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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Mar(r)ais, -as, -es, Mer(r)es, n. Also: marresse, -as(s)e, -is, merrais, merest. [ME. (c 1330) and e.m.E. mareis, -ys, -ace, marreys, -as, OF. marais, -eis (mod. F. marais). Cf. also Maris(c)h(e.]

Low-lying waterlogged ground, marshland; a marsh or bog. 1341 Reg. Morton II. 40.
[Moris marresiis aquis stagnis 1615 Reg. Great S. 435/2 (see Lair n.¹ 6).](a) 1375 Barb. viii. 35 (E).
The Nethirford … lyis betuix marraisis [C. marrasis] tua Quhar that na hors on lyve may ga Ib. xi. 286 (C).
Our the marras [E. merrais] 1386 Bk. Carlaverock II. 418.
Til halde … the forsaide landis … in stankis, in muris, in marras, in woddis [etc.] 1400 Charter (Reg. H.) Honess Doc. No. i.
In playnis in moris in marresse in wateris 1441 (1450) Reg. Great S. 69/2.
In … moris, marresis, woddis [etc.] 1456 Hay II. 138/31.
The wateris that cummys fra muris and myris and marrais 1457 Stirlings of Keir 231.
In … muris and marrais a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 30.
Montains and marresse with mony rank myre 1486 Prestwick B. Rec. 31.
The mares 1499 Chart. (Reg. H.) No. 625.
In moris maresis [etc.] 1513 Doug. ii. ii. 141.
A muddy marras Ib. xiii. Prol. 54.
Lakis, marrasis or thir pulys donk 1535 Stewart 15524, 23021. 1543 Chart. (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 100.
Myris, marrasis 1550 Rec. Earld. Orkney 240.
Mossis medous marres watteris c1590 Fowler II. 108/20.
A prence … suld … vnderstand … the course of the floodes, and have experience of there passages, fennes, and marris 1596 Dalr. I. 9/17.
Scharpe and hard hillis full of mosse, more and marrasse 1619 (1621) Reg. Great S. 42/2. 1658 Oliphants 243.
With propertie and commountie in mos, mure, marres and utheris(b) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 2829.
Thame behovit pas throw a gret merres [: citie of Trais] 1514 Prestwick B. Rec. 46.
Betuex Hoggis croft on the est syd & the commone merest on the west sid 1533 Boece iii. xvii. 115 b.
In myris and meressis full of crag stanis Ib. iv. xiv. 147.
Lochis, merressis and woddis Ib. xi. iii. 407 b.
Amang myre and merres 1572 Boyd Fam. P. No. 60 (30 May).
With … mosses mwris merreses medois