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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Regiment, Regement, n. Also: regie-, redgi-, redge-; rai(d)ge-, rage-; reagement; Regment. [ME and e.m.E. regiment (Gower), -mente, regement, rule or government, in various applications, also a body of troops (1579), OF régiment (1265 in Larousse), late L. regimentum, f. L. regere to rule.]

I. 1. Rule or government over a person, people or country; the authority of a king, regent, pastor, etc.Also in fig. context.(1) 14.. Maner of Battale 226.
Gif the appelour … be under the regiment governance or jugement of sindry kingis [etc.] c1515 Asl. MS I xiv.
The Regiment of Kingis with the buke of phisnomy 1533 Boece 259b.
The … sonnys of King Constantine … war at fostering … vnder cure and regiment of thare preceptouris 1558-66 Knox II 20.
I have, (say you,) wreittin a treassonable [booke] aganis the regiment and impyre of women Ib. 28.
A booke aganis the usurped authoritie and injust regement of womenfig. 1553–4 Knox III 389.
Lyke as scheip hes na judgement to descerne … but be the regement of thai [sic] pastour(2) 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 322b.
Quhen mony names of gret honour ware offerit to him for his gud and noble regiment 1549 Compl. 2/6.
Illustir princes, … ȝour regement ande gouernyng [etc.] … incressis daly 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary II 252.
The peopill comittit to my charge and regiment during the minoritie and lesage of the king a1568 Bann. MS 86b/2. 1582–3 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii 102.
The grite rigor … usit be the … erll during the tyme of his regiment, toward my … fader 1594 Charteris Pref. Wall. in Misc. Bann. C. III 167.
Vtheris alledges him … to haue … acceptit his regiment, mouit be the monyfald calamities & miseries of his natiue countrie 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 93/32.
In the just praise of your so well moderated regiment 1603 Moysie 2.
He … willinglie dimittit his auctoritie and regiment in the kingis fauouris(3) a1500 Bk. Chess 2078.
Tharfor a prince suld haue sic regiment His folk to rewll & hald to his entent 1560 Bk. Disc. 183.
To the Great Counsall of Scotland now admitted to regiment, by the providence of God 1564 Warrender P. (S.H.S.) I 44.
Na forceid … obedience … bot sic as proceidis fra the contemplatioun of hir moderat kynd of regiment 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV ii 120.
The estates of the realme … finding hir unworthie to regiment, decernit hir dimission of the crown 1570 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 650/2.
Nowther is ther ony certane rull and regement, nor … ony sure part … to traivell into 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 132.
Becaus he was lauchfull tutore to our king, he bure the regiment induring his minoritie 1575 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 43. 1603 Moysie 3. 1677 Lauder Notices Affairs I 153.
One Moffet, a fletcher … assumed a kind of regiment and superiority over the rest(4) a1500 Bk. Chess 1196.
I present ȝow thir childer … Thar faderis has the tovne in regiment 15.. Clar. iv 2509.
Ane louetenant to us create, Our realme to governe in regiment 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7042.
All his realme he had in regiment

b. ? A (written) authority to govern. But perh. merely a further instance of 1 above. — 15.. Clar. v 2869.
His luiftenand … quhen thay war discendit to the strand, … at the king he tuike his regiment

c. A theory, system or aspect of governing; polity. — 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 307.
Wald thov … studie … The regiment of princelie gouernyng … it war ane plesand thyng 1570–1 Knox VI 584.
In materis of civile regiment ye doe not fullie agrie with us

d. A form of government currently established. — 1569 Reg. Privy C. II 63.
Rebellis … vilipendand his majesteis authoritie, takand na regaird thairof nor of the present regiment

2. a. An office involving the exercise of authority. b. The period during which authority is wielded; reign, term of office.a. 1558 Knox IV 539.
No manifest idolater … oght to be promoted to any publike regimentb. 1558-66 Knox II 416.
This wes the begyning of the regement of Marie Quene of Scottis 1577 Reg. Privy S. VII 186/1.
In the regimentis of umquhile his hienes regentis … and of the present regent a1639 Spotsw. Hist. (1655) 84.
John Rough … attended the governour as chaplain in the beginning of his regiment

