The Your Scottish Archives Glossary defines archaic words and phrases, mostly Scots law terminology, commonly found in documents and records in Scotland’s archives. If you think a word or phrase should be added to the glossary, or an existing entry could be defined better, please contact us at your@scottisharchives.org.uk.
You can also use the Dictionary of the Scots Language as a further resource at https://dsl.ac.uk/ for Scots words and phrases (including legal terminology).
To find a term within the glossary, click on the initial letter of the word you are looking for, then select the relevant syllable segment displayed below.
Example: to find the term “roup” select section “R” then sub-section “Ro”
one of the four conditions, or tenures, in Scots law on which lands could be granted by charter. In the Middle Ages, it was a grant of property made to a monastery or church in return for prayers for the granter’s soul and those of his family; later, as the mortification.
were those who were entitled to elect (or be elected) members of Parliament on the grounds that they held lands worth more than a certain sum; see Knowledge Base for more details.