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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.

Fe, Fee, Fey, n.² Also: fie, fye, fea. [ME. fe, fee, AF. fee, fie, OF. fe, fie.]

1. A feudal holding; a fief; an estate of inheritance in land. 1375 Barb. i. 58.
Thai said successioun of kyngrik Was nocht to lawer feys lik Ib. xiii. 725.
Quha sa clamyt to haf richt To hald in Scotland land or fe c1420 Wynt. v. 2905.
The teyndys off all feys, Landys, and regalyteis Ib. viii. 465.
Quhen thare fallis sic dystawns In grettare feis, or smallare ?1438 Alex. i. 66.
Thus think thay … Sa stoutly to defend thair fee 1456 Hay I. 129/28.
Gif he commyttit the vice of ingratitude agaynis his naturale lord of the fee

2. The state or right of holding land as a fief. 1456 Hay I. 143/5.
The bischopis and othir clerkis, the quhilkis halds erledomes, baronryis, and castellis under fee of the king c1460 Vert. Mess 3927.
The fee of sa mickle land as a man may ourgang quhill the mes is in doinge 1472 Lennox Mun. 90.
Quhen the said Erle … dissesyt, the rycht fe deit with hym 1478 Acta Conc. 8/2.
Johne … sall infeft and gife the bas fee of the said landis … to the saide Cristiane Ib. 8/13.
For the quhilk the said Robert … has na maner of fee, nouther richt heretage nor bas fee 1500 Dunferm. B. Rec. 102.
The … bailye deliuerit eritabil stait and possessione, bath of fe & franktenement, of ane land liand [etc.] c1650 Spalding II. 175.
He craveit his evidentis fra his mother, as he that was put in fie of the landis of Geicht be his goodschir 1661 Decis. Lords G. 7.
6000 merks, which he obliges to repay to her in liferent, and after her decease to her two sons in fie

b. Coupled with heritage (Cf. 3 b.). c1420 Wynt. viii. 2588.
Yhe ar all cummyn ... Off lordis off fe and herytage 1478 Decr. Ld. Abernethy (MS.).
The compromes … tuiching the fee and heritage of ten markes vorth of the landes of Ben with the pertinentes 1488 Dunferm. B. Rec. 5.
Thar aw na bref to pas on his fe & heritagis quhil his haymcumyn 1491 Acta Conc. 177/1.
James Gibsone producit … certane witnes to the quhilkis witnes the lordis walde nocht defer because it concernit fee and heretage

3. In fe, as a fief; in feudal or heritable possession. a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 66.
Syne to Martha fel in fe Bethanya Ib. xxxvi. 500.
Scho gert the kinge … Assemble hale his barne, That landis held of hyme in fee c1420 Wynt. vi. 538.
He … ekyd the dotatyowne Off Saynt Andrewys Kyrk in fe Ib. vii. 1421.
That lordschype till hald ay Fra thine in herytabill fe 1473–4 Treas. Acc. I. 4.
Componit wytht Andro Cardny for the putting of him in fee of his faderis landis c1475 Wall. x. 977.
Schyr Amer hecht he suid it haiff in hyr Till hald in fe and othir landis mo 1512 Reg. Privy S. I. 365/2.
To furnys expens for puttin of thair airis apperandis in fee of thair heretage 1515 Ib. 408/2.
Quhat landis the said William had umquhile in fe, the tyme of his deid 1550 Glasgow Prot. I. 58.
Maister Patrik was in fie of the half thairof befoir his wmquhill faderis deceis 1566 Edinb. B. Deeds 204.
The said Williameis eldest sone is … put in fee of ane part of the saidis landis c1650 Spalding II. 175.
He craveit his evidentis fra his mother, as he that was put in fie of the landis … be his goodschir

b. Coupled with heritage. (Cf. 2 b.) 1388 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 294.
John Moigne has giffin … to the forsaid Alexander all his land … in fee and heritage frely and for euirmare 1417 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 249.
Land … to be haldin … in fee and heritage c1420 Wynt. viii. 285.
This kyng in fe and herytage That kynrik held 1466 Acta Aud. 5/2.
Allegiand the said landis to pertene to him in fee and heritage 1490 Foulis Chart. (Reg. H.) 4 Dec.
The saide land to be haldyn … in fe and erytage to the saide Johnne Makanedye 1535 Stewart 41791.
Of Coldinghame the baronie he gaif To Durhame kirk in heretage and fie 1537 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 83.
Jhonn Scott offerit … the sovme of ten merkis in handis to haif the said pece land in fie and heretage frie for ever

4. Of fee, by feudal or heritable right (to lands). a 1380 Rep. Hist. MSS., Var. Coll. v. 77.
He that is yer and day in peseabyll possession in any lande, clamande it of fee and herytage c1420 Wynt. viii. 3327.
He syndry lordis fand, That clamyde till hald thare land off fe In Scotland 1491 Acta Aud. 159/1.
John of Wemis deit last westit and sesit of the saidis landis as of fee 1537 Colquhoun Chart. II. 1342.
Johnne Colquhone … died vest and seased of Saulute myln, … as of fe

5. Feudal or heritable right to an office. Usu. in phrase of fe. (See also mair of fe. 1375 Barb. xi. 456.
Schir Robert of Keth, that was Marshallof all the host of fee 1439 Edinb. Chart. 64.
Wit yhe vs … to hafe made … schir Robert Logane … oure baileye of fee and herytage of al and sindry oure landis [etc.] c1475 Wall. vii. 1028.
He … In heretage gaiff him office to fee Off all Straithern 1622-6 Bisset I. 140/12.
All mairis, and officeris, alsweill of fie as in that pairt, quha executis … his majesties letteres 1642 Spalding II. 171.
The Erll of Northumberland, gryte admirall of England of fie and heritage, about this tyme … laid doun his admiraltie

