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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

†ASSYTH(E)MENT, n. Compensation for injury. Also see below.Sc. 1697 G. Dallas System of Stiles 862:
And the said A. P. having now given great Evidence of his Remorse: and likeways, an Assythment according to his Abilities, and better Support of the Defuncts Children.Sc. 1773 Erskine Institute Law Scot. 743 Note:
The court of session found the defender liable to the pursuers in an assythment, June 1767.Sc. 1814 Scott Waverley xlviii.:
The blood-wit was made up . . . by assythment.Sc. 1832 Austin Jurispr. (1911) I. xv. 386:
By the law of Scotland the wife and family of the slain have still the right to bring a civil action for assythement.Sc. 1850 Cases decided in the C. of Session (1851) XII. 887:
A heap of lime was laid upon the street by the plasterer . . . by which a coach was upset and the driver killed. In an action of assythment at the instance of the widow [etc.].Sc. 1909 Green's Encycl. Law Scot. I. 518:
This was the sum of money payable by a homicide to certain relatives of the deceased, a survival of the custom of paying blood-money in order to escape the blood-feud. . . . The action for assythment has been long in disuse.Mearns 1724 Baron Court Bk. Urie (S.H.S. 1892) 124:
The Balie deserns and ordains the said James Wise to pay to the said George Caddel the soume of ten pounds Scots of assythment for cureing his wound.Lnk. 1709 Minutes J.P.'s Lnk. (S.H.S. 1931) 71:
And also decerned him to make payment to the said John Hutchisone of the sume of tuo hundred merks of assythment and damnage.