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.
Commonité, -ounité, n. Also: comonité, -yté, -itie, -ity; commonitie, -ytie, -etie, commounitie, -ownitie, -etie. [Variant of Communité, after co(m)mon Commoun a.]
1. The common people (or soldiers). ?1438 Alex. ii. 3673.
Thay charged the commounite That thay suld nocht affrayit be 1456 Hay I. 5/12.
Men that wont was … to defend the kyrk rycht ar now rysyn agayne the commouns, and comoniteis agayn thame c1420 Wynt. v. 3937 (W).
Out of the queire I reid ȝow ga … but amangis the commonyte 1535 Stewart 23917.
Quhair mony lord that tyme wes to se, And the maist part of the commonitie
2. The general body of the people; the community. Cf. Commonté 3. 1456 Peebles B. Rec. 115.
A raqwest fra the menyster of Fayl to the balyeis and the comonyte 1461 Ib. 141.
He sal tyn his takis … at the balyeis and the commonitis vyll 1476 Ib. 180.
The balyeis … and the hayl comonite 1553 Lanark B. Rec. 28.
Quhat the balyeis, cunsall, and commonite did in the servin of Wylyam Inglis as air to … his fader Ib. 30.
The balyeis, counsell, and commounitie 1568 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 247.
The … counsale, vnderstanding be complaynt of the dekynnis and commonetie that … thair is greit apperance of skantnes [etc.] 1600-1610 Melvill 132.
The students of the college war invadit … be the bailyie and commonitie, gatherit thairto be … stroak of drum 1641 Peebles B. Rec. 101.
The proveist, … burgessis and commownitie of the brugh of Peibilles Ib. 104; etc.
The saides comburgessis and commownitie
3. Common pasture; a common. 1612 Acts IV. 516/1.
The linkis of Sanctandrois … with … thair commoun landis and commownetie of the said cietie 1692 Peebles B. Rec. II. 139.
The saids herds … shall herd so many … goods upon the touns comonity, as they shall be directed by the councill 1699 Conv. Burghs IV. 283.
The petitioners being desirous for the good of the toune To impark the forsaides tuo comonities
4. Common rights. 1635 Peebles Gleanings 207.
[That they] renunce all pretence of rycht, ather propertie or commounitie, to the said hill
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"Commonité n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 25 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/commonite>
