1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Portas

PORTAS, or Portuary, a breviary (q.v.) of such convenient size that it could be carried on the person, whence its Latin name portiforium (portare, to carry, foris, out of doors, abroad). The English word was adapted from the Old French portehors, and took a large number of forms, e.g. porthors, porteous, portes, &c. In Scots law, the “ porteous-roll ” was the name given formerly to a list of criminals drawn up by the justice-clerk on information given by the local authorities, together with the names of witnesses, and charges made.