The Scottish Archive Network (SCAN) Glossary defines archaic words and phrases, mostly Scots law terminology, commonly found in documents and records in Scotland's archives. If you think a word or phrase should be added to the glossary, or an existing entry could be defined better, please contact us. Since the SCAN project ended, the Dictionary of the Scots Language has gone online at online at http://www.dsl.ac.uk/, and this should be consulted for Scots words and phrases (including legal terms).
or sometimes 'gersum'; could be a sum of money
paid or promised by a tenant to his landlord
when his lease was renewed, or by a vassal to
his superior when his right to hold lands in
fee was granted
A royal seal , the Great Seal would be used
for charters, treaties, grants of land, commissions
to high officers of the Crown and other major
state documents.
ground annual
an annual payment, forming a burden on land.
A contract of ground annual was a form of heritable
security.
ground mail, grund
mail
payment for right of burial.
