DSL - DOST   Mes(s)inger(e, Mes(s)anger(e, n. Also: mes(s)ing-, mes(s)ynger(e, -eir(e, -eyr, -ear(e, -are, -re, meissing-, measing-, measyng-, massinger; messenger(e, -eir, maisenger; messawngere.  [ME. and e.m.E. messanger(e (14th c.), messaunger (1535), messengere (1460), messinger (16th c.), also massanger(e, -enger(e, -inger(e (14-15th c.), var. of MES(S)AGER(E n. with nasalisation, as also in passinger etc.]
    1. A messenger, courier or envoy.
    Also applied to an envoy of the Pope, as a nuncio or legate.
    Also fig. and in fig. contexts.
    Corby messinger, see CORBY n. 1 b. (1)  Quhen Crist the messag herde To the messangeris He ansuert [etc.]; Leg. S. xxxvi. 360.  Bothe the kynges may sende thair messangers; 1398 Slater Early Sc. Texts 40.  [The Pope] Send wyth hym a messawngere [W. messengere] In Scotland to ken off that matere; Wynt. vii. 1862.  The messanger; Compl. 94/12. (b)  Messingeris till hym thai sent; Barb. i. 138.  Messynger; Ib. iv. 585 (E).  Abnen, his messyngere ... his lettir for to bere; Leg. S. vii. 355.  Fra thame of Ind sal cum to thé, Messyngeris & put tham in thi will; Ib. xi. 199.  Ib. xxi. 137.  Gif I went now as messingeir And left 3ow in sik perrall heir; Alex. i. 285.  Messinger; Ib. 723.  Ib. ii. 1963.  Ib. 3750.  The messyngere [: answere]; Troy-bk. i. 65.  The Kingis messyngere [: manere]; Ib. 133.  As messingere [: affere]; Ib. 169.  By ane subtell messingeire [: but weire]; Ib. ii. 1993.  Robertum Mesynger de Orkenay Scotum; 1405 Rot. Sc. II. 174/2.  Messingere; Hay II. 162/8.  Thi maister meissinger [: in this maner]; Alex. (Taym.) 1092.  Ane messinger suld nother be hed nor hang; Ib. 2268.  I Willyam Barton messynger ... of our said haly fadre by the auctority of the forsaid lettrez; 1465 Coldingham Priory 203.  To Gray messingere of Inglande; 1474 Treas. Acc. I. 69.  I grant, quoth he, and cheissit a messynger [: the byschop ther]; Wall. ix. 1233.  Ib. iii. 20.  Na legate nor messingere of the court of Rome; 1487 Acts II. 183/2.  It was ressoune ... that the gud ... angell ware messingere; Irland Mir. I. 129/22.  The angell & hevinly messinger; Ib. 151/1.  Mesingeris; Lanc. 396.  Tane be the sade James as servand and messinger of umquhile Cuthbert Murray; 1496-7 Acta Conc. II. 44.  The messynger of goddis; Doug. iv. vii. 33.  For baithe be messinger and write I declarit him playnlie [etc.]; 1522-3 Douglas Corr. 83.  Lynd. Meldrum 1053.  The messengeir, messenger; Compl. 94/16, 18.  Pitsc. I. 203/14.  I messinger of goddis aboue; James VI Poems II. 137/35.  [The governor] sendis messingeris ... with the fyre crose; Dalr. II. 297/18.  Ferg. Prov. MS. No. 1013. (c)  Now gangis the page for-outtin mare Furth, in stede of messingare; Alex. ii. 6129.  The cordonarez sal fynd the messyngeare and Moyses; 1442 Aberd. B. Rec. in Mill Mediæv. Plays 116. (d)  A messenger suld an angel be; Wynt. i. 51 (E).  My messengere; Doug. xii. ii. 57 (Ruddim.).  Messengeir; Pitsc. I. 119/10.  Donald ... Lord of the Yillis send messengeris to his maiestie to be remittit [etc.]; Ib. 128/13. (2)  fig. The dow, Noyis messinger; Howlat 231.  Prayere ... the quhilk is the mast swift messingere ... that thou may send to God; Irland Asl. MS. I. 41/20.  This messingare was callit Deuot Prayere and Orisoune, send fra the nobile patriarkis; Id. Mir. I. 115/16.  I persauit the messengeiris of the rede Aurora [etc.]; Compl. 38/7.  The bird ... Quhilk in that cace was Goddis messingeir [: heir]; Rolland Seven S. 10605.  His apostles messingers; 1565 Bk. Univ. Kirk I. 68.  Goddis ... maist vpricht seruand and feruent messinger of Christis euangell, Johne Knox; 1573 Dickson & Edmond Ann. Sc. Printing 260.  
    b.  A messenger of the Scottish crown ; a messenger at arms.
