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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Dignité, Dignitie, n. Also: -itee, dingnité; dyg-, dignyte, -tie, dignatie. [OE. dignité (a 1225), dignytee, etc., OF. dignité, -eté, L. dignitas.]

1. Dignity in the abstract; high estate or rank. 1375 Barb. i. 175.
Degradyt syne wes he Off honour and off dignite a1400 Leg. S. i. 151.
Thai … Ane cheare mad, and thar-in sete Sanct Petir for gret dingnite Ib. ii. 49.
For Paule wes lese of dingnite c1420 Wynt. vi. 579.
Dignyte wyth-owt wertu Is litill repute off walu ?1438 Alex. ii. 36.
His goddis … That had him send sa gret plente Of honour and of dignite 1456 Hay I. 288/22.
He is the maist excellent and hie in warldly honour and dignitee c1450-2 Howlat 329.
Marchonis … of mychtis most, Nixt dukis in dignite a1500 Seven S. 2722.
Than efter tham awansit he To riches and gret dignite a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 296.
Scho … merreit with the Diuill for dignite 1533 Boece viii. vi. 261.
That he suld nocht wilfully deiect him self fra sa hie gre of dignite c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4602.
I haif auctoritie, Men tyll exalt to dignitie 1562 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 342.
The said Thomas … hes borne office of dignitie and charge of this guid toune a1578 Pitsc. I. 52/15.
Laborand … to promot all mischevous tyrans to honouris and dignatie 1587 Acts III. 489/2.
The thesaurarie and chantorie of Orknay, and sic vther benefices of honour and dignitie

b. With possessive pronouns or of (a person, etc.). c1420 Wynt. v. 2554.
He jugyd hym-self for to be Deprywyd off his dignyte Ib. vii. 740.
Off the Papys se … [suld be] sawffyde the dygnyté 1456 Hay I. 24/26.
The dignitee of the empire haldis of the haly kirk Ib. II. 22/9.
Ellis thair dignitee is nocht perfyte a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 416.
It has bene tauld hym … Your dedis, your dignite, and your doughtynes 1513 Doug. ix. Prol. 34.
The treis, quod he, Suld conform to that mannis dignyte a1540 Freiris Berw. 295.
I will thame haif be Goddis dignite 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 66.
I … for vphalding of my dignitie, Was maid Legate 1560 Rolland Seven S. Prol. 53.
I am cum with the for to ressoun, … Tuitching my stait, honour and dignitie

c. Of dignité, in a position of honour. 1456 Hay I. 264/12.
All persones of dignitee suld put a campioun for them a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 414.
Euery prince and lord of dignite

2. A position or office of distinction; an honour held by a person. Freq. in pl.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xlvi. 144.
The gret state and dignite I refuse 1456 Hay I. 291/36.
He … redis the ewangel at the messe, the quhilk is a grete dignitee c1450-2 Howlat 164.
A college of cardinalis come … With red hattis on hed in haile takynnyng Of that deir dignite 1482 Edinb. Chart. 155.
The archbischoprik of Sanctandrois, or … quhatsumeuer vther benefice, dignite, or priuilegis c1500-c1512 Dunb. lx. 48.
He … mekle