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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.

Contene, Conteyn(e, v.¹ Also: conten(ne, -tein(e, -tine, -teane, -teene. [ME. (chiefly northern) contene, variant of conteine.]

1. refl. To bear or conduct (oneself). Also absol. 1375 Barb. i. 379.
He … hym contenyt on sic maner, That all him luffyt that war him ner Ib. xii. 316; etc.
Conteyn ȝow tharfor on sic wis, That ȝour honour ay savit be a1500 Lanc. 1130.
I traist that neuer more was sen No man in feild more knyghtly hyme conten Ib. 3039.
[To observe] yhour worschip, and affere, How ȝhe conten, and how yhe armys bere 1585 Reg. Privy C. III. 759.
That thay contene thameselffis in peceable and quiet maner at this tyme

2. tr. (esp. refl.) To restrain or refrain. a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 250.
Fra scho was to Clement brocht, Contene hyre langare scho ne mocht 1513 Doug. i. xii. 14.
Quhat Myrmydon … Mycht thame conteyn fra weping mony a teir Ib. ii. ix. 48.
Priamus than … Mycht nocht conteyn his ire 1562-3 Winȝet I. 3/21. Ib. 11/7.
We … may not contene vs for na feir of man 1596 Dalr. I. 314/28.
The king … conteinet himselfe frome all kynd of impuritie and vncleinnes

b. intr. To refrain or abstain; to control oneself. 1533 Boece iv. ii. 126.
Quhen thai suld procede, or quhen thai suld stynt and contene Ib. xi. xxi. 451.
Of quhais preclare actis I think bettir to contene than nocht to write thame complete 15.. Clar. ii. 553.
Uneis scho micht from lawghter then contine Ib. iii. 2266.
Telling how … This lord micht not contine for wo and paine

3. tr. Of a document or other writing: To have or include as a statement or part of the wording. 1405 James of Douglas Letter to Henry IV in Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
Ȝour honorabile lettres to me … contenand that it is well knawin that trewis war tane & sworne 1385 Rotuli Sc. II. 73/1.
This endenture … contenys & berrez vitnes that day of redres sal be halden [etc.] c 1400 Newbattle Chart. (Reg. H.).
The dat, day … and place in the furst lyne contenet 1411 Ayr Fr. Preach. Chart. 45.
With speciale memore in the moneth of October, as is contenyt in thar martiloge 1454 Mun. Univ. Glasg. I. 14.
Efter certane merkis and diuisis, as is contenyt in his chartir 1456 Hay I. 289/7.
As is contenyt in certane versis that folowis a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 332.
Than Cynthia … red ane bill … Contening this sentence diffinityue 1505–6 Peebles B. Rec. 33.
Like as at mar lenth is contenit in the summondis thairapoun 1523 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 211.
Robert denyit that thai had brokin ony punct contenit in the said decrete 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. iv.
Mony … epistillis, contenand richt fructuus and moral doctrinis 1535 Stewart 22.
The quhilk contenis mony nobill storie, Lang tyme befoir tynt out of all memorie 1558-66 Knox II. 50.
Ane mutualle … contract, … quhairin shal be conteaned what he shall do for his parte 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 525.
Which text contenit na vther thing, But comendationes fra our kyng 1591 Edinb. Test. XXIII. 141.
Quhilk sowme is appointit to be payit at Mertimes nixt vnder provision contenit in ane bakband 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii.
Gif he giues the sicht thereof, otherwise then is conteined in the Kings brieve of richt 1638 Bk. Pasquils 84.
[The] covenant quhilk in the sacred bookes Of holy Scripture cleirly is conteind 1662 Aberd. Kirk S. 268.
It conteaneth nothing of a promeise of further submissione

b. To mention, specify, enumerate, or include in a document, etc. (Usually in the p.p.)Freq. from c 1510 in the phrase ‘under the panis contenit in’ a statute, etc. 1385 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. 410/2.
The forsayde personis contenyt in his prosces 1467 Acta Aud. 7/2.
The lordis ordanis the witnes contenit in the instrument of assignacion to be summond 1483 Acta Conc. II. p. cx.
The catale, insicht and uther gudis contenit in the act gevin … of before 1510 Reg. Privy S. I. 324/1.
He payand to our soverane lord the remanent of the said soumes contenit in the said appunctment 1541 Hamilton P. I. 67.
Ane certane personis … , quhais names wer contenit in ane cedull inclosit in youre saidis writingis 1565 Reg. Privy C. I. 334.
All maner of gudis uncustumat and nocht contenit in the cocqueit c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 351.
As Dauid, Peter, and the Magdalene, With mony mo nor heir I may contene 1582 (c 1650) Dundee B. Laws 42.
That the deacon of the coalmen … make ane buik and conteen thairin the number of all coalboates arryving to this brugh 1613 Highland P. III. 135.
The erle gave in a roll conteeneing the names … to be prosequited with fyre and sword 1630–1 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 501.
[The treasurer] chargis himself with the small annwallis contenit in rentall 1657 Peebles B. Rec. 397.
The tuelve punds sterling of abaitments conteaned in the formar act 1691 St. A. Baxter Bks. 56.
Vnder the pain continit in the actes maid theranent

c. To include in a larger whole. 1456 Hay I. 232/20.
The law sais that the barnis ar contenyt within the gudis of the fader Ib. II. 31/36.
Playis, quhilkis ar nocht contenyt in the poyntis of the ordre 1458 Peebles B. Rec. 128.
In the qwhilk xvj markis the arschip is contenyt 1583 Montgomery Mem. 224.
The heale blankes contenit in the said contract

