Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†DEMPSTER, Demster, n.
1. A judge (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.). Obs. in Eng. since 14th cent.Ib.:
Ye'll no die as lang's he's your demster.
2. “The officer of a court, who pronounces doom or sentence definitively, as directed by the clerk or judge” (Jam.). Abolished 1773.Sc. 1732 J. Louthian Form of Process 54:
The . . . sentence is pronounced by the Clerk, to the Dempster, and by the Dempster to the pannel.Sc. 1770 Scots Mag. (May) 257:
Whereby the assize . . . find the said Mungo Campbell, pannel, guilty; they, in respect thereof, by the mouth of Edward Hay, dempster of court, decern and judge the said Mungo Campbell to be carried from the bar back to the tolbooth of Edinburgh.Abd. 1793 in Process Powis v. Fraserfield (1805) 10:
Bailies, clerks, officers, sergeants, dempsters, and all other officers requisite and necessary.
3. Hence, as the offices of demster and hangman were often combined: the public executioner (Sc. 1798 Monthly Mag. (Sept.) 177).Sc. 1874 A. Hislop Sc. Anecdotes 59:
The hangman of Edinburgh used to be called . . . the Dempster, on account of his being employed to pronounce sentence in court upon condemned criminals.Arg. 1901 N. Munro Doom Castle x.:
The sentence of a kipper salmon-poacher to whipping at the hands of Long Davie the dempster.
