj staines xj pundis x onces 1597 Bk. Rates 6b.
Iuerie bane the pund … xx s. 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 297. 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 47.
Ane yron weycht of twa pund half pund 1661 Edinb. Test. LXX 112b.
Thrie barrell of cutt tobacco … at vj d. half penny and ane bodell the pund 1683 Brechin Test. VII 110.
Ane old clouted caldron weighing sixty pund

b. concr. A pound-weight. 14.. Acts I 12/2.
Thou sal nocht oise syndry wechtis a lesse pund and a mare [L. diversa pondera maius et minus] 1450 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 12.
That all merchands … sell irne [etc.] … be wecht weiyit with the troyne and with na vther … saif allanerlie punds maid beyond se belangand to spycerie 1511 (c 1580) Ib. 133.
That all the saidis nychtbouris … haue thair stane wecht weyand xvj lib. and euerye pund to wey xvj vnce, half stane, quarter stane, and pund efferand thairto 1511–12 Reg. Privy S. I 363/1.
Faltis … anent the using of ony wechtis or mesouris as stane pundis ballancis [etc.] 1647 J. Hope in Cochran-Patrick Coinage I lxxix, lxxx.]
[Compared also with the Deane of Gild's lb weight of Edr. … which I found to be 12 gr. Franch lighter then the said fleure de lyce lb. … but the Deane of Gilds lb was worne-like

2. comb. Pund-wecht, = 1 above. Only in sing. and uninfl. pl. Also pl. as pundis wecht.Cf. also Pund-stane n.(1) 16.. Cochran-Patrick Coinage I lxxxvi.
1 pund w^t Englis is 12 oz 5 d [etc.] 1604 Ib. 283.
For ilk saxtein pund wecht Scottis [of silver] the sowme of fyftein punds Scottis money(2) sing. 1548 Edinb. B. Rec. II 136.
Ilk pund wecht of the best brasin pott [etc.] 1577 Ib. IV 61.
That the candyll makarris … sell the pund wecht of thair candyll … for xvj d. the pund 1604 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I 279.
At the leist ane pund weght of the said small gold callit the thrie pund peices [etc.]uninfl. pl. 1555–6 Edinb. Old Acc. I 196.
vj stane iij pund wecht of carwell nalis 1566 Hay Fleming Q. Mary 500.
Of treid tua pund weicht 1586 Edinb. Test. XV 364b.
Sevin pund weycht of blanket blew woll 1590 Ib. XXII 97b, etc. 1627 Orkney & Shetl. Test. I 170.
Thrie pund weght of lickerous 1679 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt.
For 22 pund weight of ironpl. 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II 305.
For ane stane and xiiij punds wecht of greit irne wark 1572–3 Elgin Rec. I 136.
Thre pundis vecht of grein ȝairn(3) 1590 Edinb. Test. XXI 311.
xxv pund wecht litharge 1617 Ib. L 36b.
Ane hundreth pund weycht lickres, price thairof auchtene pundis 1623 Ib. LI 344b.
l pund wecht lamblak pryce xx lib. 1626 Ib. LIII 242.
Ane pund wecht cantarides pryce xx s. 1634 Ib. LVI 332.
Fowr pund wecht ginnes breid [= braid] at fowr shillingis the pund wecht(4) 1632 Banff Ann. I 67.
To declair … q^t pryces he haid giwin to the litster for the pund wechtis litting 1664 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 208.
That no merchand within this burgh should haue any more pouder in ther booth but tuo pund weicht for the tyme(5) 1512 Treas. Acc. IV 304.
Ȝarne weyand vj^m j^c xij pund wecht 1542 Ib. VIII 130.
For twa pannis … weyand xvj pundwecht, price of the pund iij s. 1549 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II 196.
Pund veycht 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II 311. 1581 Edinb. Test. IX 184b.
Tua pund of luggit pasmentis of silk at x li. the pund wecht 1607 Ib. XLIII 225b, etc. 16.. Hist. Kennedy 11.
Ane peace of gold … off ane pund wechtt or thairby 1628 Edinb. Test. LIV 293b.
xxiiij pund silk laise and gallones at xx li. the pund wecht

b. A pound-weight. = 1 b above.Also 4 lb weight, a four pounds weight.(1) 14.. Acts I 30/2.
Ilke burges may hafe in his hous a mesure to met his corne ane elnewand a stane and punde wecht [L. lapidem et pondus] for til wey 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4062 (Bann.).
Howbeit … ȝour pund wecht twa vncis want 1590 Edinb. Test. XXI 299b.
Ane pair of ballandis and ane pund wecht 1615 Ib. XLVIII 250.
Ane bras pund wecht price tuentie schillingis 1663 Banff Ann. I 148.
His pund weight was fund tuelf drap licht(2) 1647 J. Hope in Cochran-Patrick Coinage I lxxx.
Compared also the Deane of Gilds of Ed^r 4 lb weight with the new 4 lb pyle marked with a fleure de lyce boght [etc.]

