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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
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Safety, Savit(i)e, Saift(i)e, Sauft(i)e, Salft(i)e, n. Also: safetie, safité, savet(i)e, -ye, sawité, -yté, -et(i)e; saiffity, -etie, saivty, saifftie, saif(f)ty, -ti, saiefté, saeftie, saut(i)e, saft(i)e, -ye; sauf(f)tye, sawf(f)té, salfty, saulftie, -y, salfit(i)e, saulfetie, -ye; saffi(e)tie, saffet(i)e, safftie; schafeté, sauchté. [ME and e.m.E. sauuete (Cursor M.), saufte (Manning), sauyte (14th c.), savete(e (c1380), saftee (c1450), saufte (Malory), safetye (1539), salfety (1549), saftie, -y(e (17th c.), OF salvetet, salveté, sauveté (1050, 1160 and 1175 in Larousse), med. L. salvitat-, f. salvus Safe adj.]

1. The state of being safe; safety, security, freedom from danger. a. Of persons. b. Of things.Also in, into or intill (gude, etc.) safety.a. 1375 Barb. x 442 (C).
Apon fastryn evyn is The custom to mak ioy and blis, To folk that ar in-to savite [H. sauitie] a1400 Leg. S. xviii 882.
I … prayt myn borcht that scho wald me Conwoy, & led in sawete Quhare at to enples hyr it mycht maste c1400 Troy-bk. ii 630.
Sawyte 1533 Boece 137b.
Devising quhare in safite he mycht lurk Ib. 153.
Baith oure honoure and safite in ane place ar situate 1586 Warrender Illustr. Sc. Hist. 28.
If we get not a full grant of hir savetie, we ar to crave a supercedere c1590 Fowler II 109/11.
Gif the enmeye wer incamped vpon yonder hill, … Quhow suld we with saftye and na lossis assayllȝe thame? 1602 Colville Paraenese 9.
In such rakles confusion can be no beilding vp bot breking down, no sautie bot schipurak 1648 Laing MSS I 232.
His returning in honour, friedome, and saftie 1651 Hossack Kirkwall 253.
Try giff the coledg of St. Andreus … is to meit this yeir, and in quhat saftie youthis will be in ther & advertise me(b) 1375 Barb. iv 536.
Ane is our lyffis sawfte That on na wys suld sawft be Gyff thai had ws at thar liking Ib. 559.
That we May thar aryve in sawfte [C. saufte] Ib. ix 528.
For to be Thar resawyt to sawfte [C. savite] c1420 Wynt. vi 1446.
Wyth myis he wes swa wmbesete … He mycht na way get sawffte [Au. sauchte, L. saiefte] 1439 Acts II 54/1.
Thai dide it of gude zele and motife … and leaute … to … the king and his sawfte c1475 Wall. xi 140.
The king … prayed him for to be Off his houshald, so leyff in gud saufte Ib. ii 68, etc.(c) 1513 Doug. i vi 147.
Thy navy is cummyn agane, In salfty brocht fre of north wyndis als Ib. iii iv 141.
Joyvs thai war to haue eschapit … And to haue fled til salfte Ib. viii ix 75.
Salfty 1533 Boece 282b.
Na place of salfite Ib. 426b.
The blude royall quhais salfite and weill maist suld be providit 1565 Cal. Sc. P. II 212.
Gif the schot of the cannone be biddin, na saulftie remains to the keparis 1571 Ib. III 645.
Sa I trust sall all noblemen … prefer the weill and saulfty of the same befoir quhatsoever is deare unto thame selffis 1627 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II 10.
By the bands of religioun, hounour, justice, and saulfetie(d) 1559 Cal. Sc. P. I 251.
His presence and saivty 1560 Ib. 361.
We may be in saivty 1596 Dalr. II 209/15.
[They] throuch fidelitie of thair awne war in sik saiftie that na man knew … quhair tha lay hid 1626 Conv. Burghs III 218.
His maiesties … fatherlie cair, whairon they … relye … concerning thair saiftie 1643 Douglas Corr. 198.
How muche all kingdomes … are enterest in the saiftie and fredome of thair legatsb. 1484 Perth Guildry MS p. 110 (16 Nov.).
Swa that thar gudis be left in sekyr keping and savite that thai or thare procuratouris ma resaue thaim 1574–5 Reg. Privy S. VII 5/2.
Unhable to … keip in saulftie schip or boit resorting thairto 1596 Dalr. I 42/5.
Sa sure a havin for schipis that … the historiographours named it the Porte of saifgaird and saiftie 1626 Aberd. Council Lett. I 248.
The kingis maiestie out of his … regard of the strenth and saiftie of this his … kingdome hes [etc.] 1639 Old Ross-shire I 216.
As you tender the … guid and savetie of this commonwealth 1640 Rep. Maxwell-Stuart Mun. in 9th Rep. Hist. MSS App. ii 257/2.
The saifty both of religioun, lawis, and liberties 1650 Conv. Burghs III 356.
Quherin ther hes bein bussienes off so great concernment both to religione, the saffietie of the kingdome [etc.] 1666 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 233.
To … build … ane place of saffitie for shipes within the said clouse

