1) Meaning uncertain.
A Bill of work don at Huddersfield Bridge in 1693 amounted to Ł10 7s 6d and for the most part it included predictable charges for labour, timber, stone, carriage and ale allowed to workmen. It began though with two entries that are not straightforward: Item for goeing to vew and byword 3s 0d. Item paid for markin money 3s 6d. The OED offers four meanings of ‘byword’ but none of them satisfactorily explains its use in this context. Perhaps it referred to a discussion and agreement that resulted from the ‘viewing’ of the bridge, or a written undertaking. The ‘markin’ could have been the ‘measuring’ that helped the mason arrive at his estimate. Both interpretations are speculative and the precise meaning remains uncertain.