II. 3. A money of account (orig. a pound weight of silver) of the value of 20 shillings or 240 pence of the currency specified or assumed; chiefly, the pound Scots, also with specifying term as pund Scottis.Also, chiefly with specifying term, as pund grete, Inglis, sterling etc., a monetary pound in some other system.As Scots money had by the 17th c. depreciated to one twelfth of the value of English money, the pound Scots by then = only 1s. 8d. sterling.

a. Without, b. with, specifying adjective.a. (1) sing. 1389 Reg. Cambuskenneth 260.
The forsaid Robert … for nyting of ilk penny to pay ane pund of siluer 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3774.
And offerit him ane pund of reddy goldpl. c1475 Wall. xi 822.
Wallange … Thre thowsand pundys off fyn gold leit him se 1488 Treas. Acc. I 79.
Item, in vnkennyt gold thretti pundis 1597 Prot. Bk. T. Auchinlek MS 61b.
Thrie meillis bere thrie pundis siluer [etc.]uninfl. pl. 1389 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 17.
ix hunder punde of Inglis gold ?1438 Alex. i 715.
Thow sall haue … Ane hundreth pund of gold c1475 Wall. viii 927.
v thousand pund, all gud gold off Ingland, The ost rasawit(2) 1545 Reg. Privy C. I 19.
Twa hundreith pundis usuall money of this realm 1557 Dunferm. Ann. 199.
George Boswell … is oblissit to pay … ȝeirlye thairfor fourty bollis mele sevin pundes and twelf shillinges monei 1562 Bk. Carlaverock II 480.
The soum of xl pund usuale mony of Scotland 1571 Canongate Ct. Bk. 335.
Thre pundis xvii^s money 1577 Waus Corr. 162.
The soume off thrie pundis vsuall money of this realme for ewerilk boll 1590 Glasgow B. Rec. I 150. 1631 Justiciary Cases I 152.
Uith his haill jowellis siluer work and tuentie thouseand pundis farder of reddie money also pertening to him 1677 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 3 Jan.
To pay to him four pundis ten shilling money(3) sing. a1500 Bk. Chess 1979.
Fer mor werteu it is To kepe a pund than wyn ten pund 1563 Dumfries B. Ct. fol. 237.
The making of ane gelok the price ij s.the making of ane row ane pund a 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlviii 52.
Of breikis, gif ony man seikis, Sall haif the pair ay for a pund 1587 Acts III 447/1.
[To] pay to the saidis lordis tuelf pennies of euerie pund [Hope Major Pract. II 21: of the pund] 1653 Edinb. Test. LXVII 146.
Estimat both to ane pund four shillings 1680 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS 15 April.
To imposse tuelffe pennyes scotts upon ilk pund rentpl. (a) 1482–3 Acta Aud. in Acta Conc. II cxxv.
ix^xx of pundis of the said some 1498 Lanark B. Rec. 10.
The quhilk four pundis 1498 Liber Melros II 621.
Thre pundis of annual 1526 Reg. Panmure II 302.
To the valow and profits of ane thousand pundis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2850 (Ch.).
For we merchants … Hes furneist preists ten hundreth thowsand punds [: boundis] For thair finnance 1542 Treas. Acc. VIII 72. 1546 Aberd. B. Rec. I 234. a1578 Pitsc. I 387/14. 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 802.
Thinking to borrow a hundreth pundis [sic] And oblist him for to be bund To pay 1587 Conv. Burghs
The commissioneris foirsaidis having woittit quhidder of the sowmes of fywe thowsand, sex thowsand markis or fywe thowsand pundis suld be grantit to be lent to the kingis majestie … the haill grantis to the lending of sex thowsand markis Ib. 250.
I 249. The commissioneris foirsaidis … agries to the lenning of four thowsand pundis [marg. iiij^m li] to his grace 1599 Paisley B. Rec. 229.
The saids baillies … hes liquidat the price of the ferme meill … to sevin merks the boll and the boll beir sex punds 1605 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 16. 1610 Conv. Burghs II 305.
The soum of ellevin hundreth markis monye … with ane hundreth punds of liquidat expensis in cais of failȝe 1616 Edinb. Test. XLIX 162b.
At fourtie pundis the peice 1621 Ib. LI 76.
At thrie pundis threttein schillingis four pennies the pund wecht 1655 Stitchill Baron Ct. 2. 1675 Aberd. Council Lett. V 476.
That he wold draw 600 punds on him payable to me on the tounes accompt(b) 1585 Maxwell Mem. II 158.
Quhilk will extend to mair nor fywe hunderith puindis to my pairtuninfl. pl. (a) 1375 Barb. xviii 521 (E).
Ransonyt wes he For twenty thowsand pund to pay 1429 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I 42.
Fourty punde of annuale rent ȝerly 1438 Reg. St. A. 430.
