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

Pay-, Peymaister, -master, -mester, n. [e.m.E. payemaster a paymaster (a 1550). Appar. only Sc. in the following sense.] A person who is made responsible for discharging a debt or refunding a loss to another. — 1608 Inverurie B. Ct. 9 May.
Anent the persuit of Normond Leslie aganis George Grub for ane lamb distroyit be the corbeis … the said George is fund to be peymaister to Normond Leslie of the said lamb or pryce thairof 1666 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 3.
Wherof his maister granted him ane discharge for both at his own sight when he becam my paymester and did give me his discharge in keping untill I should be satisfied of the wholl four scor markes 1678 Ib. No. 257.
[£4. 6s.] Scots money for the quhich he becam absoluit debitor and paymaister to me for the said umquhill Samuell Gordon 1688 Corshill Baron Ct. 179.
Quhether or not he took the defenderis father … paymaster for what goodis shee receaved. Persuer upon oath declaires shee only became paymaster herself