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

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

(Serchoury,) Serchory, n. Also: serchery, -ie, sercheourie, -(e)orie, searcherie, -eary(e, -earie, -iarie, seirscharie, searscharie, sersarie, searsarie, serciarie. [Serch(e)our(e n.] The office of a searcher (Serch(e)our(e n. 2). Also, letters (gift, etc.) of serchoury (of a particular commodity, a place, etc.).(1) 1541 Reg. Privy S. II 645/1.
In using and exerceing of the said office of serchory 1545–6 Reg. Privy S. III 227/1.
Full power and speciale commandment to minister in the said office of sercheourie and to serche and seik quhair ony gudis … ar tobe had furth of this realme uncustumate 1550–1 Reg. Privy S. IV 177/1.
Ane lettir … of the gift of the office of clerkschip of coket … and office of searchearie of all gudis and merchandice schippit within the portis 1551–2 Reg. Privy S. IV 239/1.
Sercheorie 1562–3 Reg. Privy S. V i 343/1.
Office of clerkschip of coquete and sercheourie 1563 Grant Chart. 128.
All … that sall hawe speciall powar off serciarie … sall arrest and stope all greyne tymmer … that salbe broucht … to mercat 1573 Reg. Privy C. II 260.
Be vertew of his office of sercheorie, quhilk he allegeit to have of the provest, baillies and counsall of Edinburgh 1594 Conv. Burghs I 445.
Serchery 1606 Conv. Burghs II 221.
Sercherie 1607 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 121.
This office of searchearye being institut only for the behove of the customer 1616 (1618) Reg. Great S. 640/2.
Searscharie 1618 Wemyss of Bogie MSS.
Heretablie infeft of the offices of stewartrie bailliarie customarie searcherie crownarie and all uther offices of the said regalite 1620 Reg. Great S. 777/2.
Seirscharie 1641 Reg. Great S. 752/1.
Searcherie 1642 Glasgow B. Rec. II 53.
Sersarie 1643 Glasgow B. Rec. II 54.
Searsarie(2) 1566 Reg. Privy C. I 481.
Undir the pretense and cullour of certane allegeit lettres of sercheorie 1581–2 Reg. Privy C. III 447.
Throw pretens of commissioun of sercherie or uther sic chargeis privatlie purchest 1587 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 490.
The guid toun hes obtenit new lettres of serchorie for staying victuall to pas furth of the cuntrey 1587 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 502.
Ane lettre and gift of serchery of hydes quhilk he had … purchest 1607 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 121.
Barnard Lyndsay wald now acclayme ane auld lyferent gift of searcheary 1647 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 139.
The passing a gift of searchiarie of Leith and Prestone in behalf of Bernerd Lyndsay