Sc. Forms: 6 fear, fewar, 7 fier, 8 feuer, 9 feur, 7– fewar. See FIAR. [f. FEU sb. + -AR.] One who holds land upon feu.
1513–75. Diurnal Occurrents (1833), 237. Alexander Stewart fear of Garnleis.
1597. Sc. Acts Jas. VI., § 246. Ony vassall or fewar, haldand landes in few-ferme, of our Soveraine Lord.
1637–50. Row, The History of the Kirk of Scotland (1842), 105. The fier of Fintray, a great traffiquer aganis religion and reformation, hes so great moyen at Court, and in the countrey, that he is verie liklie to overthrow the trueth, if remedie be not found to prevent it.
1753. Scots Mag., Feb. 86/2. Except of feuer of 31l. Scots of valued rent.
1843. Scott, Monast., i. note. Many descendants of such feuars, as they are called, are still to be found in possession of their family inheritances, in the neighbourhood of the great Monasteries of Scotland.
1876. J. Grant, History of the Burgh Schools of Scotland, II. ii. 109. The right had been exercised by neighbouring feuars and proprietors of portions of land.