6. A regular or occasional payment for services; remuneration.Freq. in the phrases fe and bounteth (see Bounteth), mete and fe (see Mete n.). Also with defining terms, as harvest, office, pynour, stabill, Yule fe.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxv. 265.
Lele seruice I wald mak ȝou til, & at ȝoure wil tak of ȝow fe c1420 Wynt. iv. 1660.
He Payid till his knychtys large fe Ib. v. 1546.
Hys weschale … He gave his knychtis in thare fe c1475 Wall. xi. 460.
The Butler said, ‘I wald fayn spek with thé’. Wallace ansuerd, ‘Thow may for litill fe’ 1524 Reg. Privy S. I. 497/1.
Ane Lettre to James Dog, ȝoungar, makand him ȝeman of the kingis wardrop, … and gifand him fe, liveray, clething [etc.] 1527 Treas. Asc. v. 329.
To Johne Davidson, cordonar, takand ȝeirlie x li. in his fe 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 291.
To the thre procurators pentionars … for their half yeir's fe c1568 Lauder Minor P. ii. 43.
The Deuyll, he wyll get one [sc. a procurator] for fe(b) 1456 Hay I. 113/31.
Ane gude knycht that is at a lordis fee or wagis 1478 Decr. Ld. Abernethy MS.
Four score of markis … clamyt be said James Barklay … , and sex and tuenty marks of his fee of curatre 1504–5 Treas. Acc. II. 473.
To Alexander furrour, that brocht the Kingis lynyng of ermyng, to fee 1544 Buccleuch Mun. II. 420.
Ane fee of ane hundreth merkis … to be payit to thaim 1552–3 Edinb. B. Rec. Il. 271.
To the kepar of the knok, for his fee 1578 Prot. Bk. J. Robesone 16 b.
xxx s. awand … to him for his fee of the terme of Witsonday last 1612 Peebles B. Rec. 360.
The counsall … modifeis thame for thair fea, viz., the best men scheiraris xxxd.(c) 1565 Prot. Bk. G. Grote 69.
To … my maiden xs. and xviis … that I restis awand hir of thre half zeris feye 1596 Paisley B. Rec. 171.
Johne Huchesoun wes creat Thesaurer … for ingathering of the comoun guid for fyve punds fey 1632 Dundonald Par. Rec. 346.
The quhilk day was tane out of the Corsbie box … 20s. for … the Kirk bedallis fey(d) 1562 Reg. Cupar A. I. 362.
To the baillie fie, portar and vthir ordinar seruandis a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxviii. 10.
Seruandis and sic as luifis on fie 1588 Argyll Lett. 87.
To William Oyt, allacay to the said nobill Ladie, for his ȝeiris fie 1605 Rec. Old Aberd. I. 37.
[She] to enter hame to the said Johnes seruice or els to pay hir fie 1644 Strathbogie Presb. 50.
Vpon hir refusall, he told hir that shoe sould not vinne hir fie that yeir 1692 Conv. Burghs IV. 571.
To the knocksmith of fie, 91 lib.(e) 1558 Haddington Treas. Acc.
To the commone schiphird of Gladismure of fye, iiij li. 1558-66 Knox I. 39.
That keapis our corne better nor the sleaping boy, that will have three schilling of fye … in the year 1590 Conv. Burghs I. 328.
To elect … ane sufficient qualefeit agent … vpoun the conditiounis and fye peyit to vmquhile Willeam Makcartnay 1659 Hay Diary 210.
To tak Ellen Scott, … to be her waiting maid, … and referred the fye to me

b. In plural feis, feys, feyis, fies.(a) c1420 Wynt. viii. 3029.
For wagys and for large feis Wageowris scho gaddryde off sere cuntreis 1445 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 14.
That in time to cum thai will giue na feis to na sic abbotis 1506 Treas. Acc. III. 324.
The Chekker payit to the Inglismen and ladyis thar feis of the terme of Lammes 1513 Doug. i. viii. 25.
Sche … The feys of thar labouris equaly Gart distribut 1551 Reg. Cupar A. II. 70.
We … dischargis ten merkys ilk ȝeir … in thair feys 1559 Reg. Privy S. (MS.) XXX. 10.
All feis and dewiteis … tobe payit to him ȝeirlie(b) 1489 Treas. Acc. I. 125.
For … ankir, cabil, schipmennis feyis 1515 Reg. Privy S. I. 406/1.
Reservand … to the said Robert … richtis, privilegis, feys and dewiteis of the said Ile 1553 Treas. Acc. X. 165.
To Schir Jhone Campbell … for his feyis be the space of viij dayis a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxiv. 67.
Becaus the lordis hes our lytill feyis Bot off vncertane casualiteyis 1606 Conv. Burghs II. 228.
Giff ony persoun sall depairt without payment of thair … feyis(c) 1567 Acts II. 550.
With all … fies and deuories pertening to the keping of the said castell 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 281.
He desyred his wyfe to pay his servandis fies 1622-6 Bisset I. 29/18.
He brocht the first craftismen within this realme, with fies, and dewities, for thair wayges 1635 Maxwell Stuart Mun. ii.
He and the seruants of our wardrop haue not … been payed of their fies due to them