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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Mutto(u)n, Moto(u)n, Mouto(u)n, n. Also: mutto(u)ne, -ownn, -un, muto(u)n(e, -own, mwt(t)on(e, -(o)un(e, motone, motto(u)n(e; moutto(u)n(e, mowt(t)o(u)n(e, mowtyne; multoun. [ME. and e.m.E. motoun (c 1290), -on (14–15th c.), -en(e (c 1420), motton (Skelton), mutton (c 1450), moltoun (14–15th c.), OF. moton, rarely molton (F. mouton).]

1. Mutton, the flesh of the sheep as a food.For several further examples, see Beif n., Fleschour n. (c).(a) 14.. Burgh Laws c. 55 (A).
Gud flesch of beff bacoune or mutone 1444 Aberd. B. Rec. I. ii.
That naman fleschehowar … sell mutoune derrar than the bouke for ij s. viij d. 1456 Hay II. 137/16. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 241 (M).
Myche [B. Mauch] muttoun, byt buttoun, peild gluttoun, ayr to Hillous 1548 Stirling B. Rec. I. 52. 1548–9 Corr. M. Lorraine 287. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5494.
Mony for muttoun and for beif into mirknes Is hangit … for gredynes a1578 Pitsc. I. 337/4.
Muttun 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 142.
A schowder of muttoun 1604 Dundonald Par. Rec. 66.
Ane peis of raw muttownn 1613 Conv. Burghs II. 428.
Mutton sodden and rostit a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 726.
He loves mutton wel that likked quhair the yow lay 1621 Black Bk. Taymouth 313.
Of reistit mwttone 1621 Maxwell Mem. I. 331.
Of muttone 1626 Glasg. Univ. Mun. 524.
In muttoune twa portiounis 1665 Old Ross-shire I. 152.
Ane jeikat of muttoun 1669 Rothesay B. Rec. 166.
For a leg muttoune 1671 Melrose Reg. Rec. II. 289.
Mutone 1698 Marchmont P. 183.
Hotch potch of mutton(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxv. 114.
Sancte Julyane … In til his tyme wes na glotone, Na wont wes nocht to ete motone 1537 Treas. Acc. VI. 464.
To by beiff and motoun to the Kingis schippis 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest. 25.
Sic as … kid, mottoun, cunning(c) 1517 Wigtown B. Ct. 70 a.
The price of a quarter of mowtoun 1550 Reg. Privy C. I. 107.
The best moutoun for ix s. 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 7.
Half ane quartar of mouton … amang thayme 1591 Thanes of Cawdor 203.
For your dischone … biff, mowtoun, soddin and rostit keponis(d) 1572 Elgin Rec. I. 131.
In compleit payment of ane syd of beiff, ane quarter of multoun

b. The carcases of sheep, collectively.See also Beif n. 1, Blaw v. 6 b (2), Bouk n.¹ 1, Carcage n. 1 and Lat v.¹ 10 e (3) for further examples. 1444 Aberd. B. Rec. I. ii.
That na fleshowar … tak oute of onye mutone the neris … under payne of eschete of the mutoune to the balyhes 1456 Hay II. 137/13.
Calf flesche, mutoun geldit ȝong and elder a1570-86 Dunb. in Maitl. F. xxxii. 43.
The fleschour sweiris … Na fattar mottoune can nocht be 1540–1 Elgin Rec. I. 58.
For the bying of slayne motone vpon the skamillis of this brucht 1551 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 161.
That na maner of flescheouris … cut nor slit ony mwtun 1552 Crail B. Ct. MS. 17 Oct.
Gyf ony … fleyscheris breykis beyf or mowtyne 1605 Glasgow Merchants House 97.
Muttoune 1616 Elgin Rec. II. 148.
For slaying muttoun on the saboth day 1630 Dumbarton B. Rec. 34.
Muttoun 1631 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 37.
Muttone

