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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.

Deliverance, -ans, n. Also: delywerans, -ance, delyverance, -aunce, deleverance. [ME. deliveraunce (c 1290), -lyverance, etc., OF. delivrance, f. delivrer Deliver v.]

1. The action of setting free; liberation, release. 1416 Douglas Corr. 234.
We haue … writtyn to yhow til stere our lufit eme of Albany deuly to trauele for vs and our deliuerans c1420 Wynt. viii. 7078.
Thai of Paris maid thame then … For thare kingis delyverance ?1438 Alex. ii. 2626.
Now tak this counsell … How his delyuerance best may fall 1456 Hay I. 182/23.
To help at all his power to mak his delyveraunce 1490 Irland Mir. I. 34/23.
Of that [evil] we ask deliueraunce in the fift peticione c1500-c1512 Dunb. xc. 27.
Of syn gif thow wald have deliverance, Thow sulde it tell with all the circumstance 1558-66 Knox II. 85.
Neither … was thair any caus quhy thou souldest have gevin unto us sa joyfull and suddane a delyverance 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 48.
In this menetyme com the deliuerance of the quene out of Lochlevin a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxiv. 46.
As the buk, vhare he is bound, mon blait, Becaus delyverance he persaifis none

b. Freedom or permission to depart; the completion of an errand entitling one to this. c1420 Wynt. vii. 2929.
Quhen this wes down, [thai] Past apon delywerans Oure sé togyddyre into Frans c1475 Wall. viii. 1688.
The harrold baid on to the xx^ty day … Be gude awys maid hys deliuerance 1533 Bell. Livy I. 116/23.
The messingere in the abiding & desiring his deliuerance was sa. faschit and wery [etc.] 15.. Clar. iv. 2482.
The Ireland bischope, and the Erle also, [Hes] thair delyverance askit hame to go

2. Formal decision or judgement in a matter.(a) 1385 Red Bk. Grandtully I. 140*.
In wytnesyng of al thyng … of my delyuerans as ful endyt dome c1420 Wynt. vii. 902.
Alysandyr … Off that … mad ordynance, … and full delyverance Ib. viii. 1875.
All othir Inglis men … Be delyverans off cownsalle Than owt off Scotland wes put hale 1434 Reg. St. Andrews 423.
[The] prior of Sanctandrowis … with full consent and deliuerance of the chaptere … has sett [etc.] c1475 Wall. viii. 1445.
His delyuerance thai heid of gret awaill 1493 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 212.
At the decret, sentence, or delyverance off certane assysouris of perambulacione chosyn 1545 Thanes of Cawdor 168.
Gif ony of thame … refusis to abyid at the seycht and delywerans of the remanent of the saidis personis 15.. Clar. iv. 2626.
I aske God mercie Of my delyverance cursit and hastie 1576 Digest Justiciary Proc. I. 30.
The samyn persones … be thair delyuerance … fand [etc.] 1597 Edinb. Test. XXX. 30.
That nathing be done without his first delyuerance had thairto(b) 1424 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 14.
We micht nocht certify yhour excellence … sua effectueuslie as we think … to do with deliuerance of our haie commonate 1445 Melville Chart. 31.
The saide Schir Androwe and Iohne sal vnderly the ordinance and the deliuerance of the forsaide personis 1471 Acta Aud. 12/2.
That the parliament may that tyme gif thaire decrete and deliuerance how the said mater … sall procede 1489 Treas. Acc. I. 106.
To Patrik Leyche, be a deleuerance of the Lordis, x li. 1505–6 Peebles B. Rec. 34.
Quhilk deliuerance of inqueist bur that it was fundyn … that [etc.] 1533 Boece viii. xii. 276 b.
The residew of his navin at deliuerance of the consell of Britan suld returne to Germanye 1550 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 147.
For purchessing of ane deliuerance of the Lordis aganis the saidis prouest a1578 Pitsc. I. 39/11.
Then baitht the parties war comprommittit be thair aithis to stand at the deliverance of the arbitratouris

b. Deliberation, consideration. 1567 G. Ball. 35.
Sune with schort deliuerance The ȝungest spak in this maneir 1596 Dalr. I. 104/6.
Quhen ance thay cum in sicht of the ennimie, thay stand nocht vpon a delyuirance [L. non deliberantes cunctantur]

3. The act of handing over to another; delivery. 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 74.
For the expensis … contenit in the buke of the comptaris deliueransis to the masteris of werk 1481 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 463.
In contentment of the deliuerans and payment of the said soume 1493 Acta Conc. 274/1.
Dampnage … sustenit be him in defalt of payment and deliuerance of the said salt and money 1509 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 339.
At the day and tyme of geifin and deliuerance of the said confirmacione to ws 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 4.
Be the deliuerans of George Mayn of the some of [£66] vsuale money of Scotland 1541 Reg. Cupar A. II. 13.
For the delyuerance of the sowm of tuelff pundis gude and vsuall money 1568 Liber Coll. Glasg. Pref. p. lxxxiv.
Dischargeing vthirwayis the persounis astrictit in payment of the samyn of all deliuerans thairof 1587 Reg. Great S. (1600) 360/2.
To give ane actuall possessioun … be delyverance of ane penny and the knok of the foiryet of the said Sanct-Thomas-land 1607 Lett. Eccl. Affairs I. 121.
If thair hes bein any curiositie in delay of delyverans of the said Commissioun

b. The act of surrendering or handing over (a stronghold, hostage, prisoner, etc.). c1420 Wynt. viii. 3872.
The Inglis men … Askyd delyverans of the town; Bot … delywerans nane to thame he made 1456 Hay I. 57/29.
The Franche men … send ten men … to tell the newis to Rome, and ask deliveraunce of the toune 1483 Acta Conc. II. Introd. 132.
The Lordis … ordanis letters to be direct under the prive sele for the deliverance of the said castell to our said soverane Lady 1488 Chart. (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 83.
The comissionaris … of Scotland … askit deliuerans of William Hedle [etc.] … slaaris of vmquhill Robert Trunbull 1558-66 Knox II. 50.
The plaiges … to remaine in England … , and to be exchanged upoun delyverance of new hostages a1585 Maitl. Q. lx.
Ane exclamatioun … vpon the delyuerance of the Erle of Northumberland furth of Lochlevin

4. Activity, agility. Also personified. a1500 Doug. K. Hart 483.
Vpstart on fute lyflie Delyuerance Ib. 921.
Deliuerance hes oft tymes done me gude Quhen I wes ȝoung c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlviii. 95.
Rycht strong of corpis … Lusty of schaip, lycht of deliuerance

5. Performance (of a promise). a1570-86 Maitl. F. clv. 19.
For quhone thi hecht and thi delyuerance fechtis, Bettir had bene thi hecht had bene away