3. The ruling or governing of a person, people, place, etc. a1500 Bk. Chess 245.
Of the realme all … The rewll he beris and als the regiment 1518–19 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II 353.
The … bailȝeis … granttit and committet the reull and regiment of [their song school] … to … Johnn Cumming 1533 Boece 74b.
During his regne na man belevit the regiment of the common weill suld be reformyt 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4532.
Sprituall fulis that takis in cure The … regiment of grit abbaseis 1546 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II 368.
Jon Futhy maister of thair sang skull … to haue the haill regiment and teching of the barnis thairof 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6122.
Seuin wise maisteris that had the regiment Of all the toun 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 538.
Concerning the regiment of this realme during the minoritie of the said … prince 1569 Reg. Privy S. VI 125/2.
Ane coadjutor … quha may … tak the regiment and reule of the said abbay … upoun him 1571 Bann. Memor. 161.
Matthow Erle of Lennox … intrused him self in the regiment of this realme 1576 Reg. Privy C. II 548.
His acceptatioun of the regiment of this realme a1578 Pitsc. I 131/19.
How … wngodlie ane thing it is … to place ane ignorant in hie estait and regement of ane contrie 1589 Reg. Privy C. IV 425. — 1567 Acts III 13/2.
The … habilitie … of our … brother, to haue the cure and regiment of our … sone 1580 Edinb. Test. VIII 349b.
The said Robert Nichole … leuis … the reull & regiment of Robert Nichole his secund sone … to … his spous

4. Control or influence exercised by the planets over humours and, hence, over human beings. Also pl. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 15.
The planetis aspectis and complexiounis … of nature ar wonder different [And ar] not all vnder ane regiment Ib. Prol. 58.
Of thir … elementis, Mannis complexioun takis maist part regimentis

5. A set of rules to govern conduct or diet. a. A rule or curriculum. b. A diet or régime. c. ? The rules governing the raising and formation of a military unit.a. 1456 Hay II 77/1.
Aristotil … send him a regement in wrytt how … he suld govern him ay furth ?1555–6 Corr. M. Lorraine 407.
I sall do gudwill to be ane medicinar in helpin of thair faltis, and to gif regiment therfor … As to my syster, I beleif scho sall get ane schort regiment fra hir husband 1559 Reg. Privy S. V i 144/1.
Ane Regiment for Educatioun of Young Gentillmen in literature et virtuous exercitioun a1568 Scott iii 9.
Wald ȝe rewill ȝow, keip this regimentb. 1535 Stewart 51712.
And he agane gaif him ane regiment To keip dyet efter his devys, As doctouris will … Till … seik men or tha get drogarie 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5623.
He … did him cure with ane richt regimentc. 1584 Acts III 325/1.
Of capitanis vtheris officiaris gentlemen and suldeartis quha seruit vnder the regiment and charge in the weris

6. A place, region or district under one particular rule. 1596 Dalr. I 2/10.
The iles … ar monie and plentiful in the regiment of our king Ib. 274/28.
Fra this tyme furth … regiounis in thir partes war namet with new names; for exemple we cal now the regimentis Angus and Mernis quhilkes afor tymes Horestia

II. 7. An organised military unit forming part of an army; a regiment.Cf. 5 c above.Also attrib.(1) 1584 Acts III 325/2.
In respect of the great debt awand to the said colonell and his said regiment 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III 111.
Ane letter in favouris of Sir George Hay for lifting of ane regiment 1639 Acts V 605/1.
All regimentis listed in Scotland to be furnished with ministeris c1646 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. fol. 22.
Mr. John Douglas … had spent some yeers in preaching to a Scotch regiment in the Netherlands 1647 Acts VI i 672/2.
Tuo hieland regimentis … and the other fyve lawland regimentis 1647 Ancram & Loth. Corr. I 214.
Redgiment 1650 Irvine Mun. II 75.
Payment off the mentinance off the brough dew to my lord Argyll his regement 1669 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 2 Oct. 1670 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 62.
Ane of the sergeants of the militia regiment 1674 Edinb. B. Rec. X 182.
The redgement of the citie of Edinburgh 1678 Fugitive Poetry II xxxv 3/50.
Themselves and their regements like brave men of war 1692 Seafield Corr. 92.
Ane great partie … off Collonell Buchans regiement, consisteing of ane captaine, lyvetenent, ensigne [etc.](b) 1689 Dunkeld Presb. II 496.
My Lord Ardgwyll … and those of the Prisbiteriane persuasione in his reagement(c) 1640 Kirkcudbr. Min. Bk. 48.
How that the South Raigement may be mantainit 1641 Dumfries Treas. Acc. 7.
Ane seik sojour of the raigement 1642 Thanes of Cawdor 288.
Raidgement(d) 1681 New Mills Manuf. 12.
Furnisheing 1600 ells of cloth for the ragement(2) 1627 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II 38.
A regiment of two thowsand men 1650 Brechin Presb. 52.
For leavieing of a regiment of horses 1669 Lamont Diary 210 (see Militia n. b (2)).attrib. 1648 Act to Prorogate the Monthly Maintenance 10.
Regiment scriver