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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Harlotry, Harlatry, n. Also: harlottry, harl(l)ot(t)rie; harlat(t)rie, -ré; harletry, harlet(t)rie. [ME. harlatrye (1388), harlotry, -rie (c 1325).]

1. Loose or riotous living; ribaldry. a1500 Bk. Chess 24.
Quhar thai thairto for wynnyng gois suthly As than it [dicing] bene a sport of harlotry c1515 Asl. MS. I. 174/23.
To lif in harlottry c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 59.
Scaldit in scurrilitie, I se thé haltane in thy harlotrie 1513 Doug. ix. Prol. 52.
Ne byd I not … To speke of trufis, nor nane harlotry 1535 Stewart 23315.
Of hurdome, hasart, and of harlatrie 1567 G. Ball. 38.
Thy sone, quhilk waistit hes in vaine Thy gudis into harlatrie a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xxiv. 11.
Hant na kynd of harlatrie 1596 Dalr. I. 276/1.
Wachting the wyne … in drunknes and harlatrie

2. Unchastity as practised by or with harlots.(a) 1535 Stewart 3472.
In … hurdome and harlatrie He wes profest ane fule 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2344.
O wickit wife, … this is not the first time thow hes done Sic harlatrie 1586 St. A. Kirk S. 575.
Jhone Smyth … and Grissell Burrell … , being inquirit … if thai hed committit harlatre of befoir [etc.] 1623 Kinghorn Kirk S. 23.
It was ordanit that Isabell Colȝear for hir filthie harlatrie … sall be put furth of the town(b) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2957.
Amang thir abesses and thir nunries, Thair publick huirdomes and thair harlotries c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 499.
I neid nocht rekkin ȝour filthye harlotrie a1578 Pitsc. II. 141/5.
That na benefeit sould … wse harlotrie nor adullterie 1578 Inverness Rec. I. 264.
That quhar ȝe [women] … vsis commoun harlottrie … wyth all strangearis, [etc.](c) 1586 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 454.
Thomas Bryntoun … and Aikman, apprehendet in harletry 1596 Dalr. I. 161/9.
Al kynde of … filthie badrie, … whoredome and harletrie 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 31 b.
Sclandering of Catherein Linklett of harlettrie