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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Ferd(e, Feird(e, a. and n. Also: feyrde, fird(e, fyrd, faird, fayrd, feard. [Northern ME. feird, ferd(e, var. of ferðe, ONhb, féarða, OE. féorða.]

1. Fourth in order of number.(a) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 257.
Bot Gad, the ferde day, rase fra ded Ib. xxv. 494.
Of the ferde Iulyane … I sal tel c1420 Wynt. ii. 870.
The Scottis cummyn were … in the ferde eylde in Yrland 1456 Hay I. 18/33.
Sanct Mertyn, ferde pape of that name Ib. 21/1.
Here folowis the visioun of the ferde angel 1471 Acta Aud. 16/2.
The ferde day of October 1501 Dunferm. B. Rec. 116.
The sade Thomas wes amerciat for his nonentra to this covrt as to the ferde court 1533 Boece i. viii. 52.
The ferde moneth thar eftir [thai] to Ergile returnit 1545 Stirling B. Rec. I. 41.
[The council] hes admittit … Archbald Spittale to be adjonit to be ferde bailyie(b) 1375 Barb. xi. 330.
The ferd battale the nobill kyng Tuk till hym self a1400 Leg. S. v. 16.
The ferd prewilege mycht be, That [etc.] 14.. Acts I. 324/2.
The ferd tyme thai bondis … aw to be presonnyt c1420 Wynt. v. 3276.
He wes … in the ferd gre fra Conane Ib. viii. 671.
Off the Bybill the ferd buke Thai kest wp 1450 Peebles B. Rec. 15.
The ferd mes sal be of the Cors 1456 Hay I. 286/18.
The ferd doctrine … and reugle of bataill in barrieris 1477 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 35.
Andro Ettale, the ferd clerc, sal hafe the Gaistraw 1507 Edinb. Chart. 191.
To begyn yeirlie the said Alhalow fair vpoun the ferd day of … Nouember 1529 Bk. Carlaverock II. 2.
Scho hes optenit our lettres on ȝou in the ferd forme 1545 Elgin Rec. I. 82.
Johane Murray … presentit the samyn in jugement, … and this as the ferd Court 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 86.
He … hard Mr. Alexander speik the wordis specified in the ferd artikyll 1598 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 234.
The hie seige to be exemenit be the ferd regent of the college a1650 Row 127.
The ferd acte condemned the Presbiterie c 1655 Mure II. 242/5.
In the thride or ferd generacioun(c) 1400 Red Bk. Menteith I. 170.
I am bot the feirde degre of kyn tyll yhow 1483 Acts II. 165/2.
As tueching the feird article, considdering the greit tresoun [etc.] 1490 Foulis Chart. MS. (Reg. H.).
The feyrde day of movne of Desember 1529 M. Works Acc. I. 10.
The feird [is the lock] to the carthors stable 1549 Compl. 11/28.
He chesit the face of ane, … the hayr of the feyrd 1562 Digest Justiciary Proc. D. 39.
Fryday the feird day of September 1596 Edinb. Test. XXIX. 208.
I leif the best [ring] to my eldest dochter … and the feird to my feird dochter 1619 Garden Elphinstoun 1397.
The thrid and feird King Iames(d) a1400 Leg. S. i. 292.
Of Claudij the firde ȝere Ib. vi. 415.
The fyrd [stage] is … Ve suld eschew auarice(e) 1588 King Cat. G. vij.
Ane day … was addit to the faird yere in the moneth of Februar

b. The ferd, added to the names of kings or popes. 1456 Hay I. 24/36.
Rycht sa did Henry the ferde c1515 Asl. MS. I. 270/6.
Iames the ferd was crovned at Scone on Sanct Ihon the baptistis day 1515 Fife Sheriff Ct. 9.
Ane lettir of exempcioune of … king James the feird 1533 Boece vii. iii. 224 b.
Pape Eugenius the ferde a1578 Pitsc. II. 182/9.
Eftir the deid of King James the fird of Scotland 1589 Exch. R. XXII. 39.
King James the ferd of noble memorie

2. ellipt. a. The fourth day. 1528 Douglas Corr. 137.
Apone Weddynnisday, the ferde of November, the king removit to Edinbrught 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 282.
Ane precept datit the feird of September 1554 1570 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 651/2.
The fayrd of Marche … the feyrd of Apryill 1589 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 130.
As the said act of the dait the ferd instant beris 1600-1610 Melvill 691.
This feard of Marche, 1607

b. The fourth degree of kinship. 1618 Elgin Rec. I. 235.
It wes objectit aganis William Torrie that he stood within feird and fourtis of kin to the persevair

3. Ferd part, a fourth part of a divided thing. 1375 Barb. ix. 593.
Gif thai fled, thai vist that thai Suld nocht weill ferd part get away 1483 Acta Conc. II. p. ciii.
The tak of the ferd part of the said kirk of Drumane 1488 Acta Aud. 125/1.
The ferde parte of the said landis 1535 Stewart 20585.
The ferd part ȝeirlie of thair gude … To procuratouris of Cesaris gart thame pa 1593 Edin. B. Rec. V. 84.
The said collectouris to have ane feard part, the Toune ane uther ferd part, as the Kings grace hes the uther twa ferd parts

4. a. The ferde corne, in estimates of the value of grain for sowing. (See Corn n. 3.) 1490 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 248.
Extending to … xx bollis of bere estymeit to the ferde corne 1503 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 74.
That ilk place will gif the thrid querne of ats and the ferd querne of beir 1595 Melville Chart. 137.
Tuentie four bollis quheit, estimat to the feird corne

b. The ferd penny, one in every four. 1507 Rec. Earld. Orkney 80.
As for the thenne penny and the ferd giffin till Helene Ness 1559 Maxwell Old Dundee 50.
[Making a deduction] of the feird penny [from the annuals payable to his benefice] 1593 Edin. B. Rec. V. 78.
Understanding that the said land was brunt … thai remitt the ferd penny thairof

c. Ferd pek, a measure containing the fourth part of a peck. 1595 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 173.
That thai bring … all thair firlottis, pekis, half pekis, and ferd pekis to the tolbuyth to be missourit

5. n. One in the fourth degree of kinship. 1562 Inverness B. Rec. I. 79.
He and Margret Waus ar feyrdis of consanguinitie