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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Deces, Decesse, Deceis, v. Also: decese, -sces(e, dessese, -es(se, decis; deceise, -seis; deceace, -ceas. [ME. decesse (1439), -sesse, e.m.E. decese, -ceasse, etc., L. dēcessit pret. of dēcēdere to depart, die. See also Disces v.] intr. To decease, to die.(a) 1405 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 201 (gif Schir Dauid deces before his wife). 1445 Misc. Spald. C. V. 282 (gif it happinnis the son to deces). 1461 Liber Plusc. 388 (scho decest with all the sacramentis). c1475 Wall. x. 314 (thai maid feill to deces). c1515 Asl. MS. I. 233/22 (the Erll of Mar decesit). 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 135 (quhen the poet gan deces). 1555 Prot. Bk. W. Corbet 22 (on to the tyme at scho deces). 1596 Dalr. II. 132/6 (waiting ane ansuer he desceses). 1622-6 Bisset II. 85 (gif any man … happynis to decis).(b) 1447 (1450) Reg. Great S. 68/2 (gif it sal happyn the erle to decesse wythoutin ayre). 1456 Hay I. 39/15 (thare decessit the fader). 1463 Peebles B. Rec. 149 (gefe he dessessis before her). 1495 Acta Conc. 385/1 (schir Andro … decessand in the said court). 1509 Reg. Privy S. I. 294/1 (Johne Fentoun that last decessit). 1544 Prot. Bk. J. Cristisone 88 (gif thair moider decesse within the said ȝeris). 1550 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 150 (hir husband decessand and scho maryit agane). 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 57 (geif I had decessit). 1593 Dysart Rec. 41 (the xxij day … decessit capitan David Weems).(c) 1499 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 430 (gif it happenis the tane to deceis). 1531 Bell. Boece I. 2 (schort yeris eftir Pharo deceissit). 1535 Stewart 59344 (gif Henrie did deceis befoir Chairlis). 1551 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 152 (our souerane lord … that last deceissit). 1562-3 Winȝet I. 82/21 (gif the barnis deceissis but baptim). 1571 Sat. P. xxviii. 128 (that same day I deceist). a1578 Pitsc. I. 61/9 (ane sone … quha deceissit in his infancie). 1596 Dalr. II. 384/24 (the bischope … deseissis the vj of September). c1650 Spalding I. 152 (so thir tua lernit doctouris deceissit). 1655 Douglas Chart. 339 (in cais the said James deceise).

b. In p.p. Deceased, dead.1456 Hay I. 203/34 (mony haly men ar decessit in the Cristyn faith). c1475 Wall. ix. 1532 (decest scho was). 1491 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. 257 (the brether that ar decessit). 1511 Reg. Privy S. I. 355/1 (his curatour is decesit). 1515 Douglas Corr. 68 (the byschep of Dunkeldone is decessyt). 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 227 (giff ony personis be seik or decessit). 1589 Ib. V. 11 (the beidwoman … now deceisset).