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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
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Vicar(e, Vycar(e, Vecar, n. Also: wicar(e, vic-, wicair, viccar(e, -er, wiccar(r, viker, wikar, -er, vicka(i)r, -er, wickar, wikcar, vyccar, wyc(c)ar, vykar, -er, wykar, vykcare, wecar, -or, vek-, wekar. [ME and e.m.E. wicare (Cursor M.), viker (c1325), vicar (1340), vicair (Chaucer), veker (Wyclif), vyker (Lydgate), viccar (1526), OF vicaire, L. vicārius substitute.]Also in early use as a place-name and personal name. 1299–1325 Reg. Episc. Morav. 147.
Cum annua firma illius crofti quod dicitur le Vicarishalche 1377 Rot. Sc. II 2/2.
Nigellum Vicaireson

1. One appointed to act in the place of another, a substitute or representative, a vicegerent. a1400 Leg. S. xli 250.
The prefet … deput in his sted thare The law to hald thaim, a vicare, & sorouful went away 1533 Bell. Livy II 170/18.
I wil mak him (for he is weil institute in chevelrie) vicare and lieutenent for me a1538 Abell 95b.
He left procurature or wicair of Scotland Hew Cassyngaif [sic in transcr.] 1596 Dalr. II 258/4.
Tha cry that ane be to quhome tha obey outher at meiting or fleing, in place of the king, as the kingis vicar

