GLOSSARY


backland land to the rear of a burgess’s house for growing foodstuffs, keeping animals, siting wells and middens

baillie town magistrate, next in rank to provost in burgh hierarchy

besom broom (stick)

burgess privileged member of burgh society with land and institutionalised rights

burn stream

cittern guitar-like musical instrument

clarsach celtic harp

codroche house house of idle, slovenly people of low class and ill-repute

feu right to the use of a property in return for a fixed yearly payment

furth of away from; beyond the confines of

haar sea mist

iron gad iron bar to which prisoners’ feet were shackled

kirk session governing body of a parish, consisting of minister and elders, with spiritual authority, disciplinary powers and social welfare responsibilities

kist chest

links sandy, grassy ground near the shoreline

litster dyer

lykewake gathering at the night watch over someone who has died

mortcloth cloth used to cover the bodies of the dead before burial

pend an arched passageway

precentor person who leads the congregation in psalm-singing

presbytery church court/gathering made up of ministers from each parish in its area (superior to kirk session)

provost civic head of burgh – equivalent to mayor

rebec lute-shaped, violin-like instrument

regent university teacher who took one class through the entire four years of their master of arts (philosophy) course. [verb: to regent]

tabor small drum

tack lease

toft site of house; homestead

trials a series of active tests for aspirants for the ministry

uisge beatha whisky [Gaelic]

vague to roam, wander

vennel narrow alleyway or lane

wynd narrow, winding alley


Note: ‘Mistress Youngson’; ‘Geleis Guild’ etc. – Scottish women of the period did not take their husband’s name on marriage, but kept their own.


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