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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

*Half-manure, -maner, n. Also: halfe-, hallff- and -manur, -yre, -mannure, -mannor. [Manure n. tilling, cultivation. In the later dial. of Galloway as haffmanor (MacTaggart Gallovid. Encycl. 250).] In Galloway: A system of letting of land for cultivation, whereby the landlord gave half of the seed and the tenant farmed the land and harvested the crop, half of which he delivered to the landlord as his rent. (The later dial. has half-labour and (in Highland areas) halffoot, as terms for the same or a very similar method of land-letting).Appar. it was also normal for the tenant to receive a small additional parcel of land rent-free for his own exclusive use, finding for this his own seed. 1546–7 Prot. Bk. M. Carruthers 40.
[To let the half oxgang in] half manyre, [. .to let it to Robert in] the half manyre 1672 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I. 370.
[Tack] be way of half manure 1674 (1675) Dumfries Commissary Ct. Reg. MS. (Reg.
All and haill the landis of Shambely and Craigsyde. .in halfe maner in maner vnderwritten 1678 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 1 Nov.
H.) p. 88 (Oct. 9). Debt inawing,. .Item for the halfe mannor of Over Barncrosh for the yeares 1675 and 1676 £44;. .Item for the halfe mannure of Nether Barncrosh in the halfe therof for the foresaid yeares £22 Ib.
Halfe manur 1678 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II. 93 (18 Dec.).
[Tack. .by James Gordon. .to Thomas and John Clerkis and Margaret McKie. .of that part of his mayinis of Carletoun by way of] half maner [. .together with Marion Tagert's house for their cot house with half of the yards. .for three years. . they entering presently to the] tilth be way of hallff maner [. .the said James providing the half of the seed bear and oats] Ib. 94.
[To perform all duties of husbandry and the duty of] hallff manur [by herding, diking, ploughing and manuring the said tenement, to the effect the said James may have the profit of the half of the grass, the hay mown, win and built in the stackyard, and the half of the crops. .led and built in the stackyard or barn for his rent] 1680 Ib. 145, 6 (30 July).
Halfe maner 1681 Ib. 163 (16 Apr.).
Halff maner, manure