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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Regratar, -o(u)r, -er, n. Also: ra- and -gratt-, -grait(t)-; -gret-, -greit-, -great- and -air, -ir, -ur. [ME and e.m.E. regrater (Piers Plowman), AF regrater, OF regratier (1180 in Larousse) f. regrater Regrat(e v.²] One who buys (a commodity, merchandise) to resell for profit, a middleman; freq. in pejorative use.(1) 14.. Burgh Laws c. 77 (B).
Regrataris that byis and sellis to wyn sal nocht by ony thyng befor the thryd oure 14.. Acts I 335/2.
Of regrataris [L. De regratariis calumpniandis] … thai by gudis befor the lauchfull hour … thai by vtouth burgh forstallande … thai oyse fals mesuris 1507 Reg. Privy S. I 228/1. 1538 Treas. Acc. VI 439.
To mak oppin proclamatioune that nane foirstallaris nor regrataris pas and prevene the faris 1566 Inverness Rec. I 143. 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Regrateris.
And swa regrateris are so called by reason of the augmentation … of the prices 1598 Aberd. B. Rec. II 167.
Thair is sic a multitude of regrateris … rissin vp within this burght quha hes thair onlie tred be passing to landvart … about this burght and bying the victuall fra the laboraris of the ground [etc.] 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 69b (Table).
Regraters, sutours, kemesters, bloccers 1624 Aberd. Council Lett. I 226.
As for unfriemen regrateris and forstalleris usurping our liberties 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xxiii 2 (1678) 231.
Regraters are only those who buy goods, that they may sell them again at a dearer rate 1699 Reg. Privy C. in Chambers Domestic Annals Scotl. III (1861) 222.(b) 1540 Elgin Rec. I 48.
Regratirs(c) 1483–4 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 49.
Regratouris 1529 (c1580) Ib. II 8.
That na maner of broustaris nor regratouris be tholit within this tovne bot thai that ar kend honest and substancious personis 1529–30 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 322.
To be reput and haldin as ane regratour and salbe … accusit tharfor criminalie 1538 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 92.
That na maner of regratouris, meill sellares, nor vtheris persouns, haif furlotts to mett in the meill merket except allanerly the gatherer of the pitie customes 1562 Treas. Acc. XI 212.
Lettres to summond certane personis regratouris a1568 Pedder C. 46.
The marchandis … ar reprevit for that regratour [: tratour] a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 26/67.
All vane waistouris tak away Regratouris that takkis doubill pay And wynsellaris our deir 1578 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 70.(d) 1604 Aberd. Council Lett. I 96.
That the burghis of Kirceubrycht and Wigtoun produce … thair sufficient diligence in writt of restrenying and punesching of the gryt multitude of regratoris(e) a1570-86 Inglis Maitl. F. 213/43.
Sic regraturis [Bann. MS I regret-] the pure men to prevein … Within this land wes never hard nor sene(f) 1529 Stirling B. Rec. I 34.
Thir ar the nyemis of the hukstaris that ar ragratouris(g) 1592 Acts III 577/1.
Quha gettis in his hand … the growand corne on the feild salbe repute a regrattair(h) 1531 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 24 Oct.
That na ragraitouris nawthair in burche nor land by na stuf to ragrait quhill xij howrs 1650 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 227.
The great iniquitie of regraitteris, especeallie of meillmakeris resorting to the meill-markit of this brugh 1652 Peebles B. Rec. II 5.(i) 1448 Aberd. B. Rec. I 16.
That na hukistar na regretar by butter, cheese or eges to sel agayne quhill [etc.] a1568 Dunb. Bann. MS I p. 48/43 (see (e) above).
Regreturis 1611 Conv. Burghs II 310.
The missive concerning unfrie tredders, … forstaers, regreters [etc.](2) 1487 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 53.
That the baillies … ceirs the regratouris of meill that hes brokin the actis maid thairvpoun of befoir 1515 (c1580) Ib. 158.
Regratouris of pultrie 1530 (c1580) Ib. II 26.
That tharfor na regratour or hukstar of wyld foulis, tame foulis, buttir, hegis, cheise, aittis or hey, or ony vther stuff, be tholit to be within this toune … without thai get speciall licence 1551 Reg. Privy C. I 115. 1562 Edinb. Cordiners' MSS 3 July.
Regratouris and couparis of barkit and reid ledder(3) 1517 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 41.
We ordane yow, sir balyeis, to punes all regratoris of our common merkat 1540–1 Ayr B. Acc. 83.
Unlawis of the regratouris of the gild 1577 Lanark B. Rec. 73.
The libertie gevin … to … [the] provest of Lanark, to persew the regrattouris of the outounes that hurtis the tounes prevelege 1612–13 Misc. Spald. C. V 88.
Convict as ane regraittar of the fische mercat(b) 1612 Inverness Rec. II 89.
The acts … aganist forestallers and regreateris of mercatis(c) 1614 Fraser P. 116.
Regreitaris