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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.

Rememb(e)ra(u)nce, -ans, n. Also: ramemb(e)r-, remembir-, rem(m)enbr-, remimber- and -anse, ence. [ME and e.m.E. remembra(u)nce (Chaucer), -a(u)nse, also remember- (Chaucer), F. remembrance (980 in Larousse), AF -aunce. Cf. Rememora(u)nce n.]

1. Without article: Memory or recollection (pertaining to (of) a particular person or material or non-material thing).Common in such phrs. as to have remembrance (of (on) something, or const. clause compl.); (to have, hald, etc., or to put, tak, etc.) (something) in (into) … remembrance; (to call, bring, etc.) (something) to remembrance; (to put) (someone) in, also out of, remembrance (of something).(1) 1456 Hay II 97/6.
All thouchtis rycht sa … evanyschis fra syk remembraunce, and all the corps is the mare strenthy Ib. 107/19.
Put thy gude dedis in writt … tobe in perpetuale remembraunce a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 457 heading (Asl.).
For Wednisday followis rememberans of the dolorus dammage of deidly syn a1500 Quare Jel. 14.
Tho fell it me in to remembrance A thing [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 59/14.
Scho is so new of acquentance, The auld gais fra remembrance 15.. Clar. iii 1039.
Thair fell on him so hard rememberance Of his ladie … That [etc.] 1634 Johnston Diary I 245.
On remembrance of my auin kankerdnes, I got my mynd softned(2) c1420 Ratis R. 459.
Have alway remembrans Of that gud wertew, temperans 1490 Irland Mir. I 115/34.
And, hevinly fader, thou has lang tym befor promittit to me … thou suld haue of me thi dochtir, rememberaunce 1492 Myll Spect. 297/19.
Scho gaif me thre gyftis … to caus me for to haif remembrans that I had bene sa lang in to hyr seruice c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 14/60.
He … on the end hes no rememberance, That man is abill to fall ane gret mischance(3) a1500 Seven S. 719.
This held he in rememberans a1500 Bk. Chess 221.
He … comprehendit … The sport of ches in to rememberans 1496–7 Acta Conc. II 49.
The lordis …, havand in fresch remembrance the sade letter of tak 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1280.
Howbeit I may not euerie circumstance Reduce perfitelie in remembrance [L. remorance] c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 157/224.
To put this in rememberance Mycht no man me resist 1545 Thanes of Cawdor 167. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 12.
Poetis … Hes put thame [sc. famous deeds] in rememberance a1568 Bann. MS 212a/5.
Tak nevir no thing in to remembrance That may displeis thi makar 1570 Leslie 4.
That the same may be haldin in perpetuall remembrance 1570 Q. Mary in Southesk MSS 12.
We sall have the same in good remembraunce a1585 Maitl. Q. 218/56.(4) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2329.
It bringith to rememberance, Of sanctis lyuis the circumstance a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 115/28.
To fortify thair … peruersit allegeance … cal tha to remembe[rance] the wordis of the apostil 1562-3 Winȝet I 7/18.
Call heirfor to remembrance … that ȝour selfis [etc.] 1592 Acts III 559/2.
Calling to remembrance how neir … his hienes darrest cousing … is in blude … to his maiestie 1592 Edinb. Test. XXIV 87.
Calling the [? sic for to] rememberance the schortnes of manis lyfe(5) 1569 Q. Mary in Cal. Sc. P. III 20.
And so I will the ofterer trouble yow to put her in remembrance 1576 Douglas Corr. 206.
Quhairof I mon put ȝour lordschip in remembrance 1586 Cal. Sc. P. VIII 569.
Off one thing I must put you in rememberance, that [etc.](b) 1639 Baillie I 237.
I hope you ar not … put … out of remimberance … of your magnifik office of clerkship

2. The operation of the mind involved in remembering. b. The faculty of remembering; the power of memory. Also personified. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 578 (Arund.).
Na neid is now to mak rehersall The ded of princis passing remembrance 1531 Vaus (1531) 4.
Verbis pertenyng to ramembrans or forȝettyngb. 1624 Misc. Maitl. C. III 492.
Being waike of bodie bot of guid and perfyte rememberence 1667 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 23 Dec.
Seik in bodie but of ane good remembrancepersonified c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 10/105.
Than rudelie come Remembrance Ay rugging me, withouttin rest 1528 Lynd. Dreme 785.
This lufesum lady Rememb[e]rance

