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

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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.

Remed(e, -meid(e, v. Also: ra- and -meidd-, -maid, -mead(e, -meed. [Only Sc. OF remedier (1282 in Larousse), L. remediāre Remedy v., f. remedium Remed(e n. Cf. e.m.E. remed (once, 1590).]

1. lit. and fig. To cure, or treat with a view to curing, (a disease or disorder). a1400 Leg. S. xxxi 284.
Scho … prayt hyme parcheryte To remed hyr infyrmyte c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 125/56.
Nane can remeid my maledie [B. melady] Sa weill as ȝe 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9941.
It was ane seiknes vncurabill And to remeid to mortall man not abill 1596 Dalr. I 24/2.
Tua myles abone Edinburghe is a fontane … gude … to kure and to remeid diuers dolouris of the skin Ib. 219/34.
To remeid the serpents bite c1600 Montg. Suppl. vii 12.
For as the seik … hoipis for help of medecein His sair to cuir, and dollour to remeid [etc.] 1603 Philotus 505.

2. tr. To cure (a person or community) of a disorder of body or mind; to heal; to succour, restore to a good state; to help out of difficulties.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxx 241.
Thu wil nocht remede The man that for thé wil thole dede a1578 Pitsc. II 127 marg.
Hou the lordis of Scotland was poysonit … amangis quhome the Erle of Murray … was remeidit 1578 Conv. Burghs I 64.
We vnderstand, with litill expenssis … the awner of the saidis [salt] pannis may be remedit and helpit 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 85.
That onles thow incontinent remedit him [sc. of a fever] than that he suld caws burnn thé c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxxii 31.
Remeid me that am … sor opprest a1605 Montg. Sonn. lx 8.
Except thé, Death, no thing culd him rem[eid](2) a1570-86 Maitl. F. 252/13.
It will nocht … remeid thé of thy cair(3) c1420 Wynt. vii 3625.
Cryst … Succoure Scotland and remede, That stad [is in] perplexyte 1627 Rep. Parishes 132.
[The] schoole … will decay except it be remeidit and provydit at the leist with ane hundrethe pound

3. To rectify. a. To make amends for (sin, etc.). a1400 Leg. S. iv 278.
That thu ma ȝete thi mys remed Ib. vii 94.
Manis sonne fra the ded Is rysine, al synnys to remed c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 18/101.
Bot mor trespas, my synnis to remeid

b. To amend (a state of affairs); to make good (a wrong); to set right (a fault).(a) 1456 Hay I 148/31.
The quhilk, bot I remede, I am lyke to tyne up all c1460 Regim. Princ. 254 (Marchm.).
A thing … Quhilk seildin is remedit in thi land c1590 Fowler II 80/29.
It becummeth … impossible to be remeded 1614 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 155.
Whiche I dout not … your lordschip will sie remedit(b) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 473.
Hir dule hir cairfull cry Micht not remeid nor ȝit hir murning mend c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 97/7.
I sall him knawin mak hyne to Calis, Bot giff ȝowr henes it remeid 1547 Corr. M. Lorraine 210.
The harmis sustenit therthro and yet nocht remeiddit 1549 Compl. 89/29.
That ȝe be delegent to remeide ȝour abusions of the tymis by past c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 423.
Bot ȝit they will remeid all thy rwyne 1592 Mining Rec. 84.
For na thing is sa far past bot may be weill remeidit 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 158. c1600 Montg. Suppl. vii 61.
In neid, vith speid, remeid my crewall caiss 1640 Baillie I 262.
Other inconvenients befell us … we remeided both so weell as might be 1666 Galloway Synod 48.
Represent … the names of such ministers who … do … keep conventicles and to desire him to take such course as may remeid the same(c) 1558-66 Knox I 289.
Whilk beand remeaded mycht bring us out of all danger 1604-31 Craig ii 42.
If thou mind'st for to remead my mone 1639 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 212 (see Remed(e)able adj.). 1649 Stirling Merch. Guild 64.
But sall … remead the same [sc. damage] to his poware a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 497. 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 519.
There is not an evil but it will remead it(d) 1558-66 Knox I 288.
Your lordschip hes absteaned fra executioun heirof … to the effect that my self should remaid it(e) 1619 Garden
All maters marr'd, … to remeed and mend 1619 Elphinstoun 928. 1657 Balfour Ann. II 252.
Remeed c1680 Mackenzie Affairs 22.

c. To mend (a material thing); to repair. 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II 220.
The eist gavill windok … wes abill to fall downe … and that litill expens in tyme wald remeid the samyn

d. To redress (a grievance or legal wrong). 1549 D. Beaton Eccles. Hist. Caithness 321.
The violent hand putting on the curat of Bowar … to be remedit 1579 Reg. Privy C. III 155.
Without his hienes petifullie considder thair caise and remeid the same 1645 Baillie II 299.
I hope their friendlie debate … shall be a means to remeed many of our grievances 1646 Ib. 359.
The new ordinance, whereby the most of your grievances are remeeded, is sent up to the Lords

4. absol. or intr. To provide remedy, redress, etc. (for an ill).(1) a1500 Henr. Prayer 75.
O prince preclair, … Bot thow remeid, this deid is bot ane trane c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 175/5.
Remeid in tyme and rew nocht all to lait 1561 M. Napier Mem. J. Napier 70.
I can na wayis rameid but onefrendis sall saye the wors of me c1475 Wall. (1570) ii 183.
Bot thow remeid [MS rademe], na lyfe thay ordane me 1596 Dalr. II 313/11.
He thinks that excepte he wraket be, shortlie sal he remede 1587-99 Hume 42/42.
Na medicine, na elixir, nor monie may remeid 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 85/122.
As this stone by secret force Can soueraignlie remeade 1634 Wedderburn Gramm. 62.
Medeor, to remeade(2) a1500 Henr. Prayer 168/27.
The pepill ar perreist—quha may remeid thairfoir, Bot thow, O Lord Id. Fab. 1753. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 70/34.
All men sayis, my lord, that ȝe Can best remeid for this malice