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 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Serch(e)our(e, Sers(s)our, n. Also: serchiour, -(e)ar(e, -er, seircheour, searchour, -er, -ar, sersar(r, -ur, sercear, -iar, seirsour, -ar, seircear, searcer, searscher, -our, sairsar, shearcher, schersur, schersheoure, (sechercher), Cerchour. [ME and e.m.E. sercher(e (Wyclif), serch(e)our (north.; 15th c.), searcher (1494), OF sarchiere, serchiere (1292 and 1322 in Godefroy), AF sercheour (15th c. in Godefroy); Serch(e v.]

1. One who searches; one who tries to find out (something) by inquiry or investigation. Also (once) searcher-out.(1) 1559–60 Soc. Ant. XI 523.
For gif it was than recentlie done … it wald manifest the selff to deligent seircheouris 1562-3 Winȝet I 24/29.
Sen now al men wilbe theologis, and curius seircearis of the hie mysteriis of God a1599 Rollock Wks. I 388.
Quhen he hes … maid him the searcher of all the deipnes of God(2) 1596 Dalr. I 61/1.
Hector Boyis … a maist curiouse sercher out of this secrete

b. Searcher of (men's, etc.) hearts (also, the heart), God (after Romans viii 27). a1578 Pitsc. II 64/18.
God is ane secreit searchar of mens heartis 1621 Crim. Trials III 503.
God, who is the trew sercheour of the heart 1638 Nat. Covenant in Facs. Nat. MSS III xxvii.
Wee call the living God the searcher of our hearts to witnesse

