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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.

Narratioun, n. Also: nar(r)atioun(e, -ation, -acion; nairatioune; nerratioun, -acione. [e.m.E. narracion (1481), -cyon, -tion, F. narration (12–13 c.), L. narrātio.]

1. The act of recounting or relating.

To mak (also, to tell) narratioun (of or twiching the topic), be (trew) narratioun, at schort narratioun.(1) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 629.
Sanct Paull doith mak narratioun, Twycheyng the diuers leid of euery land Ib. 6063.
Passyng imaginatioun Off man to mak narratioun Ib. 6294. a1568 Scott xxxvi. 53. 1567 Sat. P. iii. 17.
Narratioun, shir, gif I do tell His cruell murther ȝe will call monsterous Ib. vi. 85.
Remember thir examp[i]lls … Quhairof partly is maid narratioun(2) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2554.
Than mak it kend Tyll one or two be trew narratioun 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3966.
Quhilk I sall schaw to ȝow be narratioun And preif the same be gude probatioun ? 1570 Sat. P. xx. 6.(3) 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 214.
Quhilk sall at schorte narratioun Bryng yow to dissolatioun

b. That which is narrated or recounted; an account, recital, narrative, story, statement. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 66.
I wait nocht gif this narratioun Be authoreist 1501–2 Acta Conc. III. 150.
The sade Hew come til Schir Thomas Tod … and schew that he and the sade James war fullelye aggreit … and the sade James [? read Schir Thomas] trastand that the nerracione of the sade Hew was of verite [etc.] 1531 Bell. Boece I. iii.
Ane compendious narratioun of the auld institutionis maneris and leving of Scottis 1533 Boece vii. xii. 245.
The dekin Paul … convenis nocht with Galfrede nowder in calculacioun of datis nor narracion of the history Ib. xi. xix. 447 b.
Narracions following sal declare how fra the samyn stok sprang [etc.] a1538 Abell a.
Because ane story or narratioune is maid sicker … quhen nocht alanerlie the namys of the doaris of it ar expremit bot alswa [etc.] Ib. 108 a.
Stand in the sentence of multitude of kirk men and gife credence to thare narratioun c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 889.
To heir mair of his narratioun This ladie come to his collatioun c1552 Id. Mon. 5294.
Frome Abraham be this narratioun To Christis incarnatioun … hes bene two thousand ȝeris 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5416.
Vnto ȝour grace gif I tald my narratioun In the meane time ȝour sone [etc.] 1597 Misc. Spald. C. II. lx. n.
Contenying ane breiff narratioun of the forme of the absolutioun of the Erles of Huntlie and Errol 1612 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 116.
To remember to call the Ladie Elizabeth … in the taxatioune and nairatioune thairoff

2. The act of reporting (of or concerning a person, or that something is so), freq. by way of accusation, complaint or slander. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 105.
Go hence, pure buke … Idolatouris … sall with thé flyte Because of thame thow makis narratioun 1565 Reg. Privy C. I. 336.
To inquire … quhat personis … hes … intromettit with … the said … gudis owther be the partiis narratioun or utherwayis 1566 Reg. Privy S. V. ii. 111/2.
Quhilkis actis thair majesteis at the narratioun of parteis hes bene movit to dispens with 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 116.
Ane proclamatioun … makand narratioun that James Erle Bothwill haid not only conspyrit the Kingis grace slauchter [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I. 184/19.
All his goode service was forgeit be thair flatterie and feir that the King tuik of him be naratioun off wickit persouns

b. That which is so reported; a report, accusation, allegation or representation. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 66 (B).
And Chestety will mak hir narratioun How scho can get na lugeing 1565 Reg. Privy C. I. 394.
In caise ony persoun … sall heireftir mak report … of the said Sir Johnne, accusand … him [etc.] … thair majesteis sall require the spekar and delatar to gif his complaint or narratioun in writt c1575 Balfour Pract. 537.
That na persoun be ane conspiratour or inventer of narratiounis rumouris taillis or suspitiounis [1318 Acts I. 112/1, quod nullus sit conspirator nec inventor narracionum seu rumorum] quhairthrow discord may arise betwix [etc.] 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 23 b. 1618 Trial Isobel Inch 8.
For forder confirmation of the veritie of her haill narration forsaid, the bairne [was] … demanded at [etc.] 1640 Baillie I. 252.
After much jangleing … with manie eikes of odious (whether true or fabulous) narrations

c. Freq. fals, wrang or wrangus narratioun, false report or misrepresentation. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2115.
Howbeid ȝowr self be in the wyte And mak ane fals narratioun 1549–50 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 147.
For purchessing of ane deliuerance of the lordis aganis the saidis prouest baillies [etc.] … and making wrang narratioun of thame thairin c1552 Lynd. Mon. 32.
Mak thame humyll supplicatioun Geue thay in thé fynd wrang narratioun That thay wald pleis thy faltis to remyt 1562 Crim. Trials I. i. 426.
[They] thairfoir protestis … aganis the said writting as impetrat vpone fals narratioun 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 412.
Vngodlie iugis for solistatioun Of potestatis with wrang nerratioun 1576 Misc. Spald. C. II. 333.
To clok thair impietie be thair wrangus narratiounis to your maiestie 1588 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 26.
Fals narratiouns maid to us and the saids lords of oure secreit counsall a1633 Hope Major Pract. I. 50.

3. a. In rhetorical terminology: That part of an oration in which the facts of the matter are stated. = Narrative n. 4. 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 165.
The ornate oratouris Makand hir hienes salutatioun … With mony notable narratioun

b. In legal terminology: A statement of the facts on which a plea is based. = Narrative n. 3. c 1554 Misc. Bann. C. II. 28.
The tytill producit be thame … on na wayis aggreeis with thair narrative proponit for the furderance of thair caus, nor on na wayis contenis as is specifeit in the said narratioun nor fundament 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 195.
The said supplicatioun … being red in presens of the saidis prouest and baillies … quhilkis jugis … fand the narratioun foirsaid of verite 1564 Reg. Privy C. I. 307.
Undirstanding the narratioun of the said supplicatioun to be trew