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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

RENTAL, n., v. Also rentall. Sc. usages:

I. n. 1. A rent-roll, a register of tenants. Rare in Eng.Sc. 1722 Earls Crm. (Fraser 1876) II. 174:
Be sure you bring up with you a full and compleat rentall of all your estate.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Let. xi.:
A thing they call Doomsday-book — I am clear it has been a rental of back-ganging tenants.Sc. 1964 Argyll Estate Instr. (S.H.S.) xiv.:
The rental of 1730 shows the Morvern lands in a single tack to Dugald Campbell of Craignish.

2. Combs.: (1) rentat boll, a boll of grain paid as rent in kind, gen. as a commutation for Tiends (Sc. 1838 W. Bell Dict. Law Scot. 977); (2) rental-book, a rent roll; (3) rental mail, rent.(1) Sc. 1773 Erskine Institute II. x. § 25:
Sometimes the titular, in place of drawing his tithes, . . . accepted of a stated quantity of corns yearly, commonly called rental-bolls.(2) Sc. 1773 Erskine Institute II. vi. § 37:
If the proprietor barely inrol a tenant in his rental-book.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Let. xi.:
The rental-book bore evidence against the Goodman of Primrose-Knowe, as behind the hand with his mails and duties.(3) Sc. 1820 Scott Monastery xxxiii.:
In settling the rental mails, and feu-duties.

3. A kind of lease granted on favourable terms by a landlord to a tenant who was considered worthy to receive this privilege by right of birth or inheritance (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Also attrib. Hist. See Kindly, adj., 3. Hence rental(l)er, one who holds a tenancy under such terms (Sc. 1825 Jam.); rental right, the right of such a tenant.Sc. 1733 P. Lindsay Interest Scot. 82:
Rentalers, who held small Estates for military Service, not unlike the Timariots of Turkey, with this Difference, that many moe of them depended on Subjects than on the Crown.Sc. 1773 Erskine Institute ii. vi. § 37:
A rental is a particular species of tack, now seldom used, granted by the landlord for a low or favourable tack-duty, to those who are either presumed to be lineal successors to the ancient possessors of the land, or whom the proprietor designs to gratify as such. And the lessees are usually styled rentallers, or kindly tenants.Sc. 1838 W. Bell Dict. Law Scot. 566:
The right was not effectual against singular successors, unless the rentaller could show a rental right.Dmf. 1845 Stat. Acc.² IV. 387:
The proprietors hold these lands by a singular and peculiar tenure. From time immemorial they were called the “King's kindly tenants” or the Crown's “rentallers”.Sc. 1898 Encycl. Law Scot. XII. 238:
It has also been held that a rental right may be pledged by writ with delivery of earth and stone on the lands.Sc. 1904 in J. Cockburn Letters (S.H.S.) xxiii.:
These crofters were the kindly rentallers of the barony, tenants at will.

II. v. To lease (land) on rent; to lease to a rentaller, see I., 3. Ppl.adj. rentalled, vbl.n. rentalling.Sc. a.1714 Earls Crm. (Fraser 1876) II. 492:
The Queen Regent sent some courtiers to examine the state of the Earldome of Ross, in order to a few or constant rentalling therof.Ork. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XII. 355:
The rentalled lands of this parish amount to 1145 merk land.Sc. 1818 Blackwood's Mag. (July) 441:
Some honest . . . individual, who rentalled of the Prelate of Glasgow the pendicle of “Daldue Wester”.