Orkney and Shetland. Forms: 6–7 uris-, 6 wyris-, uyerris- 7 vrs-, 8 urs-, erys-, 9 eris-; 8– ure (9 eure), [ad. ONorw. øyrir (Norw. øyre, øre), = MSw. and Sw. öre, MDa. and Da. øre, Icel. eyrir, ounce of silver (also denoting a standard of value and latterly a coin), ad. L. aureus a gold solidus (taken at its value in silver); the original vowel remains unmutated in the ON. pl. aurar. Cf. ORA1 and ORE4.]
1. In genitive combinations (ON. øyris-, eyris-). a. Uris-land [ON. øyrisland, MSw. örisland], land giving the rent of one-eighth of a mark; an ounceland. (From the feu-duty formerly paid to the superior.) Obs. exc. Hist.
1534. in Orkney & Shetl. Rec. (1907), 64. Quhatsumevir that pertenis … to ws … wythin the half wyris land of Sabbaye.
1589. in Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. (1890), 460/1. The landis of Trosnes extending to ane urisland. Ibid. (1592), (1892), 117/2. My 6 merk land and 2 uyerris land of Kildabuster.
1627. in Peterkin, Rentals of Orkney (1820), III. 94. Lying in the vrs-lands off Brabister.
1772. G. Gifford, in Low, Orkney (1879), 144. Our Ure or Ursland … contains 18 Pennylands.
1795. Statist. Acc. Scot., XIV. 323. Every Erysland of 18 penny land had one [chapel] for matins and vespers.
1805. Barry, Orkney, 220. The entries are first by islands and parishes,… and lastly by marklands, erislands [printed erls-] or ouncelands.
b. Uris-cop [ON. øyris-, eyris-kaup], = prec.
1609. Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 128/2. 6 lie uriscoppis in Glenna, cum lie quoyis. Ibid. 9 lie uriscoppis de Mo.
† c. Uris-thift, stolen goods to the value of an ounce of silver. Obs.–1
1602. Shetland Law Rep., in Scotsman (1886), 29 Jan., 7/1. Gif he beis apprehendit with the walor of an uristhift.
2. Ure of land, = 1 a. [So MSw. öre.]
[1624. Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. (1894), 212/1. 2 merc. 5 lie uris terrarum de Brabister.]
1799. Statist. Acc. Scotl., XXI. 278. In these parishes there are 1618 merks 4 ures of land.
1821. Scott, Pirate, i. Scarce a merk—scarce even an ure of land.
1884. Scotsman, 26 July, 3/1 (Shetland advt.). Three Merks, One Ure and One-Third of an Ure of Land.
ellipt. 1774. G. Gifford, in Low, Orkney (1879), 145. 8 Ures make 1 Mark [of Land].
1799. Statist. Acc. Scotl., XXI. 278. An ure is the eighth part of a merk.
1822. Hibbert, Descr. Shetl. Isl., 179, note. The division of a mark of land into Ures, appears to have been first introduced … in the year 1263.
attrib. 1814. Shirref, Agric. Surv. Orkn., 31. The lands in Orkney had been early divided into ure or ounce lands.
1822. Hibbert, Descr. Shetl. Isl., 179, note. [Hacon] divided the islands into Eurelands or Ouncelands.