4. To extend or amount to (a specified number, quantity, etc.). c1420 Wynt. ii. Prol. 8.
Contenand hale thre thousand yhere 1425 Acts II. 12/1.
The ferlote … sal contene in breid … xvj inchys 1456 Hay II. 127/33.
The quhilk tyme conteynis four skore and xiij dayes 1471 Acts II. 100/1.
At na bowar … mak ony speris bot gif thai conten the samyn lentht 1490 Irland Mir. I. 14/13.
This werk … sall contene v bukis 1483 Acta Conc. II. Introd. 107.
Certane silver weschale contenand a hundreth unces 1509 Acts II. 267/1.
The dene of Cokburnpeth contenand fra the braa hede to the burn ende 1529 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 395.
Ane substantious brig … contenand sax pillaris, twa land stalis and seven bollis 1555 Prot. Bk. T. Dalrymple 2.
Twa buttis of land … quhilkis will contene ane forlot of atis soving 1561 Inv. Wardrobe 159.
Ane rest of columbe taffeteis contenin nyne ellis a1578 Pitsc. I. 205/12. Ib. 315/10.
Ane weill faworit companie of men … quhilk contennitt in the haill number iij^m 1596 Dalr. I. 26/13.
In compase it conteines fyve stages, and ane in hichte 1622-6 Bisset II. 109/11.
This Sanct Colmes Ile contenes twa mylis of lenth and mair than ane myle in bredth

5. To have as contents or as something lying within.(1) 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 167 b.
The sacramentis are the boistis contenand the hevinly liquor c1515 Asl. MS. I. 299/29.
All thingis contenit in hevinlie ambitudis 1519 Dunferm. B. Rec. 298.
Ane hovs contenand ane hall & chalmer abovne and ane wolt beneitht the said hovs 1576 Compl. Zetl. MS. 15 b.
Ane just Bramer barrell … suld conteine na les nor xlviij cannis of vlie 1596 Dalr. I. 55/26.
It is a bosum of the sey, in the ley of a hich montane conteyned Ib. 57/2.
[Iona] famous be rasone of the Bischopis sait that it conteinis 1606 Craig ii. 73.
When the graue shall greene … And gape within her bosome to conteene Her child 1616 Wedderb. Compt. Bk. 280.
Ane bark of Dundie … arryved from Norroway conteanand … 500 arrow shaftis 1630 Bamff Chart. 223.
Ane Danskyne kist … , thairin contenit sex ellis of brottelling 1638 St. A. Baxter Bks. 105.
The kist contening the writtis 1680 Blackness Customs MS. 5 b.
Ane mand contenand six dozen weavers brushes(2) c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 3/7.
The sacramentis of haly Kirk that has and contenis in thaim the werteu of his glorius passioun c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlvii. 40.
Quhair I had denger and diseis, My breist all confort dois contene 1533 Gau 27/23.
We trow that the bodi and blwid of our Lord Iesus … is contenit veralie in the sacrament of the alter 1566 Prot. Bk. T. Johnsoun 100.
Ane brodit cart contenyng all cuntras 1567 G. Ball. 4.
The Lordis prayer … contening sex petitiounis 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 158.
Ane pensall quhairin wes contenit ane reid lyoun a1585 Maitl. Q. xcii. 9.
In his breist quhilk wisdome did contene Lay steidfast treuth 1596 Dalr. I. 112/24.
This name … appeiris til ws … sa gret dignitie to conteine

6. intr. To have place; to lie. 1528 Lynd. Dreme 666.
First, Asia contenis in the Orient, … Affrik and Ewrope, in the Occident

7. tr. To keep, hold, retain. 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 171.
That the persone of the king be conteaned in saiftie; and the aduersarie pairtie sall nocht, … obteine him in thair handis a1578 Pitsc. I. 310/8.
The relaxatioun of the saullis … quhilk is contenitt in the panis of purgatorie 1596 Dalr. II. 30/28.
The king … commendis him to the gouernour, … to … contein him … in his hous with him selfe

b. refl. To maintain (oneself) in a place; to remain. a1578 Pitsc. I. 27/27.
He … tuik purpois to pas hameward … to conteine him sellf quhill he was forder adwyssed Ib. 57/4.
Money gentillmen … contenned thame self … within strong fortrassis 1596 Dalr. I. 88/4.
That … within thair awne boundis thay suld conteine thame selfes Ib. II. 457/3.
The King … in the suburbes conteined him selfe