Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Mandment, Mandement, n. Also: maundment; manda-, mandi-, maunde-, mawndement. [North. ME. maundment (a 1400–50), midl. and south. mande(1297), maunde-, mawndement (14–15th c.), e.m.E. ma(u)ndement, OF. mandement, late L. mandāmentum.]

1. Command, order, bidding, charge.Also const. that and clause or infin.sing. (a) 1375 Barb. iv. 85.
Quhen thai the mandment all had tane, Thai … to the castell went in hy Ib. 332.
His men his mandment [E. maundment] has all done a1400 Leg. S. xxix. 686.
Ymang vthyre this mandment Com quhare his twa sonis lent That of that ton thai suld ches twa(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 360.
Quhat nedis ws fadir hym to cal Sene in mawndement we haf al One this erde fadir to cal nane c1400 Troy-bk. i. 55.
Hys folk he will gif mandement to To ryse in ȝour offence Ib. ii. 90.
At maundement of Pryame kyng c1420 Wynt. iv. 1833.
[He] gawe thame stratly mawndement … Hastyly for till hym bryng Thare wapnys all 1456 Hay I. 128/20.
His fader … sendis him mandement … that he cum to his serviceplur. c1460 Consail Vys Man 430.
Be neuir irke To kep the mandmentis of the Kirk 1483 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 47.
And to be compellit thairto be our lordis authoritie mandimentis and chargis 1495 Acta Conc. I. 417/2.
The said schip … pertenyt to … the King … becaus of … disobesance of his mandmentis & chargis 1513 Doug. x. Prol. 162 (see Mandat n. 1).

2. Passing into: Formal authorization to another to act on one's behalf. = Mandat n. 2.(a) 1417 Acts I. 227/2.
To yhu schirefis of Aberden … we gif straitly in mandment & chargis yhu that [etc.] 1446 Chart. (Reg. H.) No. 313.
[To] our balȝeis … oure full free lauchfull and playne poware speciall mandment and exprese bidding for to gife and deliuer [etc.] 1450 Edinb. Univ. MS., Borland No. 206, 109.
At the bidding & mandment of my lord 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 45.
Bot gif it be swa sufferyt of the Kingis leff & will in his special & lel mandment that he was fre maid a 1460 Swintons App. xli.
[He] has cumyne to my landis … of ȝour [the King's] mandment 1462 Misc. Spald. C. V. 286. 1476 Cal. Doc. IV. 411. 1477 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 69.
Grauntand to my forsaid bailȝe my ful and hail power and speciall maundment my courtis til hauld [etc.] 1482 Edinb. Chart. 155. 1508–9 Stirling Chart. 73. 1510 Reg. Privy S. I. 326/2. 1520 Exch. R. XIV. 501. 1532 Wemyss Chart. 154. 1561 Reg. Privy S. V. i. 228/1. 1566 Prot. Bk. D. Gray MS. 32.
To compere be thame selfis or thair lachtfull procuratouris hauend sufficient power and mandment of thame 1586 Misc. Bann. C. III. 307.
To rander agane the … writtingis … to the said erle, his airis or assignais, or ony vthairis havand his speciall mandment in writ(b) 1429 Dumbarton B. Rec. App. ii. 2.
Of mandiment and powar gefin til vs be our liege lorde the King … we summonyt the burges … to compere before vs 1439 Edinb. Chart. 64.
Grantande to the saide schir Robert … oure ful and playne poware and speciale mandement al oure said landis to set [etc.] 1442–3 Coldingham Priory 148.
Pretending nothir lycens na mandament of ȝw 1456 Hay I. 246/22.
For be na lawis … thar has na Cristin man nouthir mandement na commandement to commoun with thame 1544–5 Reg. Privy S. III. 165/1.
Mandiment 1559 Coll. Aberd. & B. 313.
Mandament 1566 Reg. Privy S. V. ii. 246/1.
With expres mandiment to the lordis of sessioun to gif lettiris of the foure formes [etc.] 1569 Canongate Ct. Bk. 13. 1571 Cal. Sc. P. III. 671.
Mandement 1572 Elgin Rec. I. 131.
Mandiment 1592 Acts III. 556/2. 1598 Paisley B. Rec. 217; 1606 Liber Melros 657.
Mandament 1658 Paisley B. Rec. 104.
Mandement 1672 Aberd. Council Lett. V. 142.
Mandament

b. A writ giving such charge or authorization. 1445 Misc. Spald. C. V. 282.
Quhat tym that the said Cristiane sal be deliverit to the said James the fadir, the said Walter [as intermediary] sal have a mandement thairupon be our soverane Lords … letters patent