SCOT FREE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 235, 8 November 1940, Page 4

SCOT FREE

Sir, —Although "A Humble Sassen- , ■ ach" has offered an interesting ex- ! planation as to the origin of "Scot Free," I fear he (or she) is not correct. As early as the days of Queen Elizabeth the dramatist Ben Johnson, who Avas a contemporary and rival of Shakespeare, has one of his characters in ihe play 4 'Ev«^ r Man in. His Humour," boast that citizen of, London he has "paid Scot and lot" to the town authorities. Anyone who Avas "Scot free" would ' be„ in those days, a person'who was exempted from or escaped paying his taxes. That was in the pre-Nash days. Yours etc., PLAIN ENGLISH. ; ■. Sir, —It seems from letters in your paper that local Scots are fearful • lest the public regard the term "Scot Free" as meaning "all Scots Free," which would be disastrous in view of the forthcoming Ingieside. Let me endeavour to put things right in time tc save the Caledonian Society from putting up the shutters or going into "liquidation." 1 Say when?. Scot free, according Webster's Dictionary means "free from payment of Scot; untaxed; hence, unhurt; clear; safe. IJe quotes Sir Walter Scott as follows.: "Do as much for this purpose, and thou shalt pass scot free." Also another Scottish author, Andrew Lang: "Then Young Hay escaped scot free . to Holland." Now for the Avord Scot (without a v capital S): It is defined by Webster as "a portion of money assessed or paid; a tax or contribu- .- i tion; a mulct; a fine. Scot and lot Avas formerly a parish assessment laid on subjects according to their ability. Noav it is phrase for obligations of every kind regarded collectively." As an example, Webster quotes Ralp Waldo Emerson as follows: "Experienced men of the Avorld know very Avell that it is best to pay scot and lot as" they go along."'The word "scot" meaning a tax does not appear toi be related to allegedly tight-fisted Scots from Scotland., It is said by Webster to have to come to the English language as a wore! borroAved from the Icelandic "skot"; . 01* Old French "epcot»" French ecot; Loav Latin "seottum, scotum, from a kindred German Avord; akin to Anglo-Saxon "scot,"' and English "shot, shoot." There is an Anglo- - Saxon word "sceotan" to shoot, to contribute (or as Ave might say Avhen . held lip by the doorkeeper at the Caledonian Ingieside "to shell out.'* The Avord Scot, meaning a native of Scotland comes from the Latin Scoti, and the Anglo-Saxon Scottas. All this may be boring to your readers, but at least it does clear the local Caledonian Society (Oh, what a charge they made!) from being mixed up Avith the Avord "scot free" or anything else buckshee. No sir, I fear that it Avas the English Avho started the expression "scot free," joist as it Avas (allegedly) the Irish Avho for a practical joke introduced, the bagpipes to Scotland in the dim ages, but the Scots have nor v yet

seen the joke. \ \ , ■■■■ ■ Yours etc., \ f HOP SCOTCH. J* ■ • Sir, —It seems that the term "scot free" has no etymological connection with Scotland or Scotsmen. * The Oxford Dictionary gives "scot as meaning a paj'ment, reckoning or local tax, so that from its original sense of being exempt from pay- * ment the term "scot free" has easily passed to its present meaning of being unharmed or without penalty. Yours etc., S. G. GAULTOIST. ' - Sir, —Re the expression "Scot free'* you will find the Oxford Dictionary explain it thus: Scot, noun (Historical) . Tax or rate (pay "scot and lot"); contribute one's share to muni * cipal expenses. Scotfree equals Tax free. Exempt from payment, un-r harmed or unpunished (especially "go scotfree"). Yours etc., J. J. GUEST. x ' -