Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†FISK, n.1 Sc. Law: 1. The public treasury, the Crown in regard to its revenues, esp. from legal penalties and specif. that of forfeiture of the moveable estate of rebels.Rnf. 1704 W. Hector Judicial Rec. (1876) I. 67:
The Defender ought to be exemplarly punished in his person and goods, both to the pairtie lesed and ffisk, according to justice.Sc. 1710 Morison Decisions 3649:
In strict law the goods fall to the fisk immediately after denunciation.Sc. 1736 C. D. Bentinck Dornoch (1926) 298:
A ffyne of ten pounds Scots toties quoties to be payed to the ffisk of Court.Sc. 1747 in J. Maclaurin Crim. Cases (1774) 99:
He was fined in 300 merks to the relict and children . . . and ten merks to the fisk.
2. By extension: the procurator fiscal. See Procurator.Rnf. 1724 W. Hector Judicial Rec. (1876) 106:
It is answered for John Blair and his spouse pursued by William Hamilton and the fisk.Sc. 1732 J. Lothian Form of Process iii. 19:
Every Sheriff or Fisk of Court to whom the Execution of the Warrand is committed, orders a Party . . . for the Prisoner's safe transportation . . . and gives receipt to the Fisk of the County he receives him from.
