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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Per(e, Peir, n.³ Also: peyre, peier; peere; pier; pear(e, paere, perr. [Early ME. and ME. per (12th c.), ME. and e.m.E. pere, peer (15th c.), pyerre, pire (16th c.), also north. e.m.E. peir (1530), pier of a bridge (12th c.), breakwater, mole (15th c.), med. L. (Eng.) pera, id., of unknown origin: the relationship, if any, to ONF. pire breakwater, weir, is unclear.]

1. A mound, wall or the like, constructed to protect a shore or harbour from turbulent water, also as a landing-place for vessels; a breakwater, mole, pier. Also attrib.(1) 1458 Perth Guildry 33.
That Jamis Charteris … sall be master of the per and ger mak it this ȝeire with the gilde brether that is made this ȝeire and failȝand tharof of the comon purs 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I. 178.
For the defens of the said land for the weryng awa of watter … tha sal gif al possibil cure and laubour til hald furth the watter with makyn of perys als mony as nedis … for the stuf of the quhilk peris … tha sal haue licens in our brum parkis and for hathir in the mure 1510–11 Reg. Great S. 764/1.
Portum novum nuncupat. le Newhavin … cum … libertate et spatio ad edificandum et prolongandum munitionem viz. le pere et bulwerk ejusdem 1546 Reg. Privy C. I. 26.
That tha pas to the … pere of Leith 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 227.
[They] ordanis ane masour or vther officer of armes to pas to the mercat cros of Edinburgh and pere and schore of Leith … and [etc.](b) 1511 Perth Guildry 479 (10 Nov.).
And als sall clenge & dicht the mydding at lyis besid the peir beneth the trone 1511–12 Reg. Great S. 806/1.
Peyre 1513 Rentale Dunkeld. 184.
[For making dykes in the loch of Clony and working about] lie peir, 4 s. 6 d. 1515 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 94.
To the reparatioun and biggin of thar common peir and key 1550 (c 1650) Dundee B. Laws 13.
All strang [sic] shippes resortand to the port and peir of this brugh 1550 Reg. Privy C. I. 105.
Ane messer … to pas to the mercat cros of Edinburch peier and schoir of Leith Kingorne Kirkaldy and uthairis places neidfull 1554 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 256.
Payand … yeirlie … fivetene barrellis salmond … upoun the peir and keyheid thairof 15.. Clar. v. 2516.
And thay in barges enterit afe the peir [: ifeire] 1577 Reg. Privy S. VII. 172/1. 1582–3 Crail B. Ct. 10 Jan.
Thay being callit daylie at the end of the tyd and leaffing of wark at the said peir 1610 Stirling Merch. Guild 30.
The custome of the peir and schoir of the burgh of Stirling 1624 Linlithgow B. Rec. 24 Dec.
Anent the reparatioune of the peir and harberie of Blaknes 16.. Admir. Ct. Form 63.
Anchorage is 13 s. 4 d. for everie shippe or bark that layes her syde to the peir or shore 1675 Inverness Rec. II. 261.
To clean the dock and ground of the peir and bulwark 1679 Torry Coal & Salt Wks. 22 a.
Leading tharoff fra pans to peir(c) 1511–12 Reg. Privy S. I. 362/2.
De minutis custumis suis portibus le pier, privilegiis proficuis et devoriis earundem(d) 1554 Reg. Great S. 205/1.
Pro reparatione sui lie perr(e) 1570 Leslie 153.
At the peare of the heavin of Leith 1581 Reg. Privy C. III. 367.(f) 1648 Hamilton P. (Camden Soc.) 237.
To be at the paere to see me set saile(g) 1623 Melrose P. 513.
For the Dunkirkar wes not a pare of buttes lenth owtwith the peere 1657 Balfour Ann. IV. 274.
The … peere and shore of Brunt-iyland(2) attrib. 1511 Treas. Acc. IV. 175.
To pure folk at the pier end xij d. — 1540 Dundee Chart. 28.
Lye pere hed 1591 Misc. Spald. C. III. 163.
To haue bigit eikit and augmentit the … peirheid of our said burgh — 1551 Dundee B. Ct. II. 94 b (12 Oct.).
The quhilkis vnlawis to be vptakine & ressauit the tane half be the kirkmaisteris & the oder half be the pere maisteris 1560 (c 1650) Dundee B. Laws 20. 1581 Mylne Master Masons 65.
That the peirmaisteris of this burgh [Dundee] incontinent conduce with the boittis … and tak away the peir or schoir biggit bayth on thair awin proper grund 1586 Burntisland B. Ct. 21 Oct.
That ane peir maister be maid quhomat [etc.] 1613 Conv. Burghs II. 387.
In causing remove all vther schips from the schore be the peir-maister 1619 Dundee Shipping L. 302.

2. The solid masonry of a building or part of one as distinct from the timber and other work. 1619 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 283.
The haill tymer work of the heid of the said towr to be tirrit mendit new sarkit and thickit againe and the pear thairof onlie to stand