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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Recompens, -pence, -pans(e, v. Also: recum-, racom- and -pense; -pance. [Late ME (1422) and e.m.E. recompens(e, -pence, OF recompenser (1290 in Larousse), late L. recompensāre, f. L. re- and compensāre Compense v.]

1. a. tr. To make compensatory payment for (a thing lost or damaged).(a) 1456 Hay I 135/6.
Quhethir harnes lent, and tynt in weris, suld be restorit, and recompensit agayne to the lennaris of it(b) 1547 Aberd. B. Rec. I 253.
To pay and recompans the laird of Drummis falconne … in cace the said pece happin be chance to be tane be Inglishmen 1556 Peebles B. Rec. I 236.
Gif thai spill ony manis or woman wark to recompance the samin

b. To make good (loss or damage); to repay (to a person, also const. indirect obj.) the amount lost.(a) 1500 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 85.
Thai will mak the persouns thus faltand to recompance the haill skayth that happines thairthrow 1581 Prestwick B. Rec. 79.
Quhatsumeuir skayth beis sustenit nocht to be recompanceit to that persoun that [etc.] 1622-6 Bisset I 44/12.
The awnare thairof sall recompans the dammaige of the kow slane Ib. II 253/23.
Ever ilk ane to recompance uthiris there said skaith(b) 1596 Dalr. II 62/17.
The gretter was his greiffe that na way that iniure he culd recompence

c. To make restitution or atonement for (sin). a1500 Henr. Prayer 30.
Our deid ma na thing our synnis recompens 1588 King Cat. 95b.
Worthy fruicts of penance quhairbe we recompense … the faults and sinnes of our former lyf

d. To make up for (delay or disappointment) by compensatory action. 1562 Cal. Sc. P. I 684.
[But for which I would have] recompanced [the long delay off our mutual writings] 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 484.
Joy's day shall dawn, and do more than recompense all our sad hours

e. To pay (a penalty). 1540 Aberd. B. Rec. I 174.
Quhow the townis ewillaris [? for dwellaris] intendis to recompense the pane layd vpoun thame

f. To repay, or requite, (wrong-doing or failure). 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (S.T.S.) 81/17.
& according to the greatnes of the height he [sc. a king] is in, the weight of his fal will recompence the same

2. a. To compensate or reward (a person) (for) a service.(a) 1513 Doug. iv viii 57.
Quhilk seruyce quhen thou done hes, … I sal thé recompens 1549 Compl. 119/7.
I sal recompens thé for thy grit faithtful labouris Ib. 123/13.
I laubyr … and thai recompens me vitht hungyr(b) 1547 Perth Guildry 250 (17 June).
Beand our maister of werk and thairfor on payit … or recompansit as ȝit 1566–7 Reg. Privy C. I 498.
[He] salbe honestlie rewardit and recompansit 1585 Acts III 411/2.
To haif recompansit thair said father … according to … his demeritis

b. To compensate (a person) in respect of (of) expenses, loss, etc.(1) 1540 Aberd. B. Rec. I 174.
The said prowest desynit na expensis … quhill hes hame cumyng and than to recumpanse him 1590 Welwod 75.
The awner of the gear quhilk is lossit or he quha man be recompansit be a skatt(2) 1564 St. A. Kirk S. 211.
Quhill I be recompansit and satisfyit of dampnege and skayth sustenit a1578 Pitsc. II 18/11.
To recompense him of his expenssis that he maid in comming in Scotland

3. To pay (a person) back in kind; to requite. 1549 Compl. 93/3.
Ȝe sal be recompenssit as ȝour forbears var at the blac perliament Ib. 119/17. Ib. 182/31. 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV i 123.
To racompense ȝour majestie of all the guid deidis a1578 Pitsc. I 129/2.
God … ressawis mankynd to the bossome of his marcie … nocht foir any goode deid that man may do to recompence him 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. fol. 17a.
Gif yow do ane ewill twrne to ane, ane wther will recompence thé 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 226.
He had bene weill recompanceit for his former traitorie

4. To repay (a deed or action) by retaliatory action.(a) 1492 Myll Spect. 278/32.
For the quilk deid clerkis haith tane sic vengeance … & ȝit thinkis nocht that trespas recompensit 1531 Bell. Boece II 93.
The Pichtis … recompensit the samin with siclik heirschippis 1562-3 Winȝet I 14/28. 1570 Bann. Memor. 74.
Nane … having … command of me to shed that manis bloud … but onlie … to have recompensed the schamefull … misvsing of my kindsman 1558-66 Knox II 57.
Lord, thow wilt yitt luik, and recompense sick tyrrannye(b) 1531 Bell. Boece I lvii.
Thay wald nevir evoid the displeseir thairof out of thair hertis, quhill the samin war recompansit with the blude of thair ennimes 1558-66 Knox I 460.
God sall recompanse thair maliciouse craft in thair awin bosome a1578 Pitsc. I 88/9. a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 159.
In place of thanks for sik a gude turne … he recompancit the same be an evill turne 1596 Reg. Privy C. V 345.

b. To reward (a person's service or efforts). 1600 J. M. Beale Fife Schools 114.
Quhilk travell also the session will acknowledge and recompense c1600 Montg. Suppl. i 46.
Hir gentilnes assuris me My service sche will recompance 1661 Wodrow Hist. (1828) I 193.
The love of the one I cannot recompense