    Also messinger of and at armis.
    The messengers were officers of the crown who acted as official couriers, conveying royal missives and commands, and, as `sheriffs in that part', executed royal summonses, poindings, hornings, letters of caption and certain other crown writs. From before 1510 (see Crim. Trials I. i. *63), the messengers came under the authority and jurisdiction of Lyon King of Arms, constituting the lowest (and much the most numerous) class of officers of arms, below the heralds, pursuivants and macers: see espec. 1587 Acts III. 449/2.
    For some further examples see also MACER n. and OFFICIAR n. (1)  To the Kyngis hors messynger for sommonyn to the cheker and parlament; 1428 Ayr B. Acc. in Sc. Hist. Rev. XXXI. 143.  To Adam Bachillur messinger; 1474 Treas. Acc. I. 50.  Ib. 51.  1489 Ib. 106; etc.  Anent the complaynt made be Jhone Bissat, messinger, quhilk past with our soverane lordis letters; 1497-8 Acta Conc. II. 152.  [Duncane Richardsone] messingre til our soverane lord and his schiref in that part; 1501 Ib. III. 95.  Messengeir; 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 106.  1502 Ib. 133.  1504-5 Ib. III. 127.  1506 Ib. 192.  1507 Ib. IV. 79; etc.  A lettre in inglis ... direct to ... al the heraidis, masaris, stewartis and messengeris, scheriffis in that parte; 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 268/1.  That oure souerane lordis armys be takin fra Johne Cowpar, sumtyme messinger to our saide soverane lord; 1510 Crim. Trials I. i. 63.  1511-12 Treas. Acc. IV. 325.  1512 Ib. 350.  1515 Ib. V. 26.  Ib. 51; etc.  1522 Fife Sheriff Ct. 174.  Maisenger; 1528 Renfrew Arch. Coll. I. 142.  1533-4 Treas. Acc. VI. 219.  1534 Ib. 221.  1535-6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 153.  Massinger; 1537 Renfrew Arch. Coll. I. 172.  Heir sall the messinger Diligence returne and cry a hoyzes; Lynd. Sat. 1902 (Ch.).  Ane lettir maid to Johnne Cob, messinger, makand him ane maser for all the dais of his life; 1545 Reg. Privy S. III. 207.  Ane lettir ... makand him ane of oure soverane ladyis messingerris and officiare of armys; 1548 Ib. 464.  1552-3 Treas. Acc. X. 161.  Ib. 199.  Messingear; Ib. 274.  1554-5 Misc. Spald. C. II. 215.  Mesingear; 1554-5 Treas. Acc. X. 274.  1558 Ib. 404.  1559-60 Ib. XI. 14.  1561 Reg. Privy S. V. i. 191/1.  1566 Treas. Acc. XI. 524.  1566 St. A. Kirk S. 289 [see MESSAGE n. 1 (3)]. 1566-7 Reg. Privy S. V. ii. 255/1.  Thomas Crichtoun, measinger; Bann. Trans. 315.  Balfour Pract. 305.  1583 Sc. Hist. Rev. I. 451.  Considering how of late 3eiris thair is enterit in the office of armes sindry extraordiner maseris and pursevantis and a verie greit nowmer of messingeris; 1587 Acts III. 449/1.  Seing the commoun armes maid be messingeris in tymes bipast wer sa slender and guid chaip that [etc.]; Ib. 450/1.  Johne Andersone messinger and ane of the maris of the said schirefdome; 1587-8 Perth Guildry MS. 440 (6 Feb.).  1588 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 39.  1592 Acts III. 555/1.  The said Agnes ... forceit the said messinger to eit ... the haill copyis of the saidis letteris; 1594-5 Crim. Trials I. ii. 346.  James Wilkie messenger in Dundie; 1611 Brechin Test. II. 183.  Onlie a tikkett vnder the messingeris stampe; 1617 Acts IV. 547/1.  The shireff, baith ordinar and messenger or shireiff in that part, should have 12 d. of every lib ... in poynding or appryseing; Hope Major Pract. II. 175.  1637 Dumbarton B. Rec. 54.  1647 Acts VI. i. 761/1.  Craveing warrand to ane maisser or messinger to have warned [etc.]; 1649 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 471.  