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 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Ley, n.³ Also: leye, lay, lie, ly(e, lea. [ME. ley(e (1357), north. lee (a 1400–50), e.m.E. ley, lay, lea; ellipt. use of Ley a.] Lea, or, land which has been left untilled for some time and allowed to return to grass, arable land under grass used as pasture; also, a piece of such land, and plur. Also, in the south-west, short for ley crop, the first crop after fallow: see quots. 1628, 1697 and sense c. Halie mans ley see Haly man n.1649 Cramond Ch. Boyndie 12.(1) sing. 1524 Carnwath Baron Ct. (S.H.S.) 17.
Folloit in cowrt Vil Core for the vrangus ettin of his corn with his ley. The inqueist ordanis the ley to mak the corn haill of all gud that is put on the ley 1556 Prot. Bk. T. Dalrymple MS. 44 b.
Ane hors gyrs owttow the hanit ley 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III. 232.
Saying to the officiar that if the goods wer upon the ley he durst not take thame 1673 Melrose Reg. Rec. II. 329.
[£2/10/- rent for] ane hors soume and ane leye(b) 1628 Dumfries Test. I a. 179.
He leiffis to … his sone fyve bollis corne and fyve aikeris of land to saw it on … his pairt on the lay ane uther pairt on the avall ane pairt on the thrid furre and ane uther pairt on the croftis(c) 1692 Peebles B. Rec. II. 138.
That the saids herds shall … not ryve out any lea or build any folds(d) ? 1608 Dunbar Moray Doc. 74.
Ane renting of the foggage of the ly of the Drum of Pluscatrie 1688 Argaty Baron Ct. 28 Aug.
Keiping hir oune kowes ... wpone ane haind lye 1697 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II. 613 (30 Apr.).
[The said James is to plough the] lie, avell and thrid and fourth crop(2) plur. 1508 Orkney Rentals i. 85.
Et totum to pay preter all the leyis the blawin land all that the bischop takis & all that is in Williamis handis 1578 Aberd. Chart. 338.
The haill boundis leyis and fauchtis … to ly ley

b. In ley, in lea, untilled; also fig., fallow, idle. 1581 Dundee B. Laws 40.
It is statut … that the cornes … be trampit doun and the sam [ground] keepit in layfig. 1656 Baillie III. 311.
I am informed that there is no man fitter to draw a philosophick cursus than his own son: will yow try if he can be persuaded to it, who now is in ley for any service

c. Attrib. and comb. 1660 Melrose Reg. Rec. I. 279.
[Thomas Notman owes him 5 l.] for ley teilling 1684 Symson Descr. Galloway 74.
Their first cropt they call their lay, and this is that on which the bestial and sheep were folded the summer and harvest before and teathed by their lying there. The second cropt they call their awell, and this is that which was the lay cropt the year before