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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.

Confes, v. Also: confesse, -fese. [ME. confesse (14th c.), OF. confesser, late L. confessāre.]

1. tr. a. To acknowledge or admit the commission of (a sin, offence, etc.). c1420 Wynt. v. 5715.
That man wes blynd than suddanly … And confessyd hys trespas Ib. vi. 1383.
The byschape than confessyd, how he Of hys byschaperyk gat entre a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1003.
The thief confessit offens 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10522.
That same thing I confes, In greit furie I did it and wodnes 1567 G. Ball. 198.
Preistis, now confes How ȝe sa lang did vs begyle 1598 Elgin Rec. II. 69.
[He] confessit he haid his sisters coat upon him 1623 Kinghorn Kirk S. 24.
William Allane … confessit his brek of the Sabbathe

b. To acknowledge or admit as a fact or truth. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 153.
How haif ȝe farne, be ȝour faith? Confese ws the treuth 1562-3 Winȝet I. 85/25.
Gif ȝe confes breid and wyne allanerlie thair praesent 1577 St. A. Kirk S. 428.
Jonat Johneson confessit that sche is clethit witht ane husband 1581 Sempill Sat. P. xliii. 175.
Quhan ȝe grow ald, I wait ȝe will confest a1585 Maitl. Q. lxv. 168.
Ane blissit thing then deith most be confest

c. To admit as an obligation; to undertake. Also refl. 1492 Acta Conc. 209/2.
The said George confessit to cause the said Andro to be brocht to our souerane lord 1616 Urie Baron Ct. 18.
James Sellat confessit himself to releiw George Grig of the prys

2. To declare openly. c1450-2 Howlat 235.
Confes cleir can I nocht nor kyth all the cas c1552 Lynd. Mon. 42.
At lenth to thame the caus plainlie confesse a1578 Pitsc. I. 347/12.
The maister of Forbes was convict … , quho confessit quhene he dieit he was innocent off the cryme

3. In p.p. Having made confession. 1456 Hay I. 168/24.
Gif a man deis in a just bataill, … wele confessit in other thingis, … he salbe sauf Ib. 170/21.
Peple in syn … ar nocht … sa happy as otheris that ar clene confest

b. refl. To make confession. 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 269.
That thai suld confes thame … anys in the ȝere Id. Asl. MS. I. 9/23.
He is oblist till confes him als far as standis in his powere c1500 Rowll Cursing, 79.
Sua thay mak plane confessioun, … Confessand thame to thair curatt c1500-c1512 Dunb. ix. 25.
I confes me, Lord, that I abusit haif [etc.] Ib. xi. 37.
So speid thé, man, and thé confes a1578 Pitsc. II. 65/3.
Thow sayis that we find onlie to confes ws to God

c. intr. To make confession. c1540 Lynd. Kitteis Conf. 137.
Swa to confes, as I descryue, Wes in the gude kirk primetyue 1550 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 147.
For frething of himself furth of the tolbuith … , lyke as he confest in jugement

4. tr. To hear the confession of; to shrive. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 329.
Pas to my commissar, and be confest c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 814.
Quhen the woundit men wer drest, And all the deand men confest c1540 Id. Kitteis Conf. 1.
The curate Kitte culd confesse, And scho tald on baith mair and lesse