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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.

Monk, Munk, Mounk, n. Also: moneke, mon(n)ke, monck, monch; munke, mwn(c)k; mounck, mownk(e, mounch; muink, muynk. [ME. munk, monk (13–14th c.), early munckes pl. (12–13th c.), e.m.E. moonk(e, ME. munec (12th c.), monek (13th c.), OE. munuc (munec-).] A monk.Also, a representation or figure of a monk.Early examples occur in place- and personal names of the 13th and 14th c.(1) c 1220 Liber Dryburgh 95.
Munkeford 12.. Reg. Dunferm. 103.
Roberto de Munketun a 1309 Coldstream Chart. 10.
Henrico dele Monchtun(2) 12.. Reg. St. A. 388.
Per viam que dicitur Monkesgate c 1300 Liber Melros I. 241.
Monekesflattes c 1300 Liber Dryburgh 241.
Monkisfurde(3) 1364 Exch. R. II. 167.
Abbati de Dere et Johanni Munk(4) a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 585.
Scho, that thare was munk c1420 Wynt. v. 3393.
In habit off mwnk Ib. 3408, vii. 303, 1130. 1475 Reg. Cupar A. I. 175.
A mwnk of our sade abbey cald Den John Clerk 1513–4 Acta Conc. MS. XXVI. 30.
Master Thomas Ker has past to the abbay plaice of Kelso and has schavin him munk in the sammyn 1533 Gau 93/1.
Mwnckis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3177.
Quhidder thay be munk, channon, preist or freir 1554 Misc. Bann. C. III. 85.
Thomas Gwld, munk of Newbothill 1562-3 Winȝet I. 58/8. a1578 Pitsc. I. 174/13.
Nane of the bischoppis abboittis freiris munkis deanis [etc.] … and the rest of that schaveling sort a1605 Montg. Flyt. 414 (T).
Sum, in steid of ane staig, over ane stark munk [H. monnke] straid 1622-6 Bisset II. 345/26.
This Sanct Reule wes ane munk in Grece a1633 Hope Major Pract. I. 55.(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxv. 502.
Fore fals feinȝet halynes In lytil tyme he monke mad wes Ib. xviii. 355, xxx. 456, 763; etc. c1400 Troy-bk. i. 596 Col.
Her endis Barbour and begynnis the monk c1450-2 Howlat 178.
The se mawis war monkis, the blak and the quhyte 1456 Hay I. 199/23.
We say … that a monk has na self will bot anerly the will of his abbot a1500 Henr. Fab. 1114 (Bann.). 1490 Irland Mir. I. 164/19.
Gowere, Chauceire, the monk of Berry 1494 Loutfut MS. 23 a.
A religious monk 1497 Treas. Acc. I. 364. 1513 Ib. IV. 409.
Gevin to ane monk of Culros for bynding and aluminyng of tua bukis c1515 Asl. MS. I. 205/24. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiii. 50. 1534 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 113. a1540 Freiris Berw. 25. 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 171/12. 1564 Melrose Reg. Rec. 140. 1567 G. Ball. 206.
The monkis of Melros maid gude kaill On Frydayis quhen thay fastit 1581 Reg. Privy C. III. 409.
William Kirkpatrik, minister at Kilwyning, and ane of the monkis thairof 1586 Reg. Cupar A. II. 294.
As ony monk and religious man … suld ressaue dailie 1657 Balfour Ann. I. 161.
Vpone a luberdly monnke of the Cisteauxe order 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 474.
Said the old monck in his cell(c) c1420 Wynt. vi. 976.
A mownk yhit be professyowne Off the abby Floryacens Ib. 1140.
This byschap … rendryde hym mownke in ane abbay 1437 Liber Melros II. 592. 1498 Reg. Morton II. 253.
The mounk of the seller 1592 Elgin Rec. II. 25.
The other bapteizit with the mounk of Pluscarden 1596 Dalr. I. 210/10.
With ws bischopes war nocht chosen bot by electione of the mounches Ib. II. 436/27.
A Dominican mounck ?1549 Monro W. Isles 31.
Within this ile there is a monastery of mounckes 1600-1610 Melvill 29.
Wha haid been treaned upe amangis the mounks in the abbay 1622-6 Bisset II. 380/24.
Durholme wes ane abbacie or priorie of mounkis(d) 1579 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 431.
Gilbert Murray sumtyme ane muynk of Deir a1634 Read Buch. 2.
For that sort we may mak ane muink of ane meare(5) 1562 Inv. Q. Mary 55.
Ane munk and a nun in twa litle buistis

b. In the possessive, (1) in the place-names monkis ( = monk's or monks') aiker, hill, (2) in monkis portioun, an allowance of provisions sufficient for the support of a monk.(1) 1565–6 Reg. Privy S. V. ii. 33/2.
Lie monkis aiker 1611 Reg. Panmure I. xcii.
Thear is yit ane aker of land quhilk does swmquhat smel of this matter, quhilk is yit callit the monkes aker — 1549 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 623.
The landis of Fechill and Monkis Hill(2) 1498 Reg. Morton II. 253.
The said Abbot and convent [of Melrose] has grantyt to the said Thomas for his liftyme ane mounkis portioun quhen euer he plesis to cum … in to the abbay 1557 Reg. Privy S. V. i. 49/1.
To him … ane monkis portioun within hir graces abbay of Melros 1563 Reg. Cupar A. II. 275.
The thrid pairt of ane monkis portioun of quheit 1586 Ib. 294.
We … in respect that we … ar bundin to varrand ane monkis portioun to him … disponis to the said Robert during his lyvetyme … ane ȝeirlie pensioun of fiftie markis money 1587 Acts III. 442/1.
We reuoik all giftis of monkis portionis first fruitis or fyft penny of onie benefices 1592 Ib. 573/2.

c. Attrib. — 1461 Liber Plusc. I. 282.
The Monk Tower 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I. 179.
The Munk Myre of Couper-grange 1484 Reg. Dunferm. 373.
The land of Litil Monktoun 1509 Reg. Episc. Glasg. 523.
To the curat of the Monk land 1534 Chart. Coupar A. II. 138.
Mownkhome 1543 Reg. Cupar A. II. 28.
Thay … hawand thair fewall in our Monkmyre 1550 Ib. 76.
Movnk myr 1633 Acts V. 26/1.
His majestie … revokes … all … infeftments … of any church-lands, fryer-lands, monk-lands or crown lands 1681 Dauney Anc. Sc. Melodies 23.
We renounce … table-lawings, monklands, frierlands [etc.]