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Glesca's auldest Scots

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Glesca's auldest Scots

29th July 2024

It is 602 year fae the auldest kent document that wis baith wrutten in Scots an datit at Glesca. In 1422 George Cambeel, or Campbell, laird o Waster Gallystoun, wadset his lands o Gallisholme, in Ayrshire, tae Weelum Stirlin laird o Cadder. A wad is anither word for a pledge, sae for a body tae wadset til anither is tae pledge lands, or ither richts, in return for a lend o siller, on the unnerstaunin that the lands or richts wadset will be redeemed aince the siller haes been peyed back. In this case, George Campbell haed a lend o 20 merks Scots fae Weelum Stirlin an hechtit that he wad pey “in the hee kyrke o Glasgu, a pon the hee alter” an gree’d tae pey intress shuid the siller no be peyed back in time. Campbell pit his seal tae the wadset “at the cete o Glasgu” on 3 August 1422 for in thae days maist fowk cuidna write but raither pit thair seals in wax til a paper for tae shaw thay haed consentit. It is throu documents o this ilk that we can read an see the Scots leid as it wis, an is, in Glesca, doun tae this day.

Photie: Dr Dauvit Horsbroch

The'r a soond file o this story in Scots abuin.