Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Clennes, Cleinnes, n. Also: clenes, clenenes; cleynnes, cleines. [ME. clennes(se, OE. clǽnnes.] Cleanness, purity. a1400 Leg. S. xxxi. 66.
Scho … fra wnleful luste of flesche Sa kepyt hyr in al clennes 1456 Hay I. 284/3.
The vertu of puritee, of clenes and innocence c1460 Wisd. Sol. 808.
All men suld … loue weill paciens and clennes of lyf 1490 Irland Mir. I. 15.
A buk I maid … hou sche was consauit in all clennes 1526 Acta Conc. MS. XXXVI. 53.
Silver of … clennes and purete 1533 Gau 23/18.
Al oder thing quhilk cane help thé to keip chaistite and clenes 1562-3 Winȝet I. 111/20.
The preistis … of les cleinnes of lyfe 1567 G. Ball. 123.
Of my clenes [v.r. clenenes] thy mercy The rute is euer sene 1581 Cath. Tr. 171/25.
Ane change … from cleynnes be vesching, to vnsauorie painting 1584 Elgin Rec. I. 176.
Personis cuming owt and fra suspect places of the plaig of pest and wanten testimonialls of thair clenes thairof 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 157.
Thay ar … restorit to ane cleines and halines of lyf