Glossary

Affeer - to assess or reduce the fine (or amercement).

Amerce - fine imposed at the discretion of the court. Often this would only be claimed if the presentment wasn't honoured.

Bowked yarn - yarn washed in lye

Bridleinge (or Brank) - a gag for scolds

Bulke - framework projecting from the front of a shop ie stall

Caul/Cawle - could be a weir on a river or keeping back the flow of water for example used to divert the water into a mill-race.

Cowl - to rake, as in raking the streets

Causey/Cawsey - a raised way formed on a mound, across a hollow esp low wet ground; a raised footway by the side of a carriage road liable to be submerged in wet weather.

Cop - Northern dialect word meaning an enclosed bank - in this case probably a hedge bank

Dubbing - trimming

Dung - the excrement or faeces of animals

Eve dropp or Easing dropps - an eavesdropper. Originally someone who stood under the eaves listening and acquiring gossip

ffleaed - flayed

ffliteing - derived from flite meaning to scold or brawl

Fleak - a wattled hurdle

Fleecing - cutting the grass on the common and taking it away

ffleying

Gripp - small ditch or furrow especially for carrying off water

Foyled - means to oppress, or overcome or cause to fall

Groop - a drain or gutter in a stable or cow house; possibly a ditch, trench or open drain in a field

Hippin or Hipping stones - stepping stones in a brook

Leaches - small moist or muddy depressions in the ground

Meane - midway

Miched - hide or conceal

Midding - dunghill, manure heap or refuse heap

Middingstead - the place where a midding is formed

Pentice - sloping roof on one side only eg lean-to

Platt - a small bridge (possibly a footbridge)

Ramper/Rampier - a rampart to the side of a road that has the side pared down and suitable material placed in the middle to raise it. Typically this would be a raised road through a bog. Depending upon the situation the word could also mean a barrier against water incursion.

Skinpits - tan pits

Sleating - is the old provincial version of the word "Slating" meaning to set a dog (or dogs) loose on something.

Sough - drain

Steele - stile or, and not very likely, an upright stone or piece of wood.

Steepwater - the liquid left over after something (malt/leather) has been steeped or soaked. A couple of presentments in 1682 refer to Wm Tomlinson as being a currier and, in another presentment, as releasing steepwater. As part of the tanning process salt and lime would have been added at different stages.

Staffe and Bande hedge - hedge made with stakes mixed in with thorn or/or hazel cf Stake and Band where dead materials of a hedge are bound between strong stakes.

Stoops - Posts or pillars

Strongwaterman - producer of "strong water" or spirits.

Tumbrel - a wooden chair attached to a couple of poles. Acted as a punishment for scolds and was sometimes adapted to be part of the cuckstool.

Winde and stake - A "stake and rice" fence is formed by driving stakes into the top of an earth dyke about eighteen inches or two feet apart, and then winding thorns round them, which are secured by a "yeather" made of saugh, hazel or any pliant wood. This sounds similar to the description found in the Preston records of "winde and stake".

Worthinge - decaying animal or vegetable matter causing "annoyance"

Yate - gate