2. a. A means of securing one's safety or preservation from harm or misfortune, a person or thing which preserves or protects, a protection. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1742.
So mony with the fyre ware brynt And mony drowned in the se, So that thai had no savite 1566 Reg. Privy C. I 466.
Our saidis soveranis being the patronis and sauftie of the pover wedois and fadirles 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (STS) 399.
Sum will think because he … seruit the king he was esilie ouersene. Bot in my iugement that is the greiter cause of offence … Nouther culd this be saiftie to vtheris c1570 Wemyss Chart. 201.
He fled to the laird of Wormestouns lugeing, quhilk wes the savetie of his lyf a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1444.
To get the cherrie in all haste, As for my safety serving maist

b. A place of safety, a haven. c1420 Wynt. vi 1452.
Na kyn wapnys that men mycht get Mycht thai myis fra hys body lete; Schype, na bayt … Mycht be sawffte [L. Micht be his saiefte] ony way ?14.. Ship Laws c. 11 (H2).
Off a schip cumand to a desirabill havin: A schip cumis with his chargis in a sauftie [etc.] c1575 Balfour Pract. 616.
Gif ony ship cumis in ony saiftie or festning with hir charge and the shipmen wald have thair hyre c1590 Fowler II 82/35.
Haldin theme selfs in the rok of saftye

3. The action of preserving or protecting another or oneself, preservation, protection or keeping safe, of a person or thing.(a) 1581 Bk. Univ. Kirk II 517.
That the quietnes and stabilitie of owre religion and kirk doth depend wpon the sawetie and good behaviour of the kyngis maiestie as wpon ane confortable instrument of Godis mercy 1615 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 282.
If the laird proceid wyslie … being cheiflie cairfull of the saftie of the cuntrie 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 70.
Wee acknouledge our quietnesse, stability, and happines to depend wpone the saftie of the kinges maiestie(b) c1420 Wynt. viii 3048.
Erlys als [etc.] … Scho gert condampnyde be to fowle dede But ony sawffte or remede 1504 Edinb. Chart. 188.
To pas to Innerwiknes … for recovering, saufte and getting of thar [sc. shipwrecked] merchandice … and … returning fra the saufte and getting of thair saidis merchandice [etc.](c) 1572 Reg. Privy C. II 148.
Desyring na thing mair nor the saulftie and preservatioun [sc. in famine] of Scottis people(d) c1475 Wall. vii 938.
Thre ȝer he duelt in But … Wndir saifte off Jamys than lord stewart 1669 Jus Populi 94.
That in all these resolutions … they levelled at nothing but their owne good and saifty in body and soul(e) 1549 Lamb Resonyng 45/10.
Sax auld mendicant freris … seikand saffete of thair lyif enterit in the Scottis sanctuarye 1591 St. A. B. Ct. 6 July.
Ane … sufficient ship sufficientlie rekit to the see for the aise and saffetie of hir mercheandis 1664 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 211.
His maiestie is gracouslie pleased in ordor to your saffitie and preservatione from hazard, to ordane [etc.]