James Thome, nottar and messenger; 1652 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III. 66.  With us the execution of sentences is committed to heraulds, pursevants, messengers, macers, and the execution of sentences of inferiour courts to the respective officers of these courts; Mackenzie Laws & C. i. xxvi. § 1.  Messengers have as the badge of their office a blason bearing the Kings armes, and a wand of peace if they bear not the blason [etc.]; Ib. § 3.  Ib. [see LIO(U)N n. 3].  John Leper, officer of the barony of Evandaill and messenger ther; 1682 Lauder Notices Affairs I. 377.  1685 Acts VIII. 480/2.  1693 Ib. IX. 271/1. (2)  The lordis of counsall hes powar to accuse ... ane messenger or officiar of armis; Balfour Pract. 266.  Depursit ... to messingeris of armes; 1595 Exch. R. XXIII. 61.  1617 Acts IV. 547/1.  Bisset I. 216/21.  Johnn Rinn messenger of airmes; c 1625 Misc. Spald. C. II. lvi.  1627 Bk. Carlaverock II. 94.  He being tuyse lawfullie summond thairto and last be ane messenger of airmes personallie apprehendit; 1632 Boyd Fam. P. No. 147 (30 Nov.).  That it shall be lawfull ... to messingers of armes to execute all such summons and letters of treason [sc. formerly restricted to heralds and pursuivants]; 1661 Acts VII. 32/2. (3)  Andro Melveill our maister of houshald and Williame Henrysoun our constable deputt send ane messinger at armes to stay your last court; 1595-6 Misc. Spald. C. II. 219.  To ane messinger at armes, for the copeis of his letteris proclamit at the croce; 1595-6 Ib. V. 63.  1661 Acts VII. 14/2.  1674 Highland P. I. 262.  From the impression of the King's arms on this blazon, messengers are called messengers at arms; for they are not military officers but civil; Stair Inst. iv. xlvii. 14.  Intimation therof to be made at the mercat croce of Edinburgh by a macer of councell and at all other mercat croces of the head burghs ... by messengers at armes; 1687 Edinb. B. Rec. XI. 228.  1689 Acts IX. 53/2.
    c. Applied to a burgh officer as designating one of his functions. ---  That the browsteris 3eild be ... delyuerit till Edinburgh the townis messinger and seriand for to be exponit ... vpoun the reparatioun of thair commoun wellis; 1494 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 67.
    2. spec. a. A messenger who gives advance notice or warning, a fore-runner, precursor, harbinger. Chiefly fig. or in fig. contexts.  Of deid dampnable ... A synfull lyf is lykest messingeire; Contempl. Sinn. 1328.  Herrauldis ... suld be messingeris of peice; Loutfut MS. 27 b.  Fame, of dyseys forrydar and messynger [Sm. messyngeyr]; Doug. xiii. v. 2.  Jhone ... The principall and last messyngeir; Lynd. Mon. 5651.  The faithfull messinger quhilk is the nicht To luiffaris langorous; Maitl. Q. xxxviii. 46.
    b. A person appointed to convey or carry out one's intentions in matters of law; an agent or representative.  Be yt kenyt ... me ... tyl haf mad ... my lufyt frendis ... my speciall mesangerris, gyfand and grantand my ful and playn pouere to tha ilkis; 1423 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii. 33.  As my procuraturis and special mesangerris; Ib.  The forsaid inquisitoris ... hes chossyne honorabyll men ... to be laufull procuratouris, exactouris ouris erand bereris and messingeris in all and syndry causis; 1535-6 Selkirk B. Ct. 209 b (24 Mar.).
    3. As the name of a gun. ---  To be ane hous to Mons Messengeir and Talbart gunnis; 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 24.  Ib. 25.  1513 Ib. IV. 476.