2. a. A sheep intended for slaughter. b. The carcase of a sheep.sing. 14.. Acts I. 387/2.
For ilk plant … he sall gif to thé … a mutone c1500 Fyve Bestes 380.
In all this land thare is no schepe to get Within ten myle a mutone to ȝour meit 1521 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 63.
Wnder the pane of the carkatht of ilk beiff xii d. and iii d. of ilk motoun 1544 Argyll Rentals 11 June.
j motone 1549 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 441.
Payand … half ane mutown ane capoun [etc.] 1551 Dundee B. Laws 12. a1568 Scott xxx. 32.
Quha bene with beistly lust abusit, I hald him bot ane muttoun 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 135.
Ane man taken with reid hand with ane sheip or muton or with ane calfe 1691 Argyll Justic. Rec. I. 130.
Mutton was found in ane barrell … with ane skin of ane mutton declared be him to be the skinn of the same muttonuninfl. plur. 1497 Treas. Acc. I. 344.
xxiij mowtoune 1512 Household Bk. Jas. IV 1 a.
Coft ix mottoun pryce xxx s. & spendit ii mottoun ii quarteris 1512–13 Treas. Acc. IV. 464.
To the said schip callit the James … ij mowtoun 1513 Ib. 486.
vj moton 1537 Exch. R. XVII. 611.
Twa mutoun twa geis 1538 Treas. Acc. VIII. 158. 1593–4 Exch. R. XXII. 363.
8 mutoun half mutoun 1600 Acts IV. 241/2.
Yeirlie … fyftie four mutton fyve martispossess. 1581-1623 James VI Poems I. 123/81.
A tambour couured with a simple muttunis skinn [v.r. muttons skinne] Doth birst … at the sounde … Of bloodie rauening uolfis skinnplur. 1520 Fife Sheriff Ct. 191.
Thomas Scott … askand the said muttonis 1531 Reg. Privy S. I. 107/1.
Twa martis and tua mottonis 1561 Hist. Pluscardyn 256.
Of custum muttones kyddis nor pultries ?1549 Monro W. Isles 17.
In maill & reistit muttonis 1603 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 673/1.
Purveior of beifs, muttons, veales and lames 1638 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 441.
Muttons 1649 Sc. Lore I. 274.
Muttounes

3. a. Attrib. and comb.Muttoun-dryver, one who drives off sheep, a sheep-stealer. Muttoun-mairt, -scheip, = sense 2 above. Muttone-silvir, money paid in lieu of sheep. Muttoun-skin, a sheep skin; also muttoun schammes (= chamois) skyn. Also with bag, mercat, pryce, and in Mutto(u)n-bouk.(1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 246 (M).
Muttoun dryver garnale ryvear ȝad swyvear foull [fell thé](2) 1520 Fife Sheriff Ct. 191.
Dauid Anderson … producit witht twa muttone scheip the said Dauid grantit the sammyn lauchfull 1619 Argyll Rentals I. .
2 muttoun mairtis 4 pultrie 1 fed veill 1 wedder scheip(3) 1543 Exch. R. XVIII. 5.
Et de £5/8/9 pro lie muttone silvir de terminis compoti(4) 1568 Edinb. Test. I. 214 b.
Foure mottoun skynnes … aucht s. 1577 Ib. V. 177 b.
Of blak muttoun skynnis xviij price of the pece ij s. — 1574 Ib. III. 177.
Sex muttoun schammes skynnis prisit to xviij s.(5) 1586 Edinb. Test. XV. 142 b.
Four muttoun baggis price of the peice vj s. viij d. 1674 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 1 July.
Aught shilling for borrowt money and mutton pryce 1684 Edinb. B. Rec. XI. 101.
The new muttone mercate called the land mercate

b. Of gloves: (Made of) sheepskin. Also attrib. 1575 Edinb. Test. III. 362.
xxiij pairis singill scheverane gluiffis for men of muttoun price of the pair ij s. Ib. 365.
Doubill glufis of muttoun for men price of the dosane iij frankis vi s.attrib. 1575 Edinb. Test. III. 362.
Muttoun gluiffis pasmentit lynit with satyne & taffeteis price of the pair iij s.