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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Burch, Burgh, n. Also: burche, bwrch, bwrgh, burgch, burcgh; bowrch, bourghe, bowrgh; burcht, bwrcht; burght, bwrght. [ME. burgh(e, burȝ, early ME. burch, burh, OE. burh, burᵹ. The early plural type *burȝes is represented by Burrowis, Bourowis, and Borowis². Transposition of r also gives the variants Bruch, Brouch, and Broch n.²The common form with excrescent t is freq. written bur^t, sometimes erroneously expanded as burtht.]

1. A borough; a town.Early examples occur in place-names, as Rokesburgh (1120), Edenesburg (1125), Dryburgh (c 1150).(a) 1375 Barb. iv. 213.
I was nouthir wis not sle Till othir burchis kepe to ta 1402 Dundee Chart. No. 22.
The burch of Perth 1411 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 45.
The commone seile of Are burch 1416 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 247 a.
Wythin the burch of Irwyn c1420 Wynt. vi. 917.
To pas in pylgrimage To the bwrch of Jerusalem 1425 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 97.
On the sovth side of the bvrne of the saide burch 1439 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 239.
Within the said burch of Aberden 1506 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 110.
For the commoun proffeitt and honesty of this burch 1574 Conv. Burghs I. 30.
Ane man having bis remanyng within the said burch(b) 1393 Charter Thos. Dunbar MS. (Reg. H.).
Tyl the aldirmen [and] the baylis of our burgh of Elgyne 1402 Dundee Chart. No. 22.
The burges of the burgh of Dunde ? 1423 Edinb. Chart. 213.
Wretyn at yhur burgh of Edynburgh 1441 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 6.
Diuerse of the merchandes of this burgh 1455 Edinb. Chart. 79.
The Prouost, … and Communite of the Burgh of Edynburgh 1456 Peebles B. Rec. 113.
The curt of the burgch of Peblis 1462 Ib. 147.
Other within the burcgh or outtoutht 1478 Acta Aud. 83/2.
Vnsuspect personis within the said burgh and of vther burowis nixt about 1493 Acta Conc. 287/1.
The fredomez and priuilegis of the said burghe c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 181.
The brichtest that in the burgh duellis 1513 Doug. i. x. 30.
In Cartage, Quhilk is the burgh of Juno Ib. viii. vi. 2.
The first founder of Romys burgh 1536 Maxwell Mem. I. 279.
Our burgch of Edinburgh 1553 Lanark B. Rec. 25.
Johne Mowat, ane of the bailȝes of the burgh 1581 Reg. Privy C. III. 436.
He hes … kepit the said burgh, undeparting as ȝit thairfra 1587 Ib. IV. 195.
The Senatouris to remane undepairting oute of the burgh 1594 Acts IV. 71/1.
That the provest and baillies of ilk burgh sall … tak summar cognitioun of the estait of the landis, housis or tenementis within the burgh(c) 14.. Acts I. 360/2.
His land … within the kingis burcht 1471 Ayr Chart. 36.
The burgessis and induellaris of oure said burcht 1480 Rec. Earld. Orkney 332.
Sic other houses in the said burcht 1504 Reg. Cupar A. I. 256.
Twa akaris of our burcht of Kethik c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 201.
Thow held the burcht lang with ane borrowit goun 1535 Acts II. 346/1.
Quhat artalȝerie … ilk burcht may perfurnes 1567 Ann. Banff II. 383.
To the wtilitie and commond weill of the said burcht 1594 Liber Dryburgh 321.
The commoun mett of the burcht of Iedburcht 1603 Fam. Rose 293.
Our burcht of Edinburcht(d) 1529 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 395.
Owre … lordis legis makand resort … to owre said burght 1542 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 181.
Ane commoune … passage within the said burght 1552 Reg. Cupar A. II. 101.
Certane acris … of our burght of Keiththik 1575 Mun. Univ. Glasg. I. 94.
Bailliȝeis of the burght of Ruthirglen a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxviii. 15.
We haif na change within our burght 1597 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 155.
The wreitting hous for the clerk of this burght 1616–7 Misc. Spald. C. V. 96.
Archibald Armstrong, … quha come to this burght with the Inglische knycbtis(e) Brus iv. 203.]
[Bowrch-in-the-sand Men callis this toune 1498 Dunferm. B. Rec. 329.
The bailyeis off the bowrgh off Downfyrmyllyn 1557 Irvine Mun. II. 10.
It was ane our precious jowal … to turs betuex bourghes 1618 Acts IV. 588/2.
To convein … within the heade bourgh of the … shyre

2. Without article: Town (esp. as opposed to country). 14.. Acts I. 23/2.
Of a thryll at cummys to burgh 1504 Reg. Cupar A. I. 256.
With al fredomes and priuileges of burcht and baronry 1531 Glasgow Prot. IV. 29.
As wse of bwrcht is 1553 Prestwick B. Rec. 62.
As ws & lach of burch is a1578 Pitsc. II. 321/19.
Thair vas vapinschawing … bayth of burghe and land

b. In or within burch, to burch, or without prep. , freq. with and (or) land.(1) 1432 Acts II. 21/2.
Quhar that ony man barganis outhir in burgh or on lande Ib. 29/2.
Of the chalange of lande wythin burgh c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxvi. 23.
In hall and bour, in burgh and plane c1515 Asl. MS. I. 242/14.
All maner of man … baith in burgh & land 1535 Acts II. 344/2.
Thai beand requirit tharto be the … provest or alderman in burcht c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2280.
In euery kirk and queir … in burgh and land 1574 Conv. Burghs I. 25.
Merchantis … haifand thair remanyng … within burgh 1584 St. A. Baxter Bks. 37.
Ather in burcht or land 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 145 b.
Watching within burgh 1640-1 Kirkcudbright Min. Bk. 53.
Any heritor within or without burgh(2) 1533 Bell. Livy I. 202/16.
To the daly terroure … of pepill, als wele to burgh as land 1546 Treas. Acc. IX. 40.
Substancious yemen, baith to burghe and to lande 1549 Compl. 124/4.
Lauberaris to burcht & land and be see burd 1568 Lyndsay Pref. .
Idolateris draw neir to burgh and land 1594 Acts IV. 71/1.
The actis … concerning the vphalding of landis gevin in coniunct infeftment, alsweill to burgh as land 1656 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 163.
Fleshers … alswell to burghe as landwart(3) a1578 Pitsc. I. 202/23.
All maner of man … as weill burcht as land 1590 St. A. Kirk S. 662.
This holl congregatioun alsueill burch as land

3. An enclosed space. c1420 Wynt. iv. 77.
He maid a burche [C. burghe, W. bowrgis] rownd … Wytht-in the towne till oys thare plays