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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.

Demayne, Demane, v. Also: demaine, demean. [ME. demayne (c 1300), -meyn(e, -mein(e, -mene, etc., OF. demaine, -meine, pres. t. of demener, to lead, direct, etc.]

1. tr. To conduct, manage, control, or govern. a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 81.
Syne sad I … How scho demanyt hir flesche, Til saule & body to-gydir wes Ib. xxvii. 1464.
The bischape … Of all his bischoprik the cure Betaucht till hyme … All to demayne at his lykine c1420 Wynt. v. 3019 (C).
Maxencyus … demaynyt [R. demanyd] the empyre Withe terandyis, werthe and ire ?1438 Alex. i. 1406.
Nane, … quhan his fais left the place, Sa strenthily couth demane ane chace c1475 Wall. iii. 18.
Bot Inglismen … Demaynde this land as thair awne heretage Ib. ix. 572.
Off Longcastell the duk demanyt weill The mydillward

b. refl. To conduct or behave (oneself). a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 557.
I lefit nocht thane myn syne, Bot me demaynyt as I dyd are Ib. xxiv. 414.
Ful rewfully hyme demanyt he 15.. Clar. iii. 573.
The pepill, … Them selfs demainand that pitie was to see 1657 Balfour Ann. II. 190.
Merwin … was brought to the scaffold, … quher with grate meiknesse he demained himselue

2. To treat or deal with (a person or thing) in a particular way.(1) 1375 Barb. v. 229.
With ȝour leiff, I vald ga se … how my men demanit are c1400 Troy-bk. i. 80.
He suld haue gert ws honorabilly Haue bene demanyt, ande curtaslye c1420 Wynt. vi. 152 (W).
He wald vesyte … All thare herbryis, and se weill How thai demanit were ilk deill 1432 Anc. Laws II. 19.
Gif it be suddandly done, demane hym as the auld law tretis of befor 1456 Hay I. 160/31.
Be all law, … ilke man suld be jugit, and demaynit efter his estate and qualitee Ib. II. 76/20.
Put honour to thame and graciously demayne thame in … justice and equitee 1487 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 632.
Ony caus of divorce … quhairthro the said Katharine Rate beis not his spous nor demanyt as his wyff 1502 Crim. Trials I. 31.
The saidis [persons] … war deliverit to the said scheref, to be kepit and demanit as said is 15.. Clar. i. 640.
Ȝouris we ar, demaine us as ȝe list Ib. iii. 89.
Beseikand ȝow tham wyslie to demane, Whill ȝe in Ingland visie us againe(2) a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 488.
Myn body I wil gyfe thame til, til demayne that thai wil 1456 Hay II. 163/25.
Fruytis … quhen thai ar wele grathit, … and demaynit, … and governyt at rycht 1446 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 105.
Undyr the payn of al my gudis … to be away led and demanyt gyf I mak nocht the said lord … sickyre of the forsaid landis

b. With adverbs, as angrily, hard, rouchly, etc. 1375 Barb. xi. 624.
Thai … set bath will and mycht Till rusche thair fais … That than demanit thame angrely c1420 Wynt. viii. 1055.
Edgare … Tuk this Donald dyspytwysly, And hard demaynyd his persown Ib. viii. 2352.
This Schir Henry de Percy Tha twa demaynit unlauchfully a1500 Quare Jel. 181.
How ladies evill demanit ar oftsys By this foule wrech 1533 Boece vi. xv. 217 b.
Larouns … rouchly demanyng hir chalmereris dispulȝeit hir of … all attyrement

c. To deal with as traitors, thieves, etc. (with implication of sense 3). c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxvi. 39.
The sone disheris wald the father And as ane dyuour wald him demane 1537 Crim. Trials I. 185.
The said Iohne … sall be … hangit … and quarterit and demanyt as ane traytour 1568 Digest Justiciary Proc. G. 19.
The foirsaidis persounis … to be demanit and pvneist as tratoris 1569 Reg. Privy C. I. 653.
Thai salbe … demanyt as commoun thevis 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 115.
Gif ony of thaim be deprehendit, he sall demaine them as enemies 1571 Reg. Privy C. II. 87.
Thair bodyes to be usit and demanit as traitouris and rebellis 1585 Ib. IV. 7.
Undir the pane to be punist, persewit, and demanit as vagaboundis 1589 Ib. 372.
[Under pain of being] punissit and demanit as inemeyis to his Hienes

3. To treat (a person) with harshness, severity, or cruelty; to maltreat: In later use spec. with reference to inflicting pain or mutilation on criminals or traitors at their execution. (Cf. Demaim v.)(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 935.
Hou mykil is wrocht me, lo! & thus demaynyt, as se ȝe now c1420 Wynt. iii. 521.
Fra he wyst welle howe thai ware Demaynyd into foule thrildome 1424 Edinb. Chart. 213.
We traiste it is nocht vnkennit to yhur heynes, how we are demaynit in this lande and be yhond the see 1480 Acta Conc. 54/1.
To prufe that Dauid Kynnere has demaynit his wife vtherways thanne he aucht to hafe done be his contract 15.. Clar. ii. 946.
They tauld to him … How they demainit had the prissoneir 1589 Bruce Serm. (1843) 93.
That same bodie was … crucified & demayned with anguish & dolour 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III. 189.
Thomas Stewart … so demained his … face that the skinne … fell doun upon his eyes 1643 Acts VI. 12/1.
The sailleres … [being] tortoured, demained, and made captives a1651 Calderwood V. 145.
The Erle of Murrey's mother caused draw her son's picture, as he was demained, and presented it to the king(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 1058.
He sa demanis thaim, as ken we ?1438 Alex. i. 2113.
Se quhat way throw hard fecht That all ȝour feiris demanyt ar 1521 Fife Sheriff Ct. 278.
Robert Wyntoun, Dauid Spens … & thar complicis … tuke the said Margaret … & demanyt hir to the effusion of hir blud 15.. Clar. v. 1104.
Thay with cruell heartis but pitie Demanis thame [sc. virgins] 1546 Corr. M. Lorraine 162.
I have bene sua demanyt in the kingis grace tyme … that I have na gude to pay my dettis 1562 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 12.
Rather willing to pay the samin nor to be demanit in thair personis 1562 Digest Iusticiary Proc. D. 51.
They … haue beine slaine or put in captiuitie and demanit as the maist cruell mynd had thocht ganand 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 67.
Will ȝe … put a barrell of powder vnder me, rather nor to be demaned in this vnmercifull maner? 1572 Reg. Privy C. II. 149.
The saidis declarit tratouris, rebellis, and conspiratouris, … to execute and demane to the deathe 1599 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 203.
That he had unmercifull dung and demanit … his spous 1612 Crim. Trials III. i. 243.
His face and heid being maist schamefullie demanit and hurt 1616 Ib. ii. 401.
Thay crowned thair tragidie with so boutcherlie mangling and demaning the puir gentill-man c1650 Spalding I. 42.
His heid to be struckin fra his schulderis, and his bodie demanit and quarterit Ib. 202.
Thus wes the Kingis herauldis, messingeris and burgessis, cruellie demanit and abusit 1685 Argyll's Declaration (J).
Demeaning and executing them … as the most desperate traitors