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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.

Reportar, -er, -our, -poirter, n. Also: rea- and -air; (repertur). [ME reportour (Chaucer), e.m.E. reporter (1477), F. report-, rapporteur (15th c. and 14th c. in Larousse); Report v.]

1. One who gives an account (of an incident); one who starts or spreads a story or rumour; a recounter, narrator or teller.(a) 1494 Loutfut MS 7b.
Bot thai suld be publist befor all men and callit traitouris fals reportouris and wnlele murdreris 1540 Lynd. Sat. 27 (Ch.).
Innocentis hes bene brocht on thair beiris Be fals reporteris of this natioun 1558-66 Knox I 46.
The reaportaris of such thingis ar manifest lyearis 1572 Bann. Memor. 284.
As to the nominatioune of the reportaris, quhilk the bill requyred, he refusit 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 128.
Be sum saying of ane wickit reporter 1580 Reg. Privy C. III 283.
That quhatsoevir privie reportis salbe maid to his majestie …, he sall require the reportaris quhither they will … abyde be the same as a treuth or not 1592 Ib. V 4.
His authour and reportair to him of the foirsaid tressounable fact(b) 1586 Cal. Sc. P. VIII 358.
Who war the reperturis I know not, bot the reportis war gevin owt in all partis

b. One specially appointed to draw up a formal report. 1626 Justiciary Cases I 51.
Becaus the repoirteris could not subscryue thair awin repoirt without subscriptioun of ane clerk befoir quham the examinatioun was

2. Appar. applied to a judge of the first instance when, after hearing a case, he submitted an account of the process, or of a particular part of it, to the rest of the Lords of Session, for a review of his interpretation or judgment. 1619 Reg. Privy C. XI 598.
That haill weike he wes ordinair in the utter house and reporter, and … upoun Satterday … his turne fell to be examinatour of the witnesis a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 28.
That nothing called in the wtter house be tane in to the inner hous upon bill or desire of partie bot onlie upon desir of the reporter upon difficultie therof 1674 Acts Sederunt in Hannay College of Justice 100.
[Archibald Douglas] sall … sit in company with the ordinar lordis reportar of interlocutouris in the utir tolbuyth and sall mak report in presens of the haill lordis … of all ansuers [etc.] 1693 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. IV 105.
[The Lords … ordained the reporter, before answer, to try whether he actually paid the eight years' purchase or not 1694 Ib. 186.]
But recommended to the reporter to try how it might be rectified to both parties' satisfaction