Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

†EQUE, n. Also equie, aeque, equae. The contribution paid annually by each constituent burgh to the Convention of Royal Burghs: "the quota of all general taxation payable by [the burghs] was one-sixth, and the proportion of this quota payable by each was fixed by the Convention of the Royal Burghs, which regulated it in accordance with the state of trade in the several burghs for the time being" (Sc. 1924 J. Mackinnon Constit. Hist. Scot. 305). The eque was strictly the receipt given by the Clerk of the Exchequer for the payment of this sum.Sc. 1715 Records Conv. Burghs (1885) 148:
To pay their missive dues, burrow eque.Sc. 1723 in Ann. Bnff. (S.C.) I. 194:
The Equie due by the town to be sent south with the first shour bearer that goes . . . to Edinburgh.Sc. 1757 Records Conv. Burghs (1915) 554:
The convention . . . approve the said report, discontinue the sallary in use to be paid to the clerk of the burrow aeque.Fif. 1815 J. Fernie Hist. Dunfermline 25:
The annual revenue of the town is at present about £1500. The supply, the land cess, and what is termed equae, payable to government, amount to the yearly sum of £81.11.11.