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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.

Croft, n. Also: crofte, crofft, cropht, croift; craft. [ME. and OE. croft. Latinized as crofta (1086).]

1. A piece of enclosed land, or small field, used for tillage or pasture; a small holding.(a) c 1250 Liber Dryburgh 122.
In cultura que vocatur Alriches croftys c 1320 Reg. Great S. (1814) 17/1.
Totam terram de … Welcroft, Goscroft [etc.] a 1325 Liber Calchou 362.
Ad murum qui dicitur Swtercrophtdyk 1359 Exch. R. I. 570.
Assise de Pynchonnys croft Ib. 571.
De Flaytercroft, … de Moubraycroft [etc.] 1408 Coll. Aberd. & B. 234.
De tota terra sua de Mure Croite … infra vicecomitatum de Aberdene 1428 Liber Melros 521.
Thai … fande the onseitis tharof lyand at the west ende of the toun … wyth four akris in the crofte or neir tharby 1446 Reg. Episc. Aberd I. 250.
That he sall appropir that croft to the lands of Edinglasse that he haldis of the Erll c1420 Ratis R. 1188.
Als veill a kynryk as a croft Beis in that balans laid on loft 1481 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 462.
A toft and croft and twa oxane gange of the landis and toun of Harlaw 1490 Lanark B. Rec. 8.
Togedder with the yard beyonde the wennel and croft lyand fra the sammyn 1505 Reg. Cupar A. I. 261.
To … Donald Cragy … [we grant] the toft, ȝard, and croft, liand abuf the gait … Als we grant hym the croft liand abone the burne 1531 Bell. Boece II. 101.
He leiffit ane solitar life, and gat ane croft gevin him be Sanct Pharo, Bischop of Melden 1541 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 109.
The baillies … thinkis expedient to tak fra the sisteris of the Senys thair arrable croft lyand within the wallis of the toun 1562-3 Winȝet II. 56/17.
That guid seid of the quheit, quhilk the sone of man hes sawin in his croft 1576 Prot. Bk. T. Lindsay 113.
The landis callit the Coitcroft, Hawcroft and Calfward, quhilkis croftis contenis fywe aikers and thre of land 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 122 b.
Quhair he comparis the Kirk … to ane croft in the quhilk baith the gude corne and the veydis grouis to gidder 1600 Misc. Spald. C. IV. 268.
Fywe chalderis … ferme wictuall withe seruice as the croftis payis 1614 Ayr Fr. Preach. Chart. 108.
All and haill the fauld and croft of land [etc.](b) 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II. 183.
Androw Muchis croift 1543 Inverness Sheriff Ct. 12 b.
The croift … and the schealling and outseat proclamit be the said Thomas … to be … pendicles off the said toune and landis 1554 Liber Dryburgh 291.
Howssis, biggynnis, toiftis, croiftis(c) 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 119.
This day some gentlemen … come and rald vpoun Haggarstanis craft, befoir the castell a1578 Pitsc. II. 302/16.
Four [cannons were] … layd without the towne on the craftes nocht far fra the vest port 1648 Edinb. Test. LXIII. 332 b.
Henrie Caldwall, gairdiner of Ninians craft 1670 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 263.
His father being onlie ane graseman … and had no laboring out ane craft of land

2. Attrib. with fute, heid, land, marcat, silver. 1591 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 54.
The brig at the craft fute on the bak syde of the lipperhous 1630 Reg. Great S. 527/1.
Inter Alexander Lyndsayes hous, James Bowmanes croft fute, James Stevinsones kilsyde, et alia — 1582 Edinb. Test. X. 327.
Thomas Johnestoun … sal haif and vse ane pece of land of the croftheid fra the laych vp — 1527 Carnwath Baron Ct. 50 b.
That the said reg of croft land … pertenit to the said Thomas 1529 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. I. 94.
Ane ryg of croft land, gydit and telit be the said Mareoun — 1692 Conv. Burghs IV. 647.
The regalite of Kirriemuire. … hes ane great weekly marcat, yearly, … with ane croft marcat — 1629 (1638) Reg. Great S. 310/1.
Reddend. dicto cancellario 10 lib., cum 12 caponibus … et 28 den. de lie croft-silver