Sc. Also 6 chawlder, chaudder, 7 chauder. [app. a. OF. chaudière (also chaudere, chaldere, caldere) = Pr. caudiera, Sp. caldera, Pg. caldeira:—L. caldāria, f. cald-us, calid-us hot; but possibly a shortened form of CHALDRON, q.v. In sense 1, a med.L. celdra occurs in early Scottish statutes, and a corresponding vernacular form celdre is found.]
1. An obsolete dry measure of capacity: in Scotland 16 bolls or 64 firlots of corn, making nearly 12 quarters Winchester measure: used in the computation of the stipends of the parish ministers. For lime and coal it varied from 32 to 64 imperial bushels. (Formerly, also † celdre.)
[a. 1300. Leg. 4 Burg., lxvii. Pistor habeat ad lucrum de qualibet celdra.]
α. 15[?]. Chart. Aberd., 140 (Jam.). Alsmekill land as a celdr of aits will schawe. Ibid. George of Gordoun … occupeis a celdre of atis sawyne pertenand to Dunmetht.
β. a. 1500. Act Will., in Skene, Reg. Maj. (1609), 3. Ane husband man and ane fermer, sall gif the thritten veschell of their lands of service: and maireour of ane chalder, and firlot (for knawship).
c. 1540. Rev. Coldingham Priory, in Proc. Berw. Nat. Club, II. No. 11. 62, note. Wheat, 6 chalders, 7 bolls, 3 firlots, 2 pecks.
c. 1610. Sir J. Melvil, Mem. (1735), 408. His Part … was thirteen Chalders of Victual.
1730–69. De Foe, etc. Tour Gt. Brit., II. 151. The Quantity of Coals … supposed to be about 500,000 Chalders, every Chalder containing 36 Bushels.
1799. J. Robertson, Agric. Perth, 286. The [lime] shells are sold at two shillings and twopence the boll, and the raw stones at seven shillings the chalder.
1730. T. Boston, Mem., vi. 63. The stipend … was five chalders of victual and 8 merks.
1813. N. Carlisle, Topog. Dict. Scotl., II. Halkirk, The stipend … was 2 chalders of meal, and 2 chalders of bear, £600 Scotch, and £30 Scotch for Communion Elements.
1812. Chalmers, Lett., in Life (1851), I. 274. I had only got three chalders of augmentation where I asked and had reason to look for six.
† 2. In England = CHALDRON, but for coal and lime varying in quantity from 32 to 40 bushels, according as the measure was stroked or heaped. (Apparently a northern word, introduced into the London market with coal.) Obs.
1570. Wills & Inv. N. C. (1860), II. 324. XV Chalders of Coales. Ibid. (1582), 88. A chaudder of corne.
1581. MS. Acc. Hull Charterhouse, For sleckinge & siftinge of half a chawlder of lyme, iiijd.
1641. Best, Farm. Bks. (1856), 126. Of barley … they … carry but a chalder, i.e. fower quarter, or nine seckes in a waine.
1722. De Foe, Plague (1756), 255. The publick Fires … cost the City about 200 Chalder of Coals a Week.
1778. Chron., in Ann. Reg., 161/1. Last year there was imported into London from Newcastle and Sunderland 6920931/4 chalders of coals.
3. As a liquid measure. (humorous.)
1630. Tincker of Turvey, 11. Whole chauders of strong ale.
