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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.

Confessioun, -ion, n. Also: -yowne, -iown, -ioune, -ieoun, -ione. [ME. confessioun (14th c.), -ion, etc., OF. confession, L. confessio.]

1. Confession as a religious act or duty. c1420 Wynt. v. 2912.
He come bare fute devotly, And mad hys confessiown Wyth gret and sare contrityown Ib. 3861.
The Empryoure … Made welle hys confessyowne And tuke thare absolutyowne 1456 Hay I. 16/29.
Thus the tua … ar saif throu confessioun, contricioun and penitence Ib. 170/9.
Becaus thai war nocht in gude estate of confessioun c1450-2 Howlat 234.
The dow … Was a corate to heir Confessionis hale 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 295.
Power to heir confessioun and absolȝe fra the synnis Id. Asl. MS. I. 9/30.
The hele of sauilis … inducis me to wryte in our toung a table of confessioun c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiii. 5.
I tell ȝow this vndir confessioun c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 63.
He gaue command that I suld be Hangit without confessioun c1540 Id. Kitteis Conf. 137.
Confessioun first wes ordanit fre, In this sort in the Kirk to be 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7610.
The minister he gart call of the toun, And prayit him to heir his confessioun a1578 Pitsc. I. 209/2.
The king … cryit, gif thair was any preist thair to mak his confessieoun

2. Admission of wrong-doing. 1456 Hay I. 286/2.
Gif the prince may … draw out of the party be inquisicioun of confessioun and othir maner of prufis 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 58.
Content you with ane confession of the falt, with-out fear of punitioun to follow 1596 Crim. Trials I. 375.
That the said Alesoun wes … compellit to mak the said pretendit confessioune

3. Undertaking, engagement. 1492 Acta Conc. 209/2.
The lordis … ordinis the said George of his said grant and confessioun to bring the said Andro … to the Kingis hienes

4. Acknowledgement (esp. of belief). 1490 Irland I. 36/7.
The name of God … is maid haly in ws be our confessioune … of his halines 1551 Hamilton Cat. 4.
Se that ye agre togidder in the confessioun of our faith 1556 Reg. Cupar A. II. 262.
In takin of his confessioun of the resset of the cornis, … aboun writtin, our signet is affixit 1562-3 Winȝet I. 79/16.
In ȝour confessioun, laitlie set furth at Geneua in Inglis a1578 Pitsc. I. 311/5.
My confessioun and beleif is in Christ Jesus