2. The vicar or deputy appointed by a canon in a cathedral or monastic chapter to carry out the spiritual duties required in the parish of which he was prebendar. Also proverb. and as a term of address. Also const. of a parish (rarely, with omission of of).For further information see John Dowden The Medieval Church in Scotland (1910). Cf. also Vicarag(e n. 1 and note. 1229 Reg. Episc. Morav. 26.
[Henrico vicario de Kenedor 1237–8 Reg. Dunferm. 64.
Statuentes … ut vicarij qui pro tempore fuerint in ecclesia de Perth 1245 Reg. St. A. 282.
Magistro Roberto vicario de Cupro 1323 Reg. St. A. xxxvii.]
Inquisitio (per assissam juratam) in controversia inter Priorem S. Andreae et vicarium suum de Loscresc(1) 1400 MacRae Early Sc. Texts No. 7.
Vicar 1444–5 Peebles Chart. 10.
A pund of wax … to be departyt evinly be the balyheis and the vicar or his chapellane to be brynt on Saynt Androis altar and Saynt Michaellis 1493 Liber Aberbr. II 279.
The croftis of the yond syd the burn ald and wont to pertene to the sad wicar c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 125/64.
A sempill vicar I can not be a1538 Abell 48a.
Ordanit … to the wicaris beside the kirk kirkland at thai suld bide and remane thare sa that the parachynnaris mycht ay find thame reddy to minister the sacramentis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1993 (B).
Quhen the vicar [Ch. vickar] herd tell my wyf was deid The thrid kow than he cleikit be the heid 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 368.
Mak hym byschope that prudentlie can preche … Ane persone quhilk his parisone can teche. Gar uicaris mak dew mynistratioun, And … Mak ȝour abbotis of rycht religious men 1555 Acts II 493/2.
That na persoun … wilfullie without dispensatioun or requyring of licence of thair ordinar, thair persoun, vicar or curat eit flesche … in the … dayis … forbiddin 1563 Reg. Privy C. I 246.
The sacristanis, beand vicaris of the said paroche kirk, wer in use … to mak and uphald the glassin windoes of the said kirk c1575 Balfour Pract. 204.
It is … forbiddin, that a vicar set his benefice … in tak and assedatioun, without consent of the ordinar and cheptour 1605–6 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 555.
For ane drink to the principall and maisteris, dene of gild and utheris that viseyit the college dyke in the vicaris aillayis, xxvj s. viij d. 1627 Rep. Parishes 45.
The abbotis of Newbottle were persones and drew the great teind. The vicar served the cure and dwelt at the kirk befor the Reformatioun(b) 1428 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXXI 144.
The wekaris hous byrnt 1588 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 24 July.
Ane croift of land callit the vecaris croift(c) 1493 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II 214.
The landis callit the Youchre … to perten to the sayd wycar 1549 Prot. Bk. J. Crawford 25b.
Wykar … vykar 1549 Prot. Bk. J. Crawford in Sc. Ch. Hist. Soc. Rec. XIII 215.
[The parishioners of Inverchaolan] wad nocht ansuer to Schir Robert Maxval, vyker, of the fruttis or to the tyme at he mendit his part of the kyrk and vestementtis(d) c1500 Rowll Cursing 30 (M).
The vicair to dispone his awin Kirkland hay or gres to the avale Be thair support red or counsale 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2724 (Ch.).
I sall nocht spair First to compleine on the vickair(e) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4716.
The uicare moist haue one of tho [sc. cows] With the gray cloke that happis the bed 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 325.
Sic pastoris wyll be weill content To leif vpon the fer les rent Nor hes sum vicare for his waige, Or rector for his rectoraige 1595 Banff Ann. II 21.
Reservand the tua pairt to the present viccare to his death or deportatione(f) a1578 Pitsc. I 159/26.
He caussit all persouns and wickaris to remaine at thair paroche kirkis for instruction and edifieing of their flock 1627 Orkney Rentals iii 51.
His reasidence wes in Conquescoy in Kairstaine, quhilk wes the viccars maniss and his glibbe a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 21.
A parsone, wiccarr, or wther churchman that setts his benefice [etc.] 1662 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 260.
All parsons, viccars, ministers in burgh or land(g) a1585 Polwart Flyt. 820 (T) (see Spewd ppl. adj.).
Viccerproverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1443.
The tak may staik the person, the vicar wil not have it(2) 1535 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 430.
Et talia verba subsequentia protulit Vicario de Rayne prelocutori dicti Domini de Jhonstoune in vulgari I pray to God, Schir Wicair, that ye neuer se the faice of God(3) 1425 (1426) Reg. Great S. 11/1.
[We] haff gewyn and grawntit the offyce off maistrischip off our ward off Yarow … til our luwyt chappellayne sir Wilyeam Myddilmast, vicare of Selkirc 1452 Ayr B. Ct. 11 April.
Sir Wilȝam tailȝefer vecar of Are 1472 Liber Aberbr. II 168.
Schir Jhon Harwar wycar off Banchre and notar publie 1482–3 Acta Conc. II cxvii.
Viker 1490 Foulis Chart. (Reg. H.) 4 Dec.
Vykcare 1493 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II 214.
Vycar 1499–1500 Acta Conc. II 356.
Maister Andro Ramsay, vycare of Ouchtermouchty 1507 Grant Chart. 46.
Schiris Alexander Farquharsone, wiccar off Mwrchle, Thomas Berclay, wyccar off Echt 1531–2 Reg. Soltre 108.
I … persoune and vicar of Wemis settis … my salt pan with the hous and granalle off my landis of the Blair … to … Patrik Trimbulle for ane yheir 1535 Glasgow Prot. IV 74.
Vyccar 1548–9 Coll. Aberd. & B. 120.
Wiker 1557 Armstrong Hist. Liddesdale App. c.
With our hands at the pen, be M. Archibald Ellot, vecar of Cassylton, and wrytyng be the said wecor, at Mangerton, the x day of Maij 1559–60 Edinb. Old Acc. I 305.
To the Vickar of Sanct Cudbertis Kirk for the teindis of the maillis, xl s. 1577 Misc. Spald. C. II 45.
Schir Johnne Colison subchanter of Aberden, and wikcar of Aberden 1584 St. A. Kirk S. 527.
Thomas Wod, vicar and redar of this parrochin a1595 Cullen Chron. Aberd. 34.
Maister Androw Cullen … prowest of Aberden, persone of Fetterneir, and wikar of Aberden 1606 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 9.
William Ker, vekar of Lindene 1614 Burnett Fam. P.
Maister Williame Burnet minister & vicker of Kynarnie … Patrik bischop of Aberdeen patron of the said vickerage — 1456 Peebles B. Rec. I 113.
Maister Alisandrir Crassant, wecar Ennarlethan 1538–9 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 238.
Resavit … fra the wikar Lindane of the said taxt xii lib.

