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

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

Merit, Mereit, v. Also: meritt, -ite, -yit; meret, mereitt; mearit. P.t. meritit etc., also merit. P.p. merit, -ete. [e.m.E. (Caxton, 1484) merit, -ite, -yte, F. mériter f. mérite Merite n.]

1. tr. To deserve, be entitled to or worthy of, to have earned (a reward, punishment, gratitude, etc.).Also b. with non-personal subject and c. const. infin.(1) 1549 Compl. 134/11.
That he neuyr merit nor deseruit sic kyndnes touuart hyr a1585 Maitl. Q. lxviii. 53.
Thow meritis Homer or Virgill Thy worschip till advance c1590 J. Stewart 83/131.
Thow gifs no gaine to him quho merits hyre 1597 Reg. Privy C. V. 410.
[Consulters of witches] meritis with thame … equall punishement(b) 1585 James VI Ess. 42.
Mereits 1587 Acts III. 495/2. c1590 J. Stewart 30/19.
Thow meschant mereits not sic nobill gaine c1590 Fowler I. 183/11. Ib. 277/81. 1610 Laing MSS. I. 123.
Be your guid deserving … yow mereit no war at my hands(c) 1664 Rec. Old Tolbooth in Bk. Old Edinb. C. V. 117.
Guiltie of notorious adultry meariting daith(2) 1585 Laing MSS. I. 52.
As our maister lippinis for and meryitis at your hands 1596 James VI in Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lxxiv. 1600 Acts IV. 243/2.
To … reward his said cousignes as scho hes worthelie mereteb. (1) 1569 Reg. Privy C. I. 666.
That rigour … of justice quhilk the qualitie of the cryme meritis a1585 Maitl. Q. xlix. 54. 1598 Crim. Trials II. 55.
The advocat allegis that this allegeance is thryse repetit and thairfoir mereitis na forder ansuer 1602 Ib. 392. 1625 Justiciary Cases I. 20.
Ane deidlie wound … non lethale mereitis na daithe 1629 Ib. 135.(2) 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 44.
Quha wer than estemit of euery man as thar vertuus merititc. c 1545 St. A. Univ. Rec. xxi.
It is neir perist and meretis nocht to be callit ane vniuersite 1562-3 Winȝet II. 70/18.
Quha … meritit to dee in Christe faythfullie 1568 St. A. Kirk S. 312.
And thairfoir [she] mereittis worthelye to be excommunicated 1589 Reg. Privy C. IV. 424.
Hir affectioun towardis us … meritis to be rememberit c 1593 Misc. Spald. C. I. 5.
He hes merit bettir to follou his fathir futstaps nor that your maiestie suld put him ut of his forbears rank

2. To earn as a reward for meritorious action.Also const. (un)to (= for) another. 1563 G. Hay Confutation Abbot Crosraguel 34.
Albeit a man … may merite to an other the first grace … yet can he not merite the essentiall rewarde of the eternall lyfe 1588 King Cat. 153.
Christ is our propiciatour … quha onelie culd meritt vnto ws remission of sinnes