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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sobrieté, -ie, n. Also: -y, sobritie, soberetie. [Late ME and e.m.E. sobrietie (1401), -y (1607), F. sobriété, L. sōbrietas.]

1. Moderation in indulging the appetites, abstemiousness; frugality or hardship in one's manner of living.(1) 1562-3 Winȝet I 4/35.
Godly leving garnisit with chastitie, fasting, prayer, and sobritie 1574 Sc. Ant. XIII 31.
The said publict fast … thaire foud only to be breid and drink, with all kind of sobrietie 1596 Dalr. I 90/12.
Sik sobrietie in meit and drink 1596 Dalr. I 145 marg.
This king commandet to bring vpe the ȝouth with al hardnes and skaircetie; [marg.] He enioynes to the ȝouth a maner of lyueng, in a certane forme or law of sobrietie(2) 1596 Elgin Rec. II 43.
All kynd of pastime … forbidden bot onlie a soberetie and fasting [etc.] … to be obseruit

b. Moderation in drinking, the absence of drunkenness; the state of being sober. 1531 Bell. Boece I lx.
Quhare our eldaris had sobriete, we have ebriete and dronkinnes 1562-3 Winȝet I 30/23.
Fra sobriete to drunkinnes 1625 Justiciary Cases I 23.
He abuset him self be intemperance in drinking in James Landis hous at Fosteris wynd heid quhair he drank with his company aboue sobreatie 1630 Fraserburgh Kirk S. II (2 June).
He refusit that he was past ony boundis of sobrietie

c. Moderation, more generally, as a rule for behaviour; avoidance of extravagance or excess; right living. 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii 27.
My waist was gyrdit with sobrietie My leggs and feit schod with simplicitie a1651 Calderwood II 79.
Live in sobrietie; be instant in prayer; commend yourself unfainedlie unto God 1652 Dumfries Kirk S. 11 Oct.
Exhorted to be more circumspect in her cariage both in sobrietie & scolding 1668 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 178.
[To] teach the saidis childrein with all dew lenitie sobrietie and activitie 1653 Binning Wks. 646.
Sobriety is a duty becoming every Christian … This sobriety is not limited to meat, drink or apparel … sobriety ought to be in all things 1653 Binning Wks. 646.
There is also sobriety in the affections when they are moderate 1653 Binning Wks. 648.
That which would break another man's heart, sobriety will make him go light under

2. Reasonableness, soundness of judgment. 1562-3 Winȝet I 6/2.
Geue thir thingis … be brocht fra thair puritie quhate maruell is it that materis of les pryce … in sobrietie and learnit simplicitie lesum to be … corruptit?