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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Derth, Darth, n. Also: derthe, -tht; darthe, -tht, dairth, dearth. [ME. derthe (13th c.), derth, e.m.E. dearth, darth, f. Dere a. 4.]

1. Dearness or high price of food or other necessaries, esp. as the result of scarcity.(a) c1420 Wynt. vii. 3616.
Sawld wes then For sextene [pennies] a boll off qwhete, Or for twenty, the derth wes grete a1500 Prestis of Peblis 212.
His wyf … had na dout for derth of ale nor breid 1515 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 159.
Regratouris of pultrie … throw thair regraiting cawsing exorbitand derth thairof to all our … Lordis lieges 1529 Ib. II. 15.
For his bying of the kingis money apone ane hyear prys na it is strikin for, … rasing the derth of money 1548 Ib. 142.
Ane act of parliament maid for stayncheing of greit derth of guidis inbrocht be strayngeris and vthers to this port of Leyth 1550 Reg. Privy C. I. 94.
The gret and exhorbitant derth … of witualis and uthir stuif for sustentatioun of mankynd Ib.
For stanching of the said derth, exhorbitant prices foirsaidis 1573 Inverness B. Rec. I. 228.
[That] trocht the exhorbitant dertht and heing of pricis of tymmer … the policie of this burcht dekeis 1586 Reg. Privy C. IV. 74.
At this present [time] quhenas thair is grite derth and scairstie of victuallis 1592 Acts III. 577/1.
Sic derth is rasit in the cuntrie that ane mutton buck is deirar and far surmountis the price of ane boll of quheit 1609 Elgin Rec. I. 232.
The extraordinair and schameles derth of bootis and shoone … daylie ryseis to heicher priceis(b) 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. 230.
Forsamekle as the breid … and vtheris victuallis … ar risyn to sic ane exorbitand darth that the leiges can nocht be sarvit thairwith vpone ressonabill prices 1562 Inverness B. Rec. I. 94.
For expelling of dartht and stopping of vnfre broustaris 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 306.
Afoir this day thair wes ane great darth and scantnes of victuallis in Edinburgh 1598 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 167.
The ground and occasioun of the present darth and exorbitant prices of victuall, croppin in within this burght Ib. 168.
Halding vp and fostering of darth of victual(c) a1578 Pitsc. I. 30/11.
In this ȝeir … thair rais ane gret dearth off wictuallis within this realme

2. A condition of dearness and scarcity in respect of food; a time when the necessities of life are dear and scarce.(a) c1420 Wynt. ii. 309.
Wyth othir sevyn [yher] nest folowand Off gret derth and hungare sare 1449 Acts II. 36/2.
Quhat personnis … byis vittale & haldis it til a derthe … at thai be bot as okkiraris repute a1500 Bernardus .
Geff thow … hase to sel wetale in gret substance, Se be na way na derth that thou desyre For thi wynnyng a1500 Henr. III. 163/25.
Vse derth, O Lord, or seiknes, and hungir soir, And slak thy plaig c1515 Asl. MS. 216/6.
Thar was in Scotland a gret derth for the boll of quheit was at xl s. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 65.
Be sweird and fyre, derth, pest, and pouertie 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8518.
Quhair thai clekkit … Was greit hounger, derth and penuritie 1587 Digest Justiciary Proc. L. 58.
Ȝe ar dilaitit for contravening … of the acts of parliament in girnelling of vittuall and keiping of the same to ane derthe 1596 Dalr. I. 298/20.
A gret famine, and derth, and hungre, and a terrible pest was throuch hail Scotland(b) c1500 Crying of Play 108.
Suppos that wretchis wryng and wryth All darth I sall gar de 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 30.
Frawart Saturn, … Throu quhais aspect darth and infectioun Beyn causyt oft Ib. viii. Prol. 82.
Dignyte is laid dovn, darth to the dur drawis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1933.
Deith, hounger, darth, it is weill kende Off weir this is the fatell ende 1560 St. A. Kirk S. 33.
Sche … imputtis the wyte to the … doctryne now teachet in this cietie of the darth presentlie regnand in this cuntrey 1570 Leslie 14.
The caus of greyt darthe … throuchout the cuntrey a1578 Pitsc. II. 317/7.
Thair was sic dairth at this tyme that the boll of quhyt gave viii markis 1598 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 168.
That na inhabitant … by victuall in smallis … , and gadder the same in gryt, and keip the same to ane darth c1650 Spalding II. 358.
He had keipit wp mekill [victual] of thrie yeiris rent to ane darth, and now gat nothing for it(c) c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 630.
Ȝe sall be plagit … With hirschip, fyre, with dearth, and pestelence

3. Dearness; high price or charge. 1632 Ann. Banff I. 67.
Meallie Nicoll … produceit … ane peice of reid stuff … compleining of the insufficiencie of the litting … and the dearth of the pryce thairof 1644 Baillie II. 175.
I cannot help the extraordinare dearth: they say the great soume … the author putts on his copie, is the cause of it 1674 Red Bk. Grandtully II. 218.
I verylie believe, sir, ye shall rather chuse to quite them as take them by reasons of their dearth