An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language / in which the words are explained in their different senses, authorized by the names of the writers by whom they are used, or the titles of the works in which they occur, and deduced from their originals

by John Jamieson

BERN, s. A barn, a place for laying up and threshing grain.
Gawan and Gol.

A. S. bern, id. Junius supposes that this is comp. of bere, barley, and ern, place, q. "the place where barley is deposited," Gl. Goth.

BERSIS, s. "A species of cannon formerly much used at sea. It resembled the faucon, but was shorter, and of a larger calibre," Gl. Compl.
Complaynt S.

Fr. barce, berche, "the piece of ordnance called a base;" Cotgr. pl. barces, berches.

BERTH, s. Apparently, rage.
Wyntown.

Isl. and Sw. braede, id.

BERTHINSEK, BIRDINSEK, BURDINSECK. The law of Berthinsek, a law, according to which no man was to be punished capitally for stealing a calf, sheep, or so much meat as he could carry on his back in a sack.
Skene.

A. S. ge-burthyn in saeca, a burden in a sack; or from ge-beor-a, portare.

BERTYNIT, BERTNYT, pret. and part. pa. Struck, battered.
Wallace.

This is evidently the same with [Brittyn], q. v.