2. One whose office is to search. a. As the designation of various royal, or burghal, officers; e.g. an inspector of markets, one appointed to investigate the working of a law and to ensure that its provisions are implemented, etc.; esp., one appointed to search ships, goods, etc. for dutiable or contraband articles.(1) 1439 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 6.
Bot the sercheour sall se quhat guids of victuall cumis in the heaven 1439 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 6.
Schersuris 1449 Acts II 37/1.
At thar be maid at al portis … straite sercharis to restrenȝe the having out of the mone 1451 Acts II 40/2.
Serchearis 1487 Acts II 178/2.
That na merchand sale within the forsaid portis in merchandise bot gif he be a fre man … And that serchouris micht be lymmyt heruppon … And that in ilk burgh the provest baleȝeis and custumaris be serchouris 1500 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 87.
That thair be serchouris chosin within ilk burgh, sic as provest eldermen baillies and custumaris, to serche and seik the personis brekeris of the saidis actis of parliament 1515 Reg. Privy S. I 397/2.
Sercheare, seare and settare of all skynnis within the burgh … that aw custume to the king passand furth of the realme 1517 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 102.
Makand … the maist expert man … that can best decern the richt cunȝe fra the fals … serchiour of the said money 1519 Edinb. B. Rec. 191.
That thare be maid certane sercheouris in euery burrowistoun within our realme quhilkis sall haue sufficient power to decerne betuix the richt plakkis and fals plakkis 1526 Acts II 306/1.
Archibald Douglace provest of Edinburgh to be serchour principale at the port of Leith 1535 Acts II 343/1. 1542–3 Reg. Privy S. III 9/2.
Tronar of the burgh of Hadingtoun, serchear, sear, and settar of woll [etc.] 1542–3 Reg. Privy S. III 25/1.
Makand him sercheoure of all merchandise and gudis custumable upoun the schoir of Leith 1553 Perth Guildry MS p. 508 (7 Sept.).
That thair be serchearis made at al portis within the realm for the inhalding of the mone 1561–2 Reg. Privy S. V i 251/2. 1565–6 Reg. Privy C. I 427.
That … thai appoint and depute certane sercheouris and inquisitouris within everie … place quhair wyne arryvis and is bocht or sauld … to get knawlege of the contravenaris of the said act [etc.] 1573 Reg. Privy C. II 251.
That nane … losse ony maner of gudis … brocht hame be thame in the saidis schippis … unto the tyme the same be sene sercheit and visiit be the ordinar sercheour of that toun … or quhair na propir sercheour is, be the ordinar magistrattis quhatsumevir 1577 Reg. Privy C. II 609.
Sercheouris 1578 Reg. Privy S. VII 263/1.
Visitour and sercheour of all the salt that sal happin to be schippit to be transportit furth of … Culros 1586 Conv. Burghs I 227.
Power … to the saidis commissioneris to mak sercheouris of thair awin at ilk portt and havein … quha with his hienes awin sercheouris appoyntit be his comptrollar sall serche all schipis and guidis laidnit thairin and try gif the samen be dewlie customat … alwayis but preiudice of our souerane lordis vtheris sercheouris for forbiddin guidis 1588 Exch. R. XXI 409. 1591 Reg. Great S. 629/1.
Inquisitores lie scherscheoures inhibitorum et minime custumalium bonorum ad dict. portum pervenientium 1595 Edinb. B. Rec. V 145.
Sercheour under thame for arreisting and staying of the transporting of burne coill furth of the realme c1610 Skene in Misc. Stair Soc. I 150.
That inquisition be taken, what proffite the king hes gottin, or may gett, be the sercheris of forbiddin goodis, as that office is now useit(b) 1456 Montrose Baillie Ct. fol. 6a.
Sersaris off the tovn for this yhier 1525 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 222.
That thai [sc. skippers and owners of merchant vessels] ressaue na man within thair schippis to saill in merchandice … without thai haif writting subscriuit with the commoun clerk … gevand thame liceance for to saill, and that the commoun clerk nor his deputtis gif nocht this writting without thai haif command thairto be the sersouris ordanit and deput for the samyn … quhilkis sall be the maisteris of the frary, the dene of gild [etc.] 1547 Cal. Sc. P. I 11.
[For not only is] gret numbre of custummers & sersurs hurtfull to strangers & good name of inhabiturs, bot [etc.] 1557–8 Haddington Treas. Acc. in E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 53.
To four sersarris of mercattis 1563 Grant Chart. 129.
Quhair ewyr thai sall arrywe in onye port or harberye of this realme, and chanlegit be the quenis maiesteys sercearis as stowin gwdis 1563 Grant Chart. 128.
Serciar 1578 Conv. Burghs I 75.
Sersouris(c) 1551 Dundee B. Ct. II fol. 92 (6 Oct.).
Seirsouris admittit & sworne to sers & seik vnfremennis malt 1554 Haddington Treas. Acc. in E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 49.
Seirsaris(d) 1581 Acts III 221/2.
Aganis superfluus banquetting … To the inordinat consumptioun not onlie of sic stuff as growis within the realme bot alswa of droggis confectouris and spiceis brocht from … beȝond sey and sauld at deir pryces to … folk … vnabill to sustene that coist … [authorities] sall appoint seircheouris to quhilkis seircheouris oppin durris salbe maid of quhatsumever housis thai cum to serche(e) 1588 Wemyss of Bogie MSS.
Weill furnisit with deputtis searscheris and officeris 1588 Wemyss of Bogie MSS.
Searschouris 1603 Gowrie P. 104.
All and every searcher, customer, or other officer of any port within this realme 1612 Ayr Chart. 145.
Searchouris 1657 Balfour Ann. I 201.
That the kings customers be shearchers heir vpone 1673 Berw. Nat. C. XXXI 124.
That non lay forth to sell littell or mickell untill the searchers goe through the markit 1680 Breadalbane P. (Tours) MS 4.
To the kings searcher 12 s.(f) 1621 Maxwell Mem. I 333.
To the sairsar for seilling thairof(2) 1541 Reg. Privy S. II 644/2.
[We] makis … and ordanis the saydis Thomas and James … sercheouris generale to us 1546 Reg. Privy S. III 322/2.
Generale sercheour and sekar of all maner of merchandice and staple gudis on the schore and port of … Leith 1551–2 Reg. Privy S. IV 245/1.
Hir sercheouris generall for observing, keping and fulfilling of the actis 1566 Reg. Privy S. V ii 203/2.
Thair generall and universall sercheouris of all … forbidden and prohibit guidis … quhairevir the samyn may be apprehendit, pakkit, peilit, barrellit and schippit [etc.] 1578 Reg. Privy S. VII 253/2.
Sercheour generall of all and quhatsumevir forbodin guidis that sal happin to be transportit furth of this realme 1587–8 Ayr B. Acc. 159.
[2 breakfasts and wine, given to] Seriand Boyd, generall serchour

