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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Bere-sed, Beir-seid, n. Also: beir-seed, -sied; beyrseid, -sed; bear-seid, -seed; barseid. [Bere n.²]

1. The seed of barley; barley for sowing. 1522 Fife Sheriff Ct. 264.
Adam Lyndesay … lousit thar pleuchis in tyme of lauboring of thar beresed 1531 Acta Conc. MS. XLII. 149.
Sawing of the aite seide and beir seid 1555 Prot. Bk. T. Dalrymple 18 b.
The harrowing of the aatt seid & beirseid 1572 Peebles B. Rec. 354.
Daylie quhill the ait and bear seid be sawin

2. The sowing of barley; the time of this. 1577 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 38.
The saidis nychtbouris to hawe frie passage … ay and quhill the beir seid be doin 1585 Acts III. 376/1.
Vacance to be for the beir seid during the moneth of Maij 1592 Elgin Rec. II. 23.
Quhen lasour may be haid at the ischew of the beirseid 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 113.
Being him self with his servand, in tym of barseid, gangand with his plewis 1604 Elgin Rec. II. 123.
It is woitit … that the wapinschaw … stay till another convenient … becaus of the beirseid 1670 Peebles B. Rec. 398.
Befor the beginning the beir seed

b. Attrib. in beir-seid tyme, beir-seid morning.(1) 1541 Elgin Rec. I. 62.
The etting of thair cornis … fra beirseid tyme till haruist 1563 Prot. Bk. T. Johnsoun 145.
He was in company with William Smyth … 10 yeiris bigane in beirseid tyme 1581 Lanark B. Rec. 81.
The said Hew wrangusly pindit my said kow in beir-seid tyme 1628 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II. 602.
Being impeidit to cum hither be … labouring now in … beirseede tyme 1661 Soc. Ant. XXII. 248.
About bearsied tyme last, the devill appeared to him near to Halcarton(2) 1597 Elgin Rec. II. 54.
This Faireris wyiff cam furth in a beir seid morning and haid hir hair about her ene