b. For (also to, be) (the) safety of (a person or thing), for (one's) safety, for his or its preservation, protection or keeping safe; also absol.Also const. fra or from (that which threatens).(1) 1507 Aberd. B. Rec. I 437.
That diligent inquisitioun be takin of ale infect personis … for the sawetie of the toun 1564 Perth B. Ct. 94 (31 May).
Johnne Billy exhortit … Archibald Oliphant … to do for him for the safte of his lif towart Alisoun Auchlek 1570 Leslie 49.
The nobill men of Scotland … thought maist expedient for the savetye of thair cuntrey to treat peace 1639 Maxwell Mem. II 269.
I fynde much more difficultie in rayseing of moneyis for the safetie of my estate from Buckclewch then I did expect(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxxii 411.
Prayand hyme for thare saufte That [etc.] 1482 Lennox Mun. 122.
And for the saufte of his life 1570 Leslie 200.
His own steill bonet quhilk he pat on the erlis heid for his sauftye 1571 Lanark B. Rec. 63.
And ilk nycht ilk balye to ansuer thairfor for the toun saufte thairof(c) 1568 Hist. Fam. Kennedy App. 12.
Forsamekle as I for the salftie of my bodie … wes constraignit … to pas in … Ingland 1572 Reg. Privy C. II 144.
Quhilkis for … the saulftie and preservatioun of the veschellis and guidis passand up and doun the said Firth hes … takin in hand to keip the said Firth … fra the reif … of the saidis declarit traitouris 1611 Ib. IX 217.
That these lymmaris for thair saulftie will withdraw thameselffis to the said marques boundis(d) 1609 Crim. Trials III 16.
My braiking ward for the saifte of my lyfe 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 58.
Dischargeing the same faithfullie for the good and saiftie of this burghe c1650 Spalding I 225.
And to humelie desyre him to tak sum speidie courss for thair saiftie and protectioun Ib. (1828) I 217.
Saiffty(e) 1626 Aberd. Council Lett. I 253.
To recall suche of your schippis as ar abroad both for thair awin saeftie [etc.](2) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 642.
Thane he … Thocht he wald with wilis dele For sawete of thame & thare hele 1492–3 Prot. Bk. J. Young 127.
Nochtwithstanding that I mon do the sammyn for savite [ed. savice] of myn heretaige 1507 Aberd. B. Rec. I 437.
That nayne infeckit [ed. infecht] folkis … be haldin at the common fleschous [etc.] … for sauete of the toun 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 253/2.
With battelling, machcoling and all uther maner of defens and munitioun necessar for savite and proffit of his said hous and thak thairof fra invasioun of fyre, wynd and uther ways 1509 Ib. 286/2.
To be assuferit [pr. assuserit] and have protectioun of Inglismen for wele and savite of thair place, landis and gudis on the bordouris 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 8.
Berand the hewine werk to the bak of the chapell for sauite of the samyn 1532 Ib. 98.
Savyte Ib. 100.
Sawite 1532 Aberd. B. Rec. I 146.
And the houisse to be bigit in the maist souer vise for sauete of the raid and hevin 1535–6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 194.
With xi aikin treis to be laid under the said leid for saute of the said bot 1549 Lamb Resonyng 129/17.
As in sanctuarie for sauite of his life 1596 Coll. Aberd. & B. 386.
His maister … had causit put up the cott for saftie of his sheip in euil wedder(b) c1420 Wynt. i 1661.
Quha to that ymage devotly Walde cum for gyrth or sawffte, Na man suld swa hardy be Hym to … slay 1465 Exch. R. VII 321 n.
[He] wes exilde … and for … saufte of his lyffe … has … cummyn in … Scotland 1504 Edinb. Chart. 188 (see 3 (b) above). 1571–2 Reg. Privy C. II 121.
That na … persoun … sall pay … ony money … to the declarit tratouris … for sauftie of the houssis … unbrint and dimolissit 1575–6 Reg. Privy S. VII 75/1.
To big ane hous … upoun the saidis landis … for sauftie thairof fra the Heland men, perattis [etc.] 1586 Sciennes Conv. 57.
The beiging of ane hospitall for sauftie and succours of the seik personis(c) 1526 Acts II 304/1.
For salftie wele and securitie of oure souerane lord 1533 Boece 79b.
Thare wyiffis … offerit thare persons in vane for salfte of thare luvit husbandis Ib. 443b.
Salfitie 1563 Reg. Privy C. I 247.
To uphald … the ruif … and mending of the samyn [etc.] … for saulftie of the samyn fra weit 1586 Coll. Rebus Alban. 103.
[They] cover the same [houses] with thair schip saillis for saulftie of thair geir fra the rayne 1593 Acts IV 43/1.
Compelling baith gentilmen and ȝiemen … to stand … all nicht for saulftie of thair awne geir [sc. from theft] 1614 Crim. Trials III 305.
Saulfetye(d) 1542 Treas. Acc. VIII 142.
To be ane cover to the beir for saifti of the claitht of stait, vj elnis Frenche blak 1547 Corr. M. Lorraine 180.
To suffer me to returne for saifty of my liff 1577 Orkney Oppress. 97.
Saifftie 1585 Misc. Bann. C. I 124.
Saiffetie 1600-1610 Melvill 434.
And I will find sufficient cautioun for saifftie of ther persones 1610 Glasgow B. Rec. I 312.
Swa that the same [well] be bigit … above the ground with asler werk for saiftie of barnis and vthir personis 1622-6 Bisset II 252/21.
And it happin for saiftie of the guidis [etc.] … mastis be hewin … then [etc.] 1649 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 97.
The said James … did advance to Montroise … quhan Alexr. Mackdonald wes lying in this brughe, for preservatioun and saiftie of the samen … the sowme [etc.]absol. 1561 Aberd. B. Rec. I 332.
I biggit on the said schipe ane fordyk for saiffity 1600 Reg. Privy C. VI 115.
Insycht pertening to hir nychtbouris that wes putt in hir house for saulftie(3) 1597 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 22a.
For ane botis sake schafete(4) ?14.. Ship Laws c. 26 (B).
And he sal swere … qwhen he is commyn to saufte [H2 sauftie] to the land that he na dyd it bot in saufte [H2 for the sauftie] of the schyp and of the men Ib. c. 12 (H2).
Stres of weddiris cumis to thaim be seis half, thai may be saufte to land [A. thai cum in sauf to land] 1533 Bell. Livy II 282 (BM).
Materis quhilkis be divyne purviance tareit him … to the saufftye baith of his lyfe and tharis 1625 Scot Vox Vera 26.
The Romans did … imagine the keckling of geese was to the safety of the Capitolium

