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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.

Bathe, Baith, adj. and adv. Also: bath, batht(e; baithe, bavth, baythe; baitht, baytht, baetht; beth, beath, beith, beyth. Cf. Both adj. [Northern ME. bath (baith), bathe (baithe), ME. both, bothe, ON. báðer masc., báðar fem.] Both.

1. Qualifying a following noun or pronoun. Also bathe tway or twane.(a) 1385 Rotuli Sc. II. 73/1 (commoun profit of bathe reaumes). c 1400 Wemyss Chart. 37 (bathe the saide partis). 1409 Exch. R. IV. p. ccxii (bath the saide lordis). c1420 Wynt. vii. 327 (bathe thai ware slayne on a day). 1444 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 195 (batht the parteis forsaide). 1474 Treas. Acc. I. 72 (sum totale of bath thir sidis). 1504 Halyb. 273 (the cors of bath the lawys).(b) 1482 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 35 (baytht the said parteis). 1513 Doug. ii. iv. 27 (thai the prest invadit, baith twane); x. vii. 181 (thai war excellent of bewte baith tway). 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. 19 (to be birnt of bayth the chekis). 1550 Reg. Cupar A. II. 74 (on bayth sydys). 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 27 (bayth the realmis). a1578 Pitsc. II. 285 (on bayth the sydes). 1597 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 157 (bayth the kirkis). 1601–2 Misc. Spald. C. V. 129 (at baith the saids conventiounis).(c) 1566 St. A. Kirk S. 278 (confessit be beyth the parteis). 1568 Crim. Trials I. i. 501 (towart beith the chalmeris). 1595 Paisley B. Rec. 165 (warnit be beith the officers). 1607 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 265 (beath the saidis burrowis).

2. Without accompanying noun or pronoun.c1420 Wynt. viii. 3972 (wyth skath or wyth schame, or wyth bath). 14.. Acts I. 357/2 (ij men bath at anis may nocht haf it). 1460 Lindores Abbey 158 (he and his wyf batht togydder). 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 157 (a scarlat bonat and a blak bonat, price of baythe, xxx s.). c1515 Asl. MS. II. 128/40 (he iugit baith to de). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvii. 89 (thir knychtis lay bayth in swoun). 1513 Doug. ix. iii. 85 (the oistis baith atanys); iv. 42 (baith togidder ruschit thai). 1530 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 129 (ane chalice, ane ymage, baicht ouir guilt). 1549 Compl. 121/6 (the soudiours hangit them baytht). 1562-3 Winȝet I. 123/23 (sen nothir of bayth intendit ony abuse). 1583 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 422/2 (twa missives, baytht to ane effect). 1596 Dalr. I. 55/30 (Aran and Bute are nocht bathe ane Ile). 1622-6 Bisset II. 291 (the foirnemmed war bayth martarised). c1616 Hume Orthog. 34 (for exemple of beath).

b. In the phrase bathe as ane and ane as bathe (or variants), freq. in legal documents. 1438 Misc. Spald. C. V. 392.
The forsaide Thomas and Wat, bath as ane and ane as bath 1456 Peebles B. Rec. 114.
The sayd Dic Gybsoun and Jonet hys wyf, an has bath and bath has an has ressygnit [etc.] 1463 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 375 b.
We … byndis & oblisis ws ane as batht & batht as ane 1493 Maxwell Mem. I. 205.
Bath as ane and ane as bath, coniuncly and seueraly 1557 Inverness B. Rec. I. 6.
[They are] akit … conjunctlie and seuerallé, bayth as ane and ane as bayth to reallie content and pay [etc.] 1558 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 310.
[Thai] obleist thame selffs, coniunctlie and seuerallie, ane for bayth and bayth for ane [etc.]

c. Bathe thair, bathe our, of both of them, or us. (Cf. 3 b.)1493 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 212 (chosyn be baith thar consentis). c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 264 (note baith thar stranthis). 1568 Grant Chart. 285 (of baytht our onfreyndis). a1578 Pitsc. I. 22/5 (quhilk micht redound to baith thair weilfairis).

