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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.

Text, n. Also: tex, tixt. [ME and e.m.E. tixte (Piers Plowman), text (Chaucer), tex (1589), F. texte, ONF tixte, med. L. textus.]

1. A copy of the Gospels. a1400 Leg. S. xxx 382.
Than gyf me The text of the ewangile for to se … The priores gert bring the buk

2. The matter, substance, words or sentences of a work, story, message, etc. Passing into sense 2 b below. c1400 Troy-bk. i 12.
Now to our text agane we ga That … tellys … That while Jasone [etc.] c1420 Wynt. viii 110.
The Norwayis has a wryttyn buk Off thaire lawys thare in thai luk … And be the text [C. tixt] thai decerne all Thai casis 1460 Hay Alex. 1064.
Samsone passit furth … Till King Nicolas his message for to say … He haid gud language … And vnabasit comptit him all his tale, Fra end to end the text he tald him hale a1500 Henr. Fab. 2424.
Heir endis the text; thair is na mair to tell 1490 Irland Mir. III 129/14.
The text in that place sais that the pepil of Israell desirit a king to gowern thame 1513 Doug. i Prol. 243.
This Caxtoun … Crispina clepis Sibilla Cumane That in the text of Virgill … Hait Deiphebe 1513 Doug. i Prol. 299.
Rycht so am I to Virgillis text ybund 1513 Doug. i Prol. 347.
Sum tyme the text mon haue ane expositioun 1535 Stewart 11116. a1538 Abell 8a.
He had 70 quenis—the tex sais 700 1549 Compl. 29/22.
That passage of Ysaye maye be veil applyit tyl vs … that passage of the text nedis nocht ane alligoric expositione for the experiens of that passage is ouer manifest in oure cuntre a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 112/27.
Thane sal we … considder … quhilk of the twa interpretaciones is maist … aggreabil with the plaine text of the scripture 1562 Q. Kennedy Ressoning 201.
The wordes of the text ar plain 1562-3 Winȝet II 15/15. c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 123.
Lat ws heir the text perfytlie feill, And lat ws merk the wourdis thairof richt weill As quhair it sayis nocht that ‘that man sall be Cast furth [etc.] … ' Bot [etc.]

b. A (short) passage selected as illustrative of some moral, etc.; the subject for examination or, esp., preaching. a1500 Colk. Sow iii 62.
Thairfoir I turne vnto my first text … As followis heir 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 107.
The said minister … being in the … kyrk of Crayll preachyng Goddis Word, and, as his tex for the tym [etc.] 1567 G. Ball. 1.
Pavle writand to the Collossians in his thrid chaptir sayis … exhorting ȝour awin selfis with psalmes [etc.] … We haue heir ane plane text, that the word of God incressis plenteouslie in vs be singing of the psalmes c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 17.
So to my text [sc. John XV 6-8] c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 96.
Tha ar cast furth, the text [marg. Joan. XV] this doith declair 1622-6 Bisset I 113/2.
That the Lord Chancellare … select and chuise sum place and text ane or ma … furth of the bodie of the writtin law … and assigne the samin … to be intreated upoun 1650 Elgin Rec. II 273.
Mr. Thomas Law preached first, his text Jere. 4 cap. 14 v. 1650 Cramond Ch. Aberdour 22.
The presbytery … do not think it fit that Mr. William Ramsay should be keeped off his tryells … and therefore appoints [him] … to handle the text … the next day

c. An axiom or proverb. a1500 Henr. Fab. 732.
‘For grit mister I gif the leif … for neid may haif na law.' ‘God ȝeild ȝow, schir, for that text weill I knaw'

d. The words (of a letter, etc.) written on a piece of paper. a1500 Henr. Fab. 853.
Out off his buste ane bill sone can he braid And red the text withoutin tarying 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1168.
Sa the paper and ink he did ressaue And wrait … ‘O lady fair [etc.] … ' Als sone as scho the chedull had out red … with hir teith scho it raif, Thairof the text that na man suld persaif

e. The matter of a work as contrasted with explanatory notes, etc. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1221.
As iugis thay sat doun … Seikand full mony decretalis off the law And glosis als … Of ciuile mony volum thay reuolue The codies and digestis … thay … held the glose and text of the decreis As trew iugis 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 166.
Explicit tristis prologus … Thys proloug smellis new cum furth of hell … Thou drery preambill with a bludy text