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

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

Thar(e)fra, Thairfra, adv. Also: thar(e)fro, thairfray, -fre, -from, ther(e)fra, -frae, -fro, thearfra, thirfra. [ME and e.m.E. þar from (a1250), ther fram (c1300), þer from (Trevisa), therefrom (1660).]

1. a. From a previously mentioned place or thing.(a) 1375 Barb. x 371.
A cruk thai maid … Off irne … That, fra it in ane kyrneill war And the ledder thar-fra [H. therefra] straitly Strekit, it suld stand sekyrly 14.. Burgh Laws c. 107 (B).
The watyr aw alswa to be fre that na man tak thar fra Setyrday eftyr evynsang qwhil Mononday at the son ryse 1476 Acta Aud. 47/1.
The lordis … ordanis that the said Walter … sal devoid & red the said tak becaus he … had na clame nor richt tharto and that lettres be writtin to devoid the said Walter & his gudis tharfra 1507 Aberd. B. Rec. I 437.
That na wittel be housit quhile it be putt to the mercat, and at the mercat be keipit, and all caik baxtaris and huxtaris be expellit thairfray 1513 Doug. iii i 54.
As from the soyll vprent was the first tre By the rutys, the blak droppis of blude Distillit tharfra [Ruddim. thare fra] 1531–2 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 48.
The … jugis … declarat the said Jhone … violent possessour of the saidis lands … becaus lauchfully … he vas warnit and … be precept direct and devly execut, thairvpone to remwif … thairfrom with corn cattell … and guddis pertenyng to hym 1552–3 Edinb. B. Rec. II 177.
That the commoun bel haif ane string cummand thairfra to the nether end of ane pillar in the kirk 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 177.
The army of Inglismen … past to Linlithqw, and thairfra to Striueling 1596 Dalr. I 11/26.
Thaireftir is Eskdale named frome the flude Eske that rinis throuch thay feildes and hes the name thairfra(b) 1375 Barb. x 371 (H) (see a above). 1559 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 129.
Begynnand at the Clowin Stane, passand therfra wast to the litle Stervinlinghill 1611 Reg. Panmure I xcv.
Thear is ane lawe callit the Dwrlawe and thearby ane heape of steans callit ane lekker steane and thearfra agane neir ane qwarter mile ane wther heape lyand west thearfra 1638 Baillie I 31.
There come a missive to the councell … commanding all to conforme … The missive ye have at the letter (A,) the Act of Councell and Proclamation made therefrae is printed in the frontispeece of our booke(c) 1625 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 289.
The Northwest quarter begins at the West Port and leids thirfra upone the north syid of the hie streit to the Over Bow

b. From that time, subsequently. 1578 Reg. Privy C. II 705.
That his hienes parliament proclamit to be haldin at Edinburgh upoun the tent day of Julii … salbe thair fensit that day and thairfra continewit to be haldin and proceid at Striveling in his hienes awin presens upoun the xv day of … Julii 1665 J. M. Beale Fife Schools (1983) 89.
They met at 10 and dissolved at 12 hours, and thairfrom 2 till 6 at night

c. From that action, penalty, office, state of affairs.(a) ?1438 Alex. i 3038.
He can weill begin ane stour, And end it als, weill with honour, And, quhen he seis he hes mister, Part thair-fra on fair maner 1456 Hay (Glenn) III 51/45.
Be caus that he is of the nature of all mankynde and enclynyt to vicis he is the mare worthy and honourable that he has force of noble curage to abstene him tharfra 1490 Irland Mir. III 16/33.
The grace that this sacrament gevis to the man causis him tobe ay … constaunt … in the defence of the honour of Jhesu and for na aduersite … may be turnit tharfra 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 263/1.
Throu his being … at his horne for the crime of slauchter committit be him … and unrelaxit thairfra 1513 Doug. xi Prol. 150.
Quha vertuus was, and fallys tharfro [Ruddim. tharefro], Of verray rayson malewrus hait is he 1555 Peebles B. Rec. I 223.
Thair is certane thair burgessis and nychtbouris … that vses the saidis liberteis vtouth the liberte of the said burgh … and thairthrow vsurps our souerane lady lawis … and will nocht decist and ceis thairfra without thai be compellit 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4796.
For had not bene ȝour gude counsell But recure I had schamit my sell, And as ȝe ken I was richt thra For all ȝour sawis to cum thairfra 1564 Reg. Privy C. I 274.
James Drummond to use and exerce the said office of Sherefclerkschip … ay and quhill he be lauchfullie callit and ordourlie put thairfra be the law a1578 Pitsc. I 133/21.
The lordis maid him [sc. Edward, the younger brother] king and debarit this Edmond. … for quhatsumewer cause our progenetouris did prefer ane persone to ane uther … and debaring the eldest thairfre … we thocht expedient to [etc.] 1573-1600 King Cat. in Cath. Tr. 202/12.
Thair will being indewit with ane inueterat malice aganis the Catholik kirk makis thame to tyne taist of all that do proceid thairfra 1611-57 Mure Hist. Rowallane 240.
The coat armoures … wer to be invested vpon thar airs & posteritie which wer to beare both hereditarie coats, quarterlie, … secluding tharfra all the other branches both of the right descending and collaterall lyne(b) 1506 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II 152.
Mychell Waghorn, wrycht, … oblisis him faithfully, to remane still at the said werk, and nocht pas therefra quhill the completyng of the samyn c1560 Old Ross-shire I 12.
I … answeris to the … charge persewit agains me … I aucht to be assolȝeit therefrae simpliciter 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 79/19.
A contract cannot be thoght broken by the one partie, & so the other likewise to bee fred therefro: except [etc.] c1610 Melville Mem. 5.
The princes kyndly and gud qualites being … smored with sic a company … some of them continoually possessing his ear, and debarring therfra all honest trew and plain speakers 1638 Baillie I 162.
His bill caryed sundrie foule like faults, whereof … he might have cleared himself for the most part; bot it was his humor to be a declyner of the Assemblie, and for no request of friends would passe therefra 1644 Baillie II 242.
They sent up our propositions concerning presbyteries; the independents gave in the reasons of their dissent therefrae 1666 Glasgow Chart. II 92.
And as to the act of burrowes anent the pettie customes imposed … and the towne of Glasgowes exemptione therfrae 1693 Acts IX 324/2.
That their majesties … may grant Commissions of Justiciary … for the bounds of the Highlands … excepting therefrae the bounds and lands lying … within the heritable right of Justiciary General pertaining to the Earle of Argyle

2. Away from that place, absent, elsewhere. 1375 Barb. xvi 248.
Quhen Eduuard the Bruys … Wyst at the king had fochtyn sua With sa fele folk and he thar-fra Mycht na man se a waer man c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 119/9.
The sugurit mouthis with myndis thairfra, The figurit speiche with faceis tua, The plesand toungis with hartis unplane