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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sclave, Sclaif(f, Slave, Slaif(f, n. Also: sclawe, sklave, sklaive, sclaf, sklaif(f, sclayff, sklaiw-, slaw(e, claw; slaive, sleave. [ME and e.m.E. sclaue (c1290), slave (1538), OF esclave, sometimes fem., corresp. to masc. esclaf, med. L. sclavus, sclava.]

1. A servant who is the property of his master and has no rights as a person; a slave. Also fig. and in fig. context.(a) 1456 Hay I 56/33.
And the barne was borne of a sclave, of the quhilk is mony in Rome Ib. 120/24.
Alssua sais the law civile, that fra a man be tane in bataille, he is bonde and sclave; that man that takis him may do with him at his will 1513 Doug. ix v 114.
My fader … Twelf chosyn matronys sall ȝou geif all fre, Tobe ȝour sclavys [Ruthv. clawis] in captiuite 1531 Bell. Boece I 28.
Sklavis 1533 Boece 152.
Sklavis born to seruitute ar bot anys sauld 1587-99 Hume 58/225.
Als far as sclaues are from the stait of kings [etc.] 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 136.
She was still mahometane which the sclaves had infused in hir(b) 1533 Boece 54.
Gif ony persoun … was randerit to inemyis eftir he had payit his ransoun and returnit to his wife, he was subdewit as hir bonde and sklaif Ib. 111b.
Thare king … desirit erare be servand and sclaif to Romanis than be king of Britons Ib. 214.
Sclaiffis 1582 Oliphants 141.
As yit reteanit and haldin sklaives be the Turquis subjects in … Algier(c) 1679 Boharm Kirk S. 24 Aug.
Ane stranger … and his wyfe who had been slaves … to the Turkefig. 1513 Doug. x Prol. 128.
Thyne inestimabill luf … Becam a thrall to mak ws bondis fre, To quykkyn thy sclavys tholyt schamfull ded maste fell 1533 Boece 441.
The commouns of Ingland, as sklaiffis war haldin in derisioun 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 29.
He … sauld hir, as ane sclave, in France for the duchie of Chestellarault 1578 Waus Corr. 178.
As I wor ane sclaf(b) 1562-3 Winȝet I 50/19.
That thai micht leid thame … as thai war slawes, presoneris, and captiues in a raip

b. In reduced sense: A servant according to the natural order of things; a menial; a serf. 1533 Boece 408.
The rurale pepill, quhilk war producit be nature to be sclavis and mak seruice to noblis war now … made equale to thame 1549 Compl. 125/3.
I indure … persecutione … for my takkis … ar nocht alanerly tane fra me … bot as veil I am maid ane slaue of my body to ryn and rashe in arrage & carraige 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 98b. (Table).
Servant, bondman, slaue may not be ane arbiter. Ane man being haldin as ane slaue in service may seik his liberty

c. Dyslogistically, as a term of contempt. a1605 Montg. Flyt. 542 (T).
Curst, crabit, cankert sclawe 1643 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 8.
For abuseing of Gilbert Brek, officiar, in calling of him loun, slaw [etc.]

2. An underling; a man of low birth, a commoner.(a) And Murray shall be a sclayff as he begane; c1515 Doug. I p. xxiv (Sm.).(b) a1578 Pitsc. I 130/16.
Henrie … extollit slaues and men of small estait be ressone thay could flatter him Ib. 132/16.
We ar opprest of slawes, quhilk the king hes promotit a1585 Polwart Flyt. 802 (T).
Cappit knaif, proud slaif, ȝe raif vnrokkit; … ȝeis be knokit

3. One who is made subject to, or willingly subjects himself to, the will of another; a submissive servant (of or to a person, freq. the devil).(1) 1549 Compl. 92/25.
Bot fra tyme that he [sc. the King of England] get dominione of the cuntre, ȝe sal be his sklauis in extreme seruitude 1558 Admir. Ct. Bk. (St. S.) 75.
[He] hes na rycht nor power to compeir … in respect he is thair sclaif, ane man of Holland, inyme to thair maister, the King of France 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 32.
Could thir men … be satisfiit … be making of ȝow sclavis(b) c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 157.
The gentill hound was to me slaif a1570-86 Maitl. F. 426/31.
And mak thé slawe sa bound That thou couldist newir be fre a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 894 (Wr.).
Shal he now, make mee now His subiect or his slave? 1594 Bk. Univ. Kirk III 827.
That natioun to quhome they haue alreddy sauld thame slaveis, and ar thair freindis and factouris in this land c1600 Montg. Suppl. vii 58.
Persaife ȝour slaiff, ȝe hawe me as ȝe wald, Heir to fulfill ȝour will Ib. v 4.
Slaives(2) 1581 Burne Disput. in 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. 161/29.
As ane bund sklaue of the Deuil 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 100.
That thair is neyn of thi fathers hows frie from the Dewills service, bot his subiect sklaiwis(b) 1558-66 Knox II 427.
Ye call hir ane slaif to Sathan Ib. 431.
What difference thair is betwix … the servandis of sin, and the slaiffis to the devill, I understand nocht 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 32/11.
His conjured slaues meltes that waxe at the fire(c) 1597 Melvill 426.
Sathan's sleaves wald na wayes understand That gud intent, … And sa this tow hes put upon our rok

b. One who is open to, or dominated by, some influence or other immaterial thing. Also const. of the influence specified. 1562-3 Winȝet II 24 marg.
Obserue this, o ȝe … slaueis of ȝour awin phantasie Ib. 97/20.
Sen ȝe ar as bund slauis, addictit to ȝour awin priuat opinions 1596 Dalr. I 240/8.
Sergius, a mounk and sclaue of the Nestorian and heretical impietie 1622 D. Lindesey Heavenly Chariot 44.
The … childe of God (who shoulde bee ashamed to be a slaue to sinne) 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 25/134.
Will ȝe … make your pen A slaue to sinne, and serue but fleshly men? 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xiv 13.
Quhich endit the dayes of this sensuall slaue Id. True Crucifixe 570.
Perdition's heyre, sinne's slaue