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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.

Kemp, n. Also: kempt. [ME. kemp(e, OE. cempa, whence also ON. kempa. After c. 1485 only Sc. and north. Eng. dial.]

1. A champion. a. A fighter of mighty stature and great strength; one such who fights in single combat; a professional fighter, as a pugilist or athlete. c1500 Crying of Play 84.
My fader, mekle Gow Makmorne, Out of that wyfis wame was schorne, For litilnes scho was forlorne, Sic a kempe to beire 1513 Doug. v. vii. heading.
Of the twa kempys suld stryfe in the pres, The bustuus Entellus and Darhes Ib. 69.
He hes … Twa kempys burdonys brocht, … With al thar harnes … , Of wecht ful huge and schap onmesurly 1526–7 Treas. Acc. V. 317.
To Johne Drummond callit the Kingis Kemp xv li. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 83.
It is writtin that Arthur tuke gret delectatioun in wersling of strang kempis 1535 Stewart 5728.
Scharpe schutting gart mony cowart quaik Quhair mony kemp wes causit for to kneill Agane his will 1534 Edinb. Hammermen in Mill Mediaev. Plays 233.
To the men that graithit the harnes & to the kempis 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Pugil, athleta, a kemp or campion a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 246.
Nather of thir erlis war bellicous men, bot yit Murray was the maist weirlyk … for he was a cumlie personage of a great stature and strang of bodie lyke a kemp 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xix. 34.
What if a man would but minte to burye a body in the presencechamber of a Prince? would not the kempes of the corps-guarde … cudȝell him … for his capped conseate? 1626 Garden Worthies 130 heading.
Irvine Kempt Garden. A man of admirable and stupendious strength, called the Kempt for killing of a feirce and mightie boar

b. One who fights on behalf of another or for a cause. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 33/16.
Albeit thir twa ȝoure kempis dar not for schame ansuer in this mater, ȝe wyll appeill to the rest of ȝour lernit theologis Ib. 62/5.
God … sall steir wp in his contrare strangar kempis and perfytear procutaris than I am 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xix. 35.
The templarian knights, who, being sometimes the kempes of the kirkes, became at last the … robbers of her rents

2. A stalk with flower-spike (or ‘head’) of the ribwort plantain, used in a childrens game.‘Two children, or young people, pull each a dozen of stalks of rib-grass; and try who, with his kemp, can decapitate the greatest number of those belonging to his opponent. … They also give the name of soldiers to these stalks.’ (Jam. s.v.)So also in mod. Sc. and north. Eng. dial. Cf. also Norw. kjempe (dial. kjæmpe, kampe), Da. kæmpe, kampe (dial. kamp). Sw. kampe (dial. (pl.) kämpar) as names for the plantain or (esp. in pl.) its stalks, which are also used there in similar games. 1583 Wemyss Corr. 81.
Gangand vpoun the Peill of Lynlythkow thay begane to gather kempis to se quhay mycht heid moneast … .The Kyng cryis thane, ‘Gar seik me ane guid kemp, for I will fecht in that quarrell’

3. = Kemper n. 1573 Sat. P. xlii. 276.
Sa it hes bene in all ages All the corne of the countrie Be kempis hes not bene schorne