Sc. Obs. Forms: 5–6 (9) chemis, 6 chymmis, -ys, -es, chymes, chemyis, chemise, 7 chemys. [a. late OF. chymois, chemois, from earlier OF. chef mez, chef més ‘chief country house or dwelling, mansion house’ = Pr. capmas:—late L. caput mansus, caput mansi (Du Cange), f. caput head, mansus abode, dwelling, mansion.
(Med.L. forms from Romanic were capmansus, -masus, -masius: OF. forms such as chief-, chef-meis, -mais, -mois, chymois, chemois (Godef.), chefmois (Cotgr.), show a further development of -és to -eis, -ais, -ois; cf. remés:—remansus).]
The chief manor house, mansion house.
1488. in Pitcairn, Crim. Trials, I. 7*. The cheif chemis of Bothuile.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VIII. vi. 126. The mychty gret Enee Wythin his narrow chymmis leidis he. Ibid., XI. vi. 22. Chargeand thai suld in his palice convene Onto the riall chymmys.
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), I. 38. Dunbar wes sum time the cheif chemis of the Erlis of Marche.
c. 1550. Balfour, Practicks (1754), 109 (Jam.). The chemise or principall messuage sould not be devidit.
1883. Tudor, Orkney & Shetland, 18. The eldest son could claim the head Bail or Chemis place, i.e. the chief manor or farm.