With fourty pund of fee a1500 Rauf C. 757. 1491 Lennox Mun. 143. 1493 Acts II 234/1. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 143.
With bag and belt quhairin was mony pund [pr. pinid; rh. grund, found, round, sound] 1589–90 Edinb. B. Rec. V 14.
Awcht pund twa schillings 1597 Household Bks. Jas. VI 5 Jan.
Aucht pund ellewin schillingis ellewin penneis 1641 Dumbarton B. Rec. 63.
To get in the rest of the thousand pund unpayit 1649 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 781.
Threttie nyne lockes … at sex pund the peice of the great yron lockes and the rest at twentie shillings ilk lock 1667 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 234. 1670 Kelso Baillie Ct. 50.
Ane girdell or purse containing ten pund 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 350.(b) 1679 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 326.
I acclam Margret Lighton … four pun for hous rent and [etc.](4) 1567 G. Ball. 194.
Syne to ȝow we mon offer Pundis and penneis furth of our coffer(5) 1429 Acts II 18/2.
Ilk man that may dispende ȝerly xx lib. or at has j^c lib. in movabil gudis … , And vther sympillare of x lib. of rent or l lib. in gudis 1457 Ib. 50/2.
That na frehaldar that haldis of the king vnder the sovme of xx li be constrenȝeit to cum to parliament [etc.]b. (1) 1459 Perth Guildry 37.
To … pay to Dauid Harlaw als mekil for his pund gret as he payt to William Elder 1474 Acta Aud. 34/1.
That Johne of Bonkle sall … pay to Elin of Carketil the soume of v li. v s. g. & for ilk pund grete sevin nobillis 1490 Acta Conc. I 143/2.
The soume of thre li grete or the avale therof that is to say for ilke pund gret v noblis 1552 Edinb. B. Rec. II 167.
Gif ony of the saidis guidis happynnis to be bocht be fremen of this burgh be the Frank pund greit(2) 1641 Aberd. Council Lett. II 275.
With twentie pund fleymes as for liquidat expensses(3) 1498 Acta Conc. II 258.
The soume of xv^c pundis Inglis(4) c1515 Asl. MS I 267/25.
[David Bruce] xj ȝere in Yngland and than lattin hame for i^c thousand pundis striuling 1577–8 Reg. Privy C. II 670.
I … have ressavit … the sowme of ane thowsand markis … as for the just liquidatioun and pryce of the sowme of twa hundrith pund sterling a1578 Pitsc. I 154/20.
The leist of the thrie cost ten thousand pund sterling 1586 Reg. Morton I 147.
[In a letter from London:] That ȝe wilbe sa gud as to len Mr. James off Carmichell the sum of tuyntie foure pundis sterlin 1610 Crim. Trials III 106.
Haveing foirgadderit … with ane carvall of Ȝermouth … robit … fra the said Mr. Muriall tuentie-fyve pund striviling 1659 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 183.
Notwithstanding the making vp of the said fort did stand the Inglishes about aucht hundreth pund sterlin(5) 1508 Orkney Rentals i 80.
Now all the scattis and land male of the said xiij d. terre in William Sinclairis handis for thre pundis Scottis 1508 Rentale Dunkeld. (S.H.S.) 3.
The ducait maid for xviii s. and the pund greit for thre pundis Scottis 1604 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I 283.
The sowme of twentie ane pund ten schillingis aucht penneyis Scottis money 1649 Acts VI ii 383/2.
The said Johne Watt to pay to the kirk sessioune of Borrowstounes … ane hundreth punds Scots 1681 Blackness Customs 37b.
Valu nyne pund ten shillings Scotts 1682 Musselburgh 32.
The pryce of … sufficient wheat … to be seven pund Scottes(b) 1692 Argaty Baron Ct. 25 Nov.
Wnder the paine of tuentie puinds Scotts

c. Pundis worth (of land), = the worth of one pound in rent. = Pund-land n. (Cf. Markis worth n.) d. Pund … land, ellipt. for Pund-land n.c. 1484 Lennox Mun. 125.
Fourti pundis worth of oure landis … to be broikit and joisit be him 1501 Marriage Indenture in Argyll Mun. MS 27 March.
Ane hundretht pundiswortht of land of ald extent within the saidis lordschippis of Lorne and Ergiled. 1651 Retours I Inq. Spec. Ayr (449).
Johne Reid of Daldilling … in the 4 pund 5 shilling 1 pennie land of Daldilling of auld extent

e. comb. in thre, four etc. pund pece, designating a coin of the value stated.See also Pound n.¹ 3 b. 1570 Canongate Ct. Bk. 274 (see Pece n. 21 b).
Thre pund pece 1591 Acts III 527/1.
That the pece of gold cunȝeit within this realme for xliiij s. sall now gif four pund, … the four pund pece with the kingis face four pund ten schillingis 1604 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I 279 (see 2 (2) sing. above).