3. Placed after a pronoun (or noun).1385 Red Bk. Grandtully I. 139* (beand to thaim bath … ). 1388 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 294 (all the courtis sall be haldin thruch thaim bathe). a1400 Leg. S. i. 593 (suspeckit I haf ȝow batht). 1456 Hay I. 189/32 (quhilkis bathe ar verifyit in thame). 1474 Fam. Innes 81 (with full consent of ws bathe). 1514 Lennox Mun. 211 (to thaim bath). 1535 Stewart 15814 (with thame baitht); 15815 (of thame bayth); 21481 (thir kingis baith). 1558-66 Knox II. 85 (neither of us bayth). a1568 Scott ii. 127 (bettir we bath wer byand hyddis). 1577 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 419/1 (this will commit you bathe to God). 1590 Reg. Morton I. 170 (sum vther men that can lyk ȝou beyth). 1595 Misc. Spald. C. II. 130 (thai bayth being vardit in Spyné).

b. Thair batheis, thair batheris, of both of them. (Cf. 2 c.)1388 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 294 (with thair batheis assent). Ib. 295 (the keping of the wode sall be thair batheis). 1406 Rep. Hist. MSS., Var. Coll. V. 79 (be consale of thaire batheris frendis). 1409 Exch. R. IV. p. ccx. (with thair batheris counselis). c1420 Wynt. v. 1922 W (thare batheris lif). 1431 Highland P. II. 167 (the confirmacion of thair batharis charteris).1456 Hay I. 41/19 (sa was it, be thair batharis consentis, accordit).

4. Placed after two nouns or pronouns.1375 Barb. i. 81 (betwyn Scotland and Ingland bath). a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 459 (fadir & modir bath I wil forsak). c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2260 (drownis thame and thare schippes bath). c1420 Wynt. v. 4168 (the modyr of God and man bath). c1475 Wall. viii. 830 (he wysar and frount bath in the feild gert fle). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxx. 6 (with him and with his abbeit bayth).

b. Following two verbs. 1375 Barb. iv. 284.
The king … Wes laid at the erd and lawit bath c1420 Wynt. viii. 5035.
Schyr Andrew ... rychid & stuffid his awyne bathe a1500 Bernardus 47.
For it is sene and saide in sampylle batht [etc.]

5. Bathe … and … , used to couple two nouns, pronouns, or adjectives. Also bath … or.(a) 1375 Barb. i. 185 (bath castell and toune); 276 (bath pur and thai off hey parage); ix. 93 (bath him and his). a1400 Leg. S. iii. 704 (bath pyne and passione). 1388 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 295 (bath Alexander and Iohn). c1420 Wynt. iv. 442 (bath bryg and fwrde). 1461 Liber Plusc. 336 (bath spirituale and temporale). c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 36/26 (God nursis bath gud & evill); 45/8 (our enemys bath spirituale or corporall). 1542 Rec. Earld. Orkney 100 (to fre batht ws and yow). 1549 Compl. 104/7 (batht heretage and guidis). 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 57 (bath thankis and recompens). 1578 Mun. Univ. Glasg. I. 124 (bath they and we).(b) c1420 Wynt. ii. 420 (off Caucasus baythe lorde and kyng); v. 1224 (baith he and he). c1475 Wall. i. 137 (baith Blatok Mur was his and Huntyntoun). a1500 Rauf C. 48 (baith tyde and tyme); 58 (baith my self and my hors). 1490 Irland Mir. I. 13/9 (baith gret and small in thi realme). c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 229 (bayth coillis and creilis). Id. lxii. 1 (bayth nicht and day). 1530 Lennox Mun. 239 (baytht properte and tenanrye). 1533 Bell. Livy I. 55/6 (baith his hede and his hare). 15.. Clar. i. 52 (at the grund baith lay man and horse). 1567 G. Ball. 10 (baith saule and body to defend). a1578 Pitsc. I. 21/28 (baith nobill men and simple men). a1570-86 Maitl. F. xcvi. 1 (baythe hewin and hell). 1590 Coll. Aberd. & B. 190 (baytht frie and onfrie). 1622-6 Bisset II. 68/14 (all testamentis baytht greit and small).(c) 1509 Rec. Earld. Orkney 82 (beyth summyr and winthir). 1532 Prot. Bk. M. Fleming 50 (on baetht the sowtht & eyst partis). c1616 Hume Orthog. 8 (as beath thei and we sound it).

