Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Wa(w)sper, n. Also: waspeir, wachsper, vauch spear, wasp speir, vasp speyr. [? Waw v. and Sper(e n.¹] A fishing spear. See also Wastair n. Cf. Leister n.For further information see also Scottish Salmon Fishing Spears by A. Fenton (Nat. Mus. Antiq. Scotl.). 1471–2 Liber Melros 591.
Or fisch thar wateris with wasperis nettis or any vthir instrumentis 1542 Grant Chart. 371.
[With power to fish with nets] wachsperis and currokis 1546–7 Aberd. B. Rec. I 246.
All maner of nettis, cobillis, wawsperis, heryvalteris and all wther instrumentis 1585 Prot. Bk. W. Cumming 75a.
Ane vasp speyr 1600 Black Bk. Taymouth 336.
Ane rynning speir; item ane wasp speir 1615 Inverness Rec. II 136.
Clippis, net or drylochis or waspeiris or … ony vther ingein for slaying of fisch 1638 Dunbar Moray Doc. 4.
We … Charge you … to grant … sasine … of … the aforesaid lands … with salmon fishings of the same on the said water of Spey … by delivery of earth and stone of the ground of the said lands, clap and happer of the said mill, also nets and the vauch spear of the said salmon fishings