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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.

Falset, Falsat, n. Also: falsett, falcet, faulset; falsatt, -sate, -sait(t; falsitt, fallsit, falseit. [e.m.E. falset (1569), late ME. falssett (1482, but rare in English use), OF. falset, med. L. falsatum.]

1. Falsehood. (Common in 15–16th cents.)(a) 1375 Barb. i. 377.
Him dedeynȝeit nocht to dele With trechery, na with falset a1400 Leg. S. iv. 46.
His prechinge Wes bot falset and fenȝet thinge c1420 Wynt. i. 1636 (C).
Ovide sayis in to that qwhile Vprasse falsset [R. falshede], swyk and gile a1500 Bk. Chess 891.
Knychtis suld … with na falset deile 1531 Bell. Boece I. 56.
He began to turne his … mind to falset and slichtis 1562-3 Winȝet II. 18/10.
Be quhat manere … I micht discerne the treuth of the catholik fayth fra the falset of hæretical wickitnes 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 213.
He cutted off the bill abone, And filled the blank with falset sone 1602 Conv. Burghs II. 140.
Gif it beis fund vtherwayis nor richt he sall … be pvnischit as vtheris in vntruthe and falsett 1638 Baillie I. 39.
Highly commoved with Mr. William's rashnesse, assureing the utter falset of that brute(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxxi. 659.
That falsat nocht ioysit be Fore til ourcum the verite c1420 Wynt. viii. 1932.
Robert the Brws kend well than The falsate off this wykkyd man 1456 Hay II. 27/36.
And [= if] … all thing that war falsate, barate, wikkitnes and trechery war poyntis of the said office 1490 Irland Mir. I. 115/31.
That in thi godheid na falsat may be fund 1533 Gau 96/6.
Giff ws grace to contemp al the vanite and falsait of it [sc. the world] c1530-40 Stewart Maitl. F. cxxviii. 46.
Flattrie and falsate that ȝour fame hes fylit 1569 Acts III. 43/2.
For eschewing of falsat and fraude vsit in making of euidentis 1595 Waus Corr. II. 520.
Seing he is off mynd to trubill me only vpon his invent of falsat(c) 1570 Leslie 302.
Quhairby the treuth may be decerned from falseit a1578 Pitsc. I. 141/28.
They concordit alltogither in trumperie and fallsit 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i. xxvii. § 10.
Which punishments derogats not from the former Act inflicting the punishment of falsit

b. Falsehood personified. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxi. 11.
Oft falsett rydis with ane rowt, Quhen trewth gois on his fute abowt a1500 Doug. K. Hart 548.
Out at ane dore ran Falset and Invy

2. False or fraudulent dealing; fraud or forgery. 14.. Acts I. 34/2.
Of men doand falset in wecht and mesure Ib. 364/2.
Of falswecht and mesur. … Sic falset pertenis to the kingis croune 1456 Hay I. 281/23.
Gif ane [notary] dois falset under the sailigne of ane othir 1533 Gau 93/24.
Lat ws noth liff of okir or be ony falsait or stouth 1563 Digest Justiciary Proc. E. 15.
The said Mr Nicoll convict … of plaine & manifest falsett … in making and feinȝeing of the said fals instrumentis 1588 King Cat. 8.
Gif in bying and selling thai vse any kynde of falset 1602 Conv. Burghs II. 143.
Gif the merchandis guidis beis deminischit … throw falsett of the skipper 1616 Crim. Trials III. 416.
Gif ony notter committis falset, and beis convict and fund giltie thairof, he sall be pwneist to the daithe

b. An act of fraud or forgery. 1555 Acts II. 496/1.
Considdering the greit and mony falsettes daylie done within this realme be notaris 1574 Reg. Privy C. II. 365.
The diverse abuses, defaltis, falsettis and negligences of messengeris and utheris officiaris of armes 1592 Acts III. 569/2.
For eschewing of faulsettis in reductioun of decreittis of redemptioun 1629 Conv. Burghs III. 284.
Becaus the said falsettis can not so weill be remediet as by wecht 1667 Rec. Justiciary Ct. I. 256.
[Stating] that he was but found art and part of the falsett