b. With intervening preposition(s).(a) 1375 Barb. xi. 614 (aynding bath of hors and men). 1388 Bamff Chart. 22 (bath in tofft and foldeland). 1420 Reg. Great S. 30/1 (batht in pece and in weyr). c1420 Wynt. ii. 1151 (bath to frend and fa); iv. 2628 (bathe off land and towne). 1465 Misc. Spald. C. V. 393 (batht for maill and for tende). 1495 Halyb. 96 (bath at sellin and weyng). 1504 Wemyss Chart. 123 (the thrid part batht of colearis pannis and heuchis). 1530 Lindores Chart. (batht for bed and burd).(b) c1460 Wisd. Sol. 417 (baith of wyne and dante metis). 1490 Irland Mir. I. 6/32 (baith in his deite and his humanitie). 1507 Reg. Privy S. I. 227/2 (baitht to our schiref and to the ballies); 274/2 (baith in fresch water and salt). 1520 Fife Sheriff Ct. 173 (baitht of auld tyme & of new). 1549 Compl. 6/29 (rycht nobil baytht of vertu ande of genoligie). 1550 Reg. Cupar A. II. 97 (baytht for manis meit and horsis meit). 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 49 (bayth be giftis of landis and money). a1570-86 Maitl. F. xvii. 45 (bayth to grit and small); cxiii. 20 (baythe to my god and nychtbouris). 1641 Acts V. 649/1.
Baith for byganes & tyme cumming(c) 1540–7 Waus Corr. I. 3 (beath of sarkis and vther cloths). 1568 Ib. 51 (beth of the tene and the vder). c1616 Hume Orthog. 8 (baeth in Latine and English).

c. Coupling verbs, adverbs, or prepositions.1375 Barb. x. 471 (bath hye and law). c1450-2 Howlat 273 (bath pro and contra). 1455 Edinb. Chart. 80 (baith in the watter and vtouth). 1456 Hay II. 43/37 (bathe till him and be him). 1479 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 339 (batht late and air). a1500 Henr. III. 97/42 (baith fer and neir). c1500-c1512 Dunb. vi. 30 (baith air and lait). 1513 Doug. v. xiv. 9 (baith to and fra). 1549 Black Bk. Taymouth 187 (to baytht ryd and gang). 1558-66 Knox II. 284 (I have bayth heard and red … ). 1570 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxix. 124 (I man bayth cry and ȝell). a1578 Pitsc. I. 14/20 (he beith dissobeyit and also stoppit vtheris). 1584 Misc. Bann. C. I. 86 (bayth befor and efter). 1596 Dalr. I. 55/29 (baith in and out).

d. With two adj ectives referring to the same person or thing.a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 84 (Mary, that bathte wes far & gret of kyn). c1420 Wynt. i. 82 (tyll him bathe lyke and sybe). c1475 Wall. ii. 210 (ladyis that was bathe myld and mur). a1500 Seven S. 6 (ane sone baith faire and eligant). a1500 Bk. Chess 584 (baith clene and hale was hir entent). 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest viii. (quhais conseill is baith profitable and necessar). a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 34 (the flouris baith delicate and deir). 1596 Dalr. I. 70/2 (to God bathe grate and acceptable).

e. Introducing three (or more) nouns. adjs., etc.1375 Barb. ii. 173 (bath worthy, wycht, & wys). c1420 Wynt. viii. 1959 (bathe scepter, swerd, crowne, and ryng). 1450 Reg. Brechin I. 127 (baith in pastour, castynge and wynnynge of eldinge). 1482 Edinb. Chart. 167 (baith polk, pak, and barell). c1515 Asl. MS. I. 153 (baith of the provincis and nacionis and solempne townis). 1512 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 109 (batht quhelys, stanis, trynnillis, irne and tymmyr). 1540 Lynd. Sat. 170 (scho is baith wyse, worthie, and wicht). 1567 Sat. P. iv. 18 (baith lord, duik, erle, and knycht). c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 180 (baith infant, man, and wyfe). 1622-6 Bisset II. 148/12 (it is baith godlie, lauchfull and necessar).