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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Bacheler(e, n. Also: bachiler(e, -ylere, bachileir, bacheleir, bai(t)cheleir, bachiller; bachler(e, bachleir, batchler, baisler; bachelar, -illar, bachelor, bacchelour, -alour; bachlar, bachlour. [ME. bacheler, bachiler, bachelar, etc., OF. bacheler, med. L. bachillarius (1362).]

1. A young knight. Also attrib. with squire.(a) 1375 Barb. iv. 72.
He callit his son … A ȝoung bachiller, stark and fair Ib. viii. 495.
Quhen he had ȝemyt a ȝer In wer, as ane gud bachiller, … The awenturus castell off Douglas c1420 Wynt. ix. 703.
I have noucht herd a bachelere Swa gretly prysyd ?1438 Alex. i. 3082.
Emynedus thair ledere, That hé renounit bachilere 1456 Hay II. 2/15.
How the bachelere … suld first lere the pointis … of the ordre Ib. 11/6.
The poyntis of the ordre that a bacheler squier suld lere c1450-2 Howlat 691.
Scutiferis and sqwyeris, and bachilleris blyth a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1335.
Erll, duke, and douchspere, Baith banrent and bachilere c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 477.
Baronis and knychtis, And other bachilleris blyth 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 115.
Off nobyll men … Mony one lorde, barrone, and bachileris 15.. Clar. i. 1448.
To bed they went, baith knicht and baicheleir Ib. v. 206.
All his folkis, both knight and bachileir(b) a1500 Lanc. 1689.
Thi pur knychtis and thi bachleris 1535 Stewart 11428.
With barronis bald, burges and bachleir c1550 Rolland C. Venus iii. 603.
With bute, and spur, sword, buklar, as bachleir 1657 Balfour Ann. II. 45.
The bride, led by two batchlers

2. One who has taken the first degree in a University.Also bachlar art = bachelor in arts. c1420 Wynt. viii. 412.
The Byschape … wes … Bachylere in Theology 1456 Hay I. 2.
Maister in arte and bachilere in decreis c1500 Fyve Bestis 185.
He was na gret bachillar in sophistry 1535 Stewart 60474.
Ane bachleir … In theologie or into canoun law 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 13.
At the end of the ij yeris thay salbe maid bachelaris Ib. 15.
The rectour most be ane … doctor or bachelar in the hyear faculteis 1596 Dalr. II. 40/10.
Bachler in the Canon Law, or Doctour of Theologie 1600-1610 Melvill 28.
That yeir we haid our Bachlar art 1664 Mun. Univ. Glasg. II. 478.
To create doctors and bachlours in theologie 1691 Foulis Acc. Bk. 142.
To … Willies regent for this nixt yeir at his class being a baisler 1695 Mun. Univ. Glasg. II. 521.
Bagains, Semies, and Bacchelours