3. With possess. pronoun: (One's) memory or recollection.(a) 1456 Hay II 103/31.
Have in mynde in thy noble remembraunce the glorious dedis of thyne ancestris … of al ancientee a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 532 (Asl.).
How bitter is in ȝour rememberans To think how [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 70/14.
Pansing of penuritie Revis that fra my remembrance 1513 Doug. xii xi 120.
And hys rememberans The lycht of resson has recoverit agane c1530-40 Stewart Maitl. F. 370/1.
Rolling in my rememberance Off court the daylie variance c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4131. 1584 Edinb. Test. XIII 377b.
Gif ony thing be eschapit my rememberance, that he gif vp the samin 1588 King Cat. fol. 81.
By the quhilk our remembrance, faith, and thankfulnes, is daylie sterit vp touards our sauiour him self(b) a1568 Bann. MS 83b/2.
Imprent thir thre in thy remmenbrance

4. a. The memory or thought which one has of a person, action, or thing; a recollection. b. specif. One's memories or reminiscences of a deceased person.a. 1456 Hay II 5/26.
Fra the contynuale remembraunce that he was determynit in his hert to have of the glorious passioun of Crist 1584 Reg. Privy C. III 646.
Acceptable service to his majestie meriting his hienes favour, gudwill, and rememberance 1585 Laing MSS I 52.
I had that remembranse off you that ye suld nocht laik moyen 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 337.
Communion feasts, the remembrance whereof … holeth my heartb. c1510 Prester John 310b.
My fadir of gude remembrance maist nobill 15.. Clar. iv 2808.
The kingis foure with sade rememberance, Devysit … Anents the wadding

c. Greetings expressive of one's wish to remind a person of oneself. 1615 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 286.
With my dew remembrance to your half marrow

5. A (spoken or written) account, record or mention of a past event. 1375 Barb. iii 558.
Wes nane … That he ne had pite and plesaunce Quhen that he herd mak remembrance Off the perellys that passyt war c1475 Wall. i 179.
The remembrance is forthir in the taile Ib. xi 1147.
Remembrance syn was in the Brucys buk 1494 Loutfut MS 109a.
Quhen it cummis to the rigour of the mater of the quhilk salbe maid remembrance a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 53.
In Inglis toung I think to mak remembrance How God maid man [etc.] 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 119.
This my rememberance of service and report maid unto your grace pleis except in gud sort

b. A memorial account or ‘portrait’ (of a person or series of events). c1475 Wall. ix 1248 (McD.).
Thir properteys was knawin in-to Frans Off him to be a gud remembrans Ib. xi 1456.
Go nobill buk, … Now byd thi tym, and be a remembrance

6. In … remembrance of, in commemoration of, in memory of.(a) 1456 Hay I 189/25.
Thai ar tholit in remembrance of the passioun of Crist c1515 Asl. MS I 196/6.
In rememberance of thair awne sorow and wengeance c1500 Fyve Bestes 41.
He … in rememberans evir of thar deidis … straik of baith thair heidis 1567 Acts III 21/1.
For Christ Jesus said tak eit etc. do ȝe this in remembrance of me 1622-6 Bisset II 390/16.
A lyoun wes crowned with sindrie cerimonies in perpetuall remembrance of Scottis Gulliames wirthie deidis(b) a1568 Bann. MS 221a/48.
In remembrans Off lufe

7. The action or fact of reminding (oneself or another) or calling to memory. ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 1 heading.
The xii fruttis that cumis of the remembrance of the passion of Crist 1513 Doug. ix vi 124.
And, for the mair remembrance in takynnyng, Ane rych tysche or belt hynt he syne 1583 M. Works Acc.(ed.) I 310.
For remembrance off this work a1660 Coll. Aberd. & B. 191.
A fearfull presaige of the fatall punishment which [etc.] … I think not wnworthie the remembirance

b. An entry or note designed to serve as a reminder; a memorandum. 1622-6 Bisset I 13/37.
Certane speciall annotationis and remembrances directed be me the said writtare

8. An article given as a souvenir of a person or event; a memorial token or gift. Also coll. a1568 Bann. MS 225a/27.
Fair weill my hairt … Thairfoir as now this littill remembrance Ȝe tak and keip in to ȝour gouernance 1589 Reg. Privy C. IV 444.
That … thay baith be gratifeit with sum honnourable rememberance in taikin of his majesteis gude acceptatioun of thair service Ib. 445.
Caus thame be deliverit to the said Steno in a rememberance foirsaid … and … [some] gevin to … Apill in a lyke memoriall and taikincoll. 1513 Doug. iii vii 32.
Ressaue … Thir remembrance [L. hæc … monimenta] wrocht with my handis twa, In takyn lang tyme to thynkyng apon me