b. Laick vicar, see Laic adj. 1 b (4). Perpetual vicar, a vicar appointed on a permanent basis. Cf. Perpetual(l adj. 1 (8). c. attrib. and possess. Vicar's bannok, see quot., ? = vicarage brock (Vicarag(e n. 3 a). Viccarland, wiccaris land, land used for the upkeep of a vicar.b. 1313 Liber Scon 108.
[Willelmo perpetuo vicario ecclesie de Largauch 1395 Reg. St. A. 7.]
Walterus … episcopus vniuersis et singulis abbatibus prioribus decanis … vicarijs perpetuis et non perpetuis 1433 Swintons App. xxxvi (see Perpetual(l adj. 1 (8)).
Wicare 1579 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 399.
Jhone Leslie vicar perpetuall of Pramothc. (1) 1627 Rep. Parishes 146.
A competent stipend may be made furth off the teinds callit the vicars bannok being the teinds off the aikeris off Vr(2) 1627 Dunkeld Presb. II 369.
There is only off kirkland in the paroche the landis off the Carse, Drumdewin and Kinnarte quhilk ar called viccarland with the Minister his gleib and ane croft in the barronie off Grantully called the kirk croft which was in the minister his possession 1627 Rep. Parishes 3.
Ane husband land of wiccaris land worth thre bollis

3. The deputy provided by a canon to take part in the cathedral services. Chiefly, vicar of the queir. = Stallar n.(1) 1256 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II 46.]
[De officio vicariorum chori 1477–8 Reg. Episc. Glasg. II 458.
Comperit Ser Thomas of Bargille ane vicar ministrand in the queyr of Glasgw and procuratour til al the vicars of the said queir 1527 Maxwell Mem. I 257.
The court … halding in the wiccar's place off the qweir, in presens off [etc.] 1530 Prot. Bk. M. Fleming 7b.
The sayd John & Janet … paeand ȝeirlye … to the wyccarris of the qwyer with the borrow maell alanerly 1531 Glasgow Prot. IV 34.
Betuix the landis of umquhill Wylyam Baxster on the north, and the landis of the viccaris of the qweir of Glasgw on the sowtht 1537 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 413.
All commoditeis and prophetis … salbe … luftyt and ouptane frelie be the commound procuratour of the viccaris of the queir in the cathedrall kyrk of Abirdene c1560 Rental Book of Assumptions in Orig. Par. I 58.
The kirk of Dalȝell, sometime sett to James Tailfeir, and laitlie to the viccars of the queir of Glasgow, yeirlie, for twenty merkis 1575 Glasgow B. Rec. I 36.
The vicar of the queiris yardis 1580 Glasg. Univ. Mun. I 131.
Fourty schillingis yeirly vsit to be payit to the deaconis of the Wiccarris of the Chore of Glasgw 1712 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS App. 424/1.
[The first … contains the] rights which before the Reformation did belong to the Vicars of the Quier, the Mendicant Friers [etc.](2) 1505 Treas. Acc. III 153.
To the crukit vicar that singis in Drumfreis, be the kingis command

4. In more general use, ? a chaplain. 1584 Sempill in Sat. P. xlv 641.
To Londoun Lowrie tuke the geat … His wantone vicare on a meir … Twa vther fellowis to turse his geir

5. Applied to a person who is a representative of Christ. Also, once, applied to one perceived as a representative of the Devil.(1) 1456 Hay I 104/23.
Sen Crist is Lorde of all the erde his vicare has powere our all his lordschip in this erde c1490 Irland Asl. MS 14/2.
Quhen the synnar makis confessioun to the prest that in that cais is vicare and place haldand of God c1510 Prester John 310.
Preistis ar the vicaris of God of hewyne a1538 Abell 121a.
Ȝe ma considdir heir how peralus it is to rebell aganis the heid of halie kirk & Christis wicair 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 167/5.
That preist is veralie Christis vicare 1639 Bk. Pasquils (1827) ii 92.
The seas obayed Christ Jesus, nou wee knau That of His wiccar they stood little awe(2) 1563 Ferg. Answer in 1563-72 Ferg. Tracts 24.
This doctrine we … shall by Gods grace, confesse vnto the end in dispyte of Satan and his vickar your Pope and Antechrist