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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Purgatory, -i(e, n. (adj.). Also: purgatorye, -ey, purgetory, purgotory. [ME (Ancr. R.) and e.m.E. purgatorie, -ory, also purcatory (Piers Plowman), noun, also adj. = having the quality of cleansing (Piers Plowman), esp. spiritually, or purifying, AF purgatorie (Godef. Compl.), med. L. purgatorium, absol. use of neut. of L. purgātōri-us adj. = cleansing, purifying, f. purgāre Purg(e v.: cf. Purgator(e.]

A. noun. 1. The ‘Purgatory’ or place of spiritual purging of Roman Catholic belief.Also commoun purgatorie.(1) c1460 Vert. Mess (S.T.S.) 47.
Fore ilke mes … sindry saulys ar … fred out of the payne of purgatory c1475 Wall. xi 1263.
‘Quhar art thow, spreyt?’ … ‘In purgatory’ Ib. vii 444. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 653 (Asl.).
Purgatorie 1490 Irland Mir. MS 273b.
In hell, … quhare he [God] schawis his furor na in purgatori quhare he schawis his crabitnes Ib. (ed.) I 23/25. 1513 Doug. vi Prol. 43.
And purgatory for synnys venyall 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2277 (Bann.).
Quhen I am deid I wait full sickerly My silly sawle sall pas to purgatory c1552 Id. Mon. 4357.
He is prince of purgatorie, Delyuering saulis … Off that dirke dungeoun Ib. 4775. 1567 G. Ball. 15.
Hell … Quhair Purgatorie and pardonis will not sell Ib. 201.
Pilgramage and Purgatorie … And mony vther fals abusioun The Paip hes done inuent 1580 Facs. Nat. MSS III lxx.
We abhorre … his purgatorie, prayeris for the dead [etc.] 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 206.
Thair damnable heresie agains purgatorie and the lymbe of the patriarches 1639 Bk. Pasquils (1827) ii 92.
Purgatorey(2) 1490 Irland Mir. II 35/18.
The thrid [hell] aboue is commoune purgatory c1515 Asl. MS I 163/28.
Thar is commoun purgatorie as me has previt bot lait syne

b. fig. or transf. A place, or state, of temporary suffering. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2709 (Bann.).
The pure peple … As … pure lauboreris Off quhome the lyfe is half a purgotory [v.r. purget-] c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxii 81.
As saule is heir in purgatory, Leving in pane and houp of glory Ib. xxv 2. 1513 Doug. vi xii heading.
The seir punitioun of sawlis in purgatorye, And quhou thai pas syne to the flude Lythe Ib. 47.
Ilkane of ws hys ganand purgatory Mon suffir Ib. xii Prol. 208.
Sum [lover] … sa quyte owt of grace Hys purgatory he fyndis in euery place 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I 527.
To returne to Streuiling, as the place appointed for his exile and purgatory

2. Exculpation or atonement. = Purgatio(u)n n. 5. 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 16.
Vnto sic tyme as … sic as wald be reputed cleane of that murther, had gevin sufficient purgatorie thairof

B. adj. Of an oath: That clears one of the imputation of guilt, or one whereby one affirms one's innocence. 1682 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 189.
Which is noe more bot a purgatorie oath; that he might purge himself of these … malversationes which … were presumed against him