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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.

Stouth, n. Also: stouthe, stoutht, stouith, stowth(e, stowtht, (stowfft), stuth, stultht, stwlth, stolth, stewthe. [North. (once) ME stulth (Cursor M.), ON stulþr.]

1. Theft. Freq. in collocation with reif (Ref(e n.¹). Cf. Stouthreif n.(1) 1429 Cal. Doc. IV 405.
And gif it be fundin be assiste that he knew never of the stoutht of the hale gude no of that pert that is fundin with him c1490 Irland Asl. MS 74/16.
I haue committit stouth temporale and spirituale 1491 Acta Aud. 156/2.
Gudis … takin fra him be were be stouthe or ded c1500 Rowll Cursing 249 (M).
Quha that stelis and on stouth levis c1500 Rowll Cursing 280 (M).
Till forbeir Resset or stouth of wickit geir 1502 Justiciary Rec. (Reg. H.) I 208.
David Oliver … and Mathou Oliver has committit divers reiffis herschippis slauchteris and stouthis 1518 Fife Sheriff Ct. 135.
Accusyt of the maisterfull stouth of corne furth of the berne ȝhard of Craghall 1535 Stewart 51554.
To steill his irnes, … And for that stouth condampnit wes to die 1567 Sat. P. iii 121.
Ane small pegrall stouth a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 301/21.
Thai landis ar with stouthe sa socht To extreme powertie ar brocht 1585 Forres B. Ct. 29 Nov. 1597 Cal. Sc. P. XII 521.
[The authors of that] stouth [being] cled [with the Scottish goods] 1601 Paisley B. Rec. 244.
Thair hes been grit stouth [pr. slouth] in hairvest of fields of corne … it is statut … that certane wechmen be appointit for keiping of the saidis cornes unstollin 1604 Urie Baron Ct. 5.
Sik personnis as beis fund onlauchfull, to wit, occupeiris in stouth [etc.] ?1605 Reg. Privy C. VII 744.
That in every parish there may be some lurgg dogges kept … for following of pettie stouthes 1614 Mining Rec. 163.
Prevey stouthis and embazelling of the vre and mettall 1623–4 Ayr B. Acc. 280.
Ane conventioun of estaitis … concerning the stouthis betwix Irland and Scotland 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III 36.
James Grant … goes athort the countrie committing opin stouthes … and depredatiouns(b) 1538–9 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 203.
Jok Melros and Robert Melros vaittit Sanderis Collen under silens of nycht for stowfft fellon 1542 Sutherland Bk. III 97.
Trublis, … slauchter, stowth [etc.] 1561 Inv. Q. Mary lxxviii n. 3.
Then the theavis of Lyddesdaill durst avow thair stowth in presence of ane upright judge 1573 Reg. Privy C. II 210.
Certane vagabound … levand in stowth and utheris unlauchfull meanys 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 6.
Katherein Ollawisdochter is dempt to quyt hir selff of the stowth of thrie quhyt puddeins of David Ollawsonis, with the larycht aithe 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 21.
Stowtht(c) c1420 Wynt. viii 3178.
He pleyhnyd to the schyrrawe sare, That stollyn his plw-yrnys ware. The schyrrave … a gret cowrt [c. stultht, W. stouth] he gert set, Wyttyng off that stwlth to get 1586 Montrose Baillie Ct. 2a (31 July).
The foirsaid fang as said is and confessit the foirsaid stuth 1644 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 199.
And for sundrie stuthes and thiftis commitit be hir(d) 1613–14 Stirling B. Rec. I 134.
For … preventing of the grite stewthe and pykrie that daylie incressis within this burghe; … the counsall ordanit ane watche … to watche throw the toun for suppressing … of all stouth and utheris enormities(e) 1567 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 34.
This [law is made] for evading the stolth of the geese maid in the country(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 686 (Bann.).
Of reif and stowth, schir, I can tell ennewch That causis me full sair for till repent a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 148 (Harl.).
But iustice, kingdomes turnys in tyrandrie Throw reif, stowth, puretie, and oppressioun c1490 Irland Asl. MS 70/11.
I haue synnit … be … takand … beneficis be fraude reif stouth or ony vther waye 1497 Reg. Privy S. I 12/1.
For the reif and stuth of the guidis and insicht being in the sammyn 1510–11 Reg. Privy S. I 333/2.
That the said Patrikis hed suld be strikin fra his body for the reif and stouth of xx oxen 1514 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 16.
All maner of recent slauchteris, reiffis, stouthis and heirschipis 1523 Carnwath Baron Ct. (SHS) 4.
My lord to proced considerand at it was stowth & reif 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 529.
Quhat stouith, quhat raif, quhat murthur & myschance 1535 Stewart 45806.
This Somerleid began, With reif and stouth, spulȝe and oppressioun 1539 James V in St. P. Henry VIII V 161.
Ȝour subjectis of Tindale and Riddisdale quhilk daylie and nychtlie ceissis nocht to committ diverse attemptatis stouthtis and reiffis upoun oure trew liegis 1544 Reg. Privy S. III 102/2.
The stouth and reif of certane hors and nolt 1561 Warrender P. (SHS) I 34.
Stouth reiff or oppressioun c1580 Maxwell Mem. 146.
Trowbill na man be the wey of stowthe or reiff 1602 Irving Dumbartonsh. II 224.
They tak greater bauldness to continew in thair said stouth and reaff becaus they ar inarmit wyth all kynd of … forbiddin weapponis

b. The result of theft, stolen property. 1535 Stewart 56433.
Mony thevis be the se ane nycht, Syne passit hame lang or the da wes lycht With part of stouth that nycht that tha had stowin, Syne drank efter of that that tha had browin 1563 Crim. Trials I i 434.
[Accused by the Queen's Advocate of] stowthe and ressett of stowthe 1589–90 Burntisland B. Ct. 23 Jan.
To refound … fourtie s. money Scottis as the haill stouth ressawit be thame

2. Stealth, something done by stealth. c1420 Wynt. viii 3310.
He be stwlth [c. stultht, W. slycht] all prewaly … passyd the se 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 212.
Sum rownys to hys fallow, thame betwene, Hys myrry stouth and pastans lait ȝisterevin 1594 Cal. Sc. P. XI 406.
[That they may by] stouth [treason or otherwise] tak sic forthes [? forts] [lying on the seacoasts] 1649 Justiciary Cases III 829.
Sua that nather Kilbirney nor any uther could medle with him violentlie, meikill les carie him away privatlie be stouthe