c. Prevention, averting (of an undesirable consequence). 1475 Acts II 112/2.
A breif … maid … for the saufte of the alienacione of lordis and barons landis throw ydiotis and natural fulis 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 587.
My lord regent for the sauftie of the inconvenient and danger quhilk … wes lyke to follow, enterit ane servand of his awin in Ingland

d. concr. ? A protection. 1604-31 Craig ii 127.
If thou wilt not view my verse … Yet shall the paper serue … To be a bottom to thy silke Or safftie to thy seame

4. (A means of) spiritual preservation or protection; salvation. a1400 Leg. S. xi 167.
The cause we come here Is of ȝoure sawlis the sawete Ib. xviii 746.
Sa that thu myn mastres be, & ledar in wa of sawete Ib. xxii 376.
Lord Jhesu, that dengnit thé Fore oure sawfte to mane be Ib. xxviii 362.
For this payne that done is to me The saufte of my saule sal be ?1438 Alex. ii 9999.
God deit for our sauetie c1420 Wynt. vi 1052.
Mony trowyd than that he Wyth Halowys tuk hys sawffte c1490 Irland Asl. MS 3/1.
Materis of theologye tuichand & concernand the saifte of mennis saulis a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 469 (Harl.).
Troubill … Quharthrow oure sauftye is put in till ane chaunce 1525 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 232.
For savite of the saule of this complenar 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 47/7.
Ye man nather laye the safetie of youre conscience upon the credit of youre awin conceatis, nor yett of other mennis humouris … bot … onlie … upon the expresse scripture