Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Chamerlane, -land, n. Also: chamerlain(e, -layn, -len, -lin, chammerlan(e, -lin, chamir-, chamurlane; chamir-, chamyrland. [Variant of Chawmerlane.]

1. The chamberlain of Scotland (or England). c 1400 Newbattle Chart. (Reg. H.).
Ranald Murs … chamerlane of Skotland 14.. Acts I. 73/2.
R., erle of Wyntoun and constable of Scotland, … Henry the Balȝole chamerlayn 1456 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 15.
Lord Iames of Levingtoun … Chamerlane of Scotland 1458 Peebles B. Rec. 129.
[At] the ar of the chamerlan haldyng at Peblis, thar com in Andro Robenson [etc.] Ib. 130.
Than the chamerlain chargit that gud wyf gan[g] ham and manwr that arschap qwyl scho lefys 1503 Treas. Acc. II. 336.
Deliverit to the Chamirlane of Ingland, being heir with the Quene, his half ȝeris fee 1514 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 147.
In presens of my lord chammerlane, principall provest, baillies and counsall of Edinburgh 1533 Boece xiii. xiii. 529.
Sua was … made … Dauid Lyndesay of Glenesk grete chammerlane 1615 Highland P. III. 176.
The erlle of Sommersett, Lord chamerlin

2. A chamberlain or steward. 1423 (1430) Reg. Great S. 30/1.
Michel the Ramsay … chanceler and chamerlane of our forsaid lordschip of Annanderdale 1497 Liber Aberbr. 311.
Den Robert Gray, chamerlane of Abirbrothoc 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 247/2.
To be payt to hir … of his fermes in Uchtermukty … be the chamirlanis thairof 1514 Linlithgow Pal. MS. 8.
Fra the administratour of Kelso and Lesmahago and chammerlanis of the samyn 1550 Reg. Cupar A. II. 68.
Paying thairfor ȝerlie to ws, oure factouris or chamerlanis of the abbay of Coupar, all malis [etc.] 1551 Hamilton Cat. 103.
Lat all gryntaris, stewartis, chamyrlandis, … tak gud tent to this comminatioun 1570 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 650/1.
Writ to Dauid Dumber your chamerlen to repair the Corshous 1630 Misc. Hist. Soc. II. 255.
I am a chamerlen in a gret pairt of my stet 1642 Melville Chart. 171.
Ten bolls of aitts that Mr. Tho. Crystye hes bein in custome to gett from me sua lang as he continewes chamerlaine [of Monimaill]

3. Attrib. with air, court. 1433 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 390.
Richard of Rutherford, … strekit a borch in Alexander of Kintoris hand, … to the neste chamerlayn air 1457 Peebles B. Rec. 124.
That day was the wssay of the chamerlan ayr 1493 Lindores Abbey 179.
Certane personis … convictit be ane assis in the last chammerlane ayr 1505 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 217.
A lettre of chamerlanery … with power … to hauld chamerlaine courts 1509 Reg. Privy S. I. 274/2.
That thai salbe … fre … fra al compering to the kingis justice-ayris, chamirlane-ayris, schiref courtis, and utheris