b. An official appointed by a craft association in a burgh to enforce the laws and regulations of the craft, and to check members' products for evidence of satisfactory or unsatisfactory workmanship. 1485 Acts II 172/1.
That … thare be in ilk burgh … quhare goldsmythis ar a dekin & a serchour of the craft 1561 Perth Hammermen 93.
Thir persones underwreting to be serssouris of all poynts of the hammermen craft that it be sufficient to serve the quenis grace legis 1586–7 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 482.
Quhair thai fand fals feigngyeit wark or barket ledder the sercheris till bring it to prouest and baillies … that na sic stufe be sawld on the merket day quhill the sercheris haif visit the samyn 1594–5 Edinb. Skinners in Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI 96.
Frances Weir … sercheour for the kidis, shoirlingis, and calffis 1694 Dundee B. Laws 453.
That the seck be not opned till the secherchers com and sie the bonets that be not suficient and well cowlered 1694 Dundee B. Laws 453.
Serchar

c. Const. of a wrong-doer: One who seeks out, or tracks down, criminals. Also absol. 1531 Bell. Boece II 164.
Ane beist found gangand wil sal be gevin to the awnar or to the serchoure of thevis 1531 Bell. Boece I 48. 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Toscheoderuche.
Summe vnderstandis it to be ane searchour, and taker of thieues, and limmers 1623 Breadalbane Doc. MS No. 456.
Sir George Hay … heretable keiper of the water of Tay … and also searcher and apprehender of quhat sumeuer persones slayeris of salmond, kipper and smoltis with nettis [etc.]absol. c1620 Sutherland Bk. II 364.
Hawe shearcheres and watchmen in ewerie corner of the countrey to informe yow of the destroyers of your game, and punishe the offenders exactlie

d. One who looks for the marks of witchcraft on a witch's body. 1650 Ritchie Ch. S. Baldred 100.
The searchers of the witches were not yet returned from the southe

e. One appointed to observe and report on any offences against discipline or good order in a community; specif., a member of a kirk session appointed to seek out breakers or profaners of the Sabbath. 1596 Dalr. I 218/28.
That the names of the offenders with thair offences sulde be the searceris elected and to that office chosen [be] writne vpe and secreitlie endyted in the kingis bukes 1602 Elgin Rec. II 100.
John Gibsone, searchar in the nether end of the toun, declarit that thair ves a gryt number of strange beggaris on the calsaye and many children playand at the chew 1603 Elgin Rec. II 119.
The searcharis apprehendit Androw Donalsoun, cordiner, lastand schone … the tyme of sermone 1604 Elgin Rec. II 126.
The searcharis fand Georg Brodeis wyff sealling eall and wyne, … Jhone Auld sleipand in the back hous 1628 Glasgow Presb. in Boyd Zion's Fl. App. 41/1.
Searchers appointed … to go through the town to see who bann or swear 1637 S. Leith Rec. 26/2.
The high seat next Andro Lambis to be lockit up & reservit for the searchers to resort to efter thair search 1642 Aberd. B. Rec. III 280.
Captors and searchars to note all such persones … as shall be found banning and swearing at any pairtes befoir specifeit; Towit for the flesh marcat, fruit and keall sellaris about the croce, David Melvell [etc.] 1647 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 80.
The maister of kirkwark to … fitt and preserve the back daskis … for accommodating of theise persones that ar appointit searchers on the Lord's day 1650 Culross 241.
That the searchers goe through and visit ther particular bounds on the Lord's day, and … rebuk thes sharply … whom they find on the streits 1652 Cullen Kirk S. 8 Aug.
That searchers should goe through the toune in time of sermones & see who stayed at home unnecessarlie & that they should delait such faithfullie

f. = Proviso(u)r n. 2. 1543 Reg. Privy S. III 84/1.
Sercheour and provisour of all … hors and oxin necessar for careing of oure soverane ladyis and hir governouris artailliery [etc.]

g. A searcher out of information, a spy. 1596 Dalr. II 145 marg.
The Musgraue … the King of Scotlands sercher and spie