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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Ta, adj. Also: taa, tay, tae. [ME and e.m.E. ta (a1340), to (Manning), taa (1400-50), shortened form of tan from which is derived Tan(e pron. (adj.).]

1. With def. art.: The one (of two). Chiefly, in opposition to the tother (other). 1375 Barb. iv 306 (C).
That bargane come to sic ending, That the ta part dissauit was 1398 Fœdera VIII 54.
Fredome to follow thair gudis … with honde and horne, out of the ta reaume in the tother 1424 Lanark & R. 282.
The quhilk ourman sal be takyn a tym of the ta burch, ane uther tym of the tother 1451 Acts II 40/1.
Ane new penny … with the prent of the lyon on the ta side & the ymage of Sanct Andro on the tother side 1456 Hay I 25/28.
Sanct John … sawe ane egill fleand throu the ayre cryand in the ta half of the hevin, Sorow, sorow, sorowe c1475 Wall. vi 468.
[He] couth weyll luk and wynk with the ta e 1485 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 137.
Quhat cost that beis maid … bath the said lordis sal pay elyke the tane the ta half and the tothyr the tothyr halffe c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 64/9.
So as the ta lufe vaxis auld The tothir dois incres moir kene 1513 Doug. x vii 176.
Pallas on the ta part Inforcis hym to greif hys fays that tyde; Lawsus resistis on that othir syde [L. hinc Pallas … hinc contra Lausus] 1531 Bell. Boece I xxxii.
Ros … circulit, baith on the ta syde and the tothir, with the occeane 1531 Bell. Boece II 469.
xxx of the principall men of the ta clan sal cum, with othir xxx of the tothir clan 1563 Dumfries B. Ct. 191a.
[She] is … chargit to pay … the ta half … at the xxiiij day of July and the vthir half at the first day of August

2. specif. In legal and official documents, with part (Part n. 10). a. Referring to the two parties involved in an agreement, etc. in the phrase on (apone, of) the (that) ta part … on (of) the (that) tothir (other) part, on the one hand … on the other hand. Also, more rarely, with partie (Partie n. 9 a). Once, referring to three parties in a dispute. b. Referring to the boundaries of a piece of land. Also with syd.a. (1) 1385 Rot. Sc. II 73/1.
This endenture … betwix … Henry Percy Erle of Northumbr' of the ta part and Archibald of Douglas Lord of Galway on the tothir parte 1389 Cart. Cambuskenneth 259.
All actionis betuene the abbot of Cambuskynneth of the ta part and William of Fentoune … of the tothir part 1399 Aberd. B. Rec. I 377.
This is the cunand made betwex the comownys of Aberden on the ta part and Jon Lambynton and Crawfurd, mason, on the tother part 1418–19 Liber Melros 502.
David abbot … of Melros and hys convent on the ta part And Nychole of Wedale … on the tother part 1427 Melville Chart. 245.
Schire Johne of the Wemys … apone the ta part, ande Johne Malvyle … on the tothire part 1429 Cal. Doc. IV 404.
Commissaris til ane excellent and mychti prince James … kyng of Scottis, on the ta perti, and … commissaris til ane excellent and mychti prince Henrie … king of Ingland … on the tothir perti 1440 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 192.
Taa 1454–5 Irons Leith I App. 569.
It is accordit betuiz honorable and worthy men the prouest balyies counsale and communite of the burgh of Edynburgh on the ta parte, and Sir James Logane knycht the inhabitantis and induellaris the toune of Leith on the tothir parte 1457 Aberd. B. Rec. MS V i 319 (19 Nov.).
The actoune movit betuex Janet Quhit on that ta part & John Walkar & John Walkar on that other pert 1469 Oliphants 14.
Tay 1474 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II 331.
It is appontit … betuixt Dauid Menȝes, elder on the ta part, and Sir Andro Wryt, maister of the kirk wark of Aberdene, on that vyther part [etc.] 1512 Wigtown B. Ct. 6b.
Andro Mur one the tapart & Thom Mak Kneys on the todirpart 1526–7 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 84.
[The arbiters] ar Jhone of Murray and James Wilkesone in the ta part, for Pait, and Schir Jhone Michelhill and Roben Trumbull in the tother part, for George(2) 1628 Dumbarton B. Rec. 29.
Anent the tumult maid on the fourth of this instant betuix Johne Denie, wabstar on the tae pairt, and Robert Blakburne, wabstar, on the uthir point, and Johne Gib, tailyeir, on the third pairt, it is fand that [etc.]b. 1434 Ayr B. Ct. p. 45 (8 Sept.).
The wod yat of Are in the owyr end of the town be twen the common wenel on the ta part & the tenement of Gilbert Barchar on the tothir part 1439–40 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 239.
My lande … lyande … betwix the lande of Johnne Henryson … on the south syde on the ta part and the comon vay of the Owerkyrkgat on the northe syde on the tother part 1469–70 Ayr B. Ct.111a (12 Feb.).
Betuext the tennement of the oure loft on the ta part & the tennement of Jone Weston on the todir part 1470 Prestwick B. Rec. 9.
A rode of land … betuix the landis of Andro Walcaris on the ta part, and Will Symsounis on the tiddir sid 1493 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 582.
This indenture … beris wytnes … that it is finaly endit betuex twa parteis that is to say an worchepful man … of the ferme on the ta part and the cominete of Ruglen on the todir part that [etc.] 1515 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 32.
Ane reig of land … liand … betuix the landis of the Erll of Angus one the ta part, and the Gaillerland upone the tother part 1515 Wigtown B. Ct. 46a.
His akyr liand be tuix Finlo Mc Blanis [akyr] on the tay part & Patoun Mc Catheis on the tudir syd