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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quartering, vbl. n. Also: quartureing. [e.m.E. quartering (1592).]

1. Cutting or dividing into quarters. 1555–6 Edinb. Old Acc. II 58.
For ane daill to be laucht to it, … iiij s. … for sawing and quartering of it, … xviij d. 1611 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 334.
For quartering of twa tres xiii s. iiii d.

2. a. Billeting of troops (on or upon a person, in a place, etc.); the fact of having troops quartered upon one. Also pl.Also attrib. with money.For further examples, see Locality n. 3, Local(l adj. 3. 1644 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 21.
The said Marques … causit quarter [240] sojors freelie vpon the toun … and now laitlie … hes enforced the free quartering of [300] sojors 1647 Ib. 79.
Occasioned by the constant quartering of regementis thereon at free quarters 1648 Peebles B. Rec. I 383.
Vnder the pane of quartering vpone thame for thair negligence 1650 Glasgow B. Rec. II 196. 1655 Peebles B. Rec. II 33. a1658 Durham Subtile Self 113.
Men will not … indure to be troubled with quartering of souldiers in their houses 1664 S. Ronaldshay 48.
The whole people of the isle in ane tumult by the sojours and officers quartering upon them 1687 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 194. 1689 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 538.
To stay in and about Glasgow in ordor to quartureing 1692 Conv. Burghs IV 663.
Burdens laid on be way of monethly maintainance and cess, … which in good Scots terms may be called quartering 1698 Glasgow B. Rec. IV 258.pl. 1645 Acts VI i 302/1.
With the quarterings of souldieres to be first payed out of the foirsaid excise 1650 Boharm Kirk S. 13 Oct.
Masters quho impose all burthens, maintenance, quarterings and levies on the poor tennents 1652 Peebles B. Rec. II 5.
Appoyntes the present magistrattes and the persones formerlie nominat for quartering, to meit for ordering the transient quarterings 1652 Edinb. Test. LXVIa 11.
The charges of … ces quarterings fewferme [etc.] … being deductitt 1657 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 11 June.
The names of the persones quha had quarterings this last yeir 1668 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 285.
Her husband's wholl fortune exhausted by quarterings, leavies [etc.]attrib. 1694 Newton Community Bk. 18b.
Tuo pund of quartering money necessarlie debursit be him for the inlaik of tymeous pay

b. The provision of board and lodging to a person; boarding, harbouring. 1699 Cramond Ch. Cullen 138.
Gross scandalls that fall out … by reason of resetting and quartering vagrants and loose persons