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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.

Them(e, Theam(e, n. Also: thewme, teym. [ME and e.m.E. teme (Cursor M.), theme (Chaucer), theame (1570), OF tesme, teume, thieume, L. thema.] A subject, a particular type of subject-matter; a proposition or topic for composition, discussion or elucidation.(a) a1500 Prestis of Peblis 143 (Asl.).
To ȝow I haue na nother tale nor thewme [Ch. theame] Excepand to ȝow bischopis a problevme Quhilk is to me ane questioun & ane dowt c1590 Fowler I 321/5.
I now will sing off patience bred by preason, A theame not yet by others spookt or pend 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Thema, a theame, a matter proponed to be written or spoken off a1605 Montg. Sonn. lxiv 11.
Fy! I refuse sik filthie these or theam c1590 Fowler I 140/7.
Blist bright suborner of these theames I wryte 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xxi 6.
Now, deare Muse, proclaime A greater subject and a graver theame 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 33/288.
In singing kepe this order showen you heir Then ye your self in teaching men shall leir The rule of liuing well and happely shall Your songs make as your thems immortall all 1622-6 Bisset I 18/22.
My pen … colocattis nocht clear The theame and subject 1637 Lundie Poems 32.
Braue soules quho in sadde theames delicht 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 182.
The presbitrie ordained him to make his theames upon that poynt, and they were compted orthodox c1646 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. fol. 61.
Thair thems being prescribed upon the third day thereafter each of them [sc. candidates for teaching posts] had an lesson for 3 quarters of an hower ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. III 169.
The excommunicate popish prelattes … ther misleading the King [etc.] … wer the ordinar pulpit thems(b) a1538 Abell 94a.
He maid the sermont in Sanct Bonauenturis abat & tuke for his teym: Doleo super te firmi Ionatha

b. specif. In schools and universities: A topic for a written exercise, essay or the like, esp. translation into or out of Latin or Greek; a written exercise of this kind. Also attrib. 1507 Sc. Ant. XV 141.
Ȝe shall understand that I wrott the bursairis theame bot I am nocht to be ane bursair for ther ar twelf elected alreddie [sc. at St. Andrews University] 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 9.
[The IV Classe] sal … writ al thair lessons except the grammar and compone largear themes than the nether classis 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 10.
Disputations to be had euery Satterday fra ane efter none to four houris, ane classe aganis ane other, fixing themis alternatim, and syne componing on themis ditit be regentis of other classis or other maisters 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 10.
The haill classis sal propone themis oppinly, and affix thayme vpon the college wallis … The principal sal cheis ane certaine of the best of the fyrst classe and secund and send thayme to sum of the honest men of other collegis or sum other lernit man beyng present for the tyme and desire that he propone thayme ane theme in prose and ane other in verse 1628 Edinb. Univ. Chart. 110.
The new intrants … ar exerceised in Latine theames everie day and in turning of sum pairt of Cicero [etc.] … into Inglisch, haiveing the samin examined be thair regents who … teacheth theme sum pairt of Cicero … for thair better exercise in the Latine tongue whill they have ressavit the commoun theame 1628 Edinb. Univ. Chart. 111.
All the tyme that the tuo over classes ar examinatting, the regent gives unto theme theames to turne into Greik 1640 Dundonald Par. Rec. 465.
Let them [sc. the pupils] get a them to turne in Latein everie day c1646 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. fol. 22.
The intrants to the Bajan classe [sc. in philosophy] in the beginning of November give their tryall be an publik theam prescryved to them … After the reading of it they are separated a sunder and … turne it in Latine, and writ it over in a faire hand, giving it up to the regent attending 1643 Baillie II 100.
Your sister's sone hath been with me … I have examined him, and given him theams and verse 1649 Elgin Rec. II 434 (see attrib. below).
Theams 1659 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 181.
There sall be foure solemne visitatiouns of the grammar scool ewerie yeir … at which … the scollars are to be tryit by macking themes, interpretatiouns of authors [etc.] 1664 Glasg. Univ. Mun. II 483.
That … the said oratorie and suchelyk be much usit by the schoolars as also that the novitii have verie frequentlie theams in Greik and Latine 1690 Foulis Acc. Bk. 130.
To William Foulis to buy a paper booke to wryt his structura … to Alexander Foulis to buy on to him to wryt his theams 1693 Moncreiffs 683.
Imprimis to Provest Monro then his regent his quarter pay^t … Item depursit at the common theme … [£1 11 s.] … Item at his matriculatione … [£1 10 s.] [etc.]attrib. 1649 Elgin Rec. II 434.
The superiour to thes [sc. the lower classes] sall haw theams taucht to them out off som classick author … for writting quheroff they sall haw ther theame books and the quantitie off ther theame according to ther progres 1649 Elgin Rec. II 434.
The master sall read the theam off that day out off the originall, quhich they ar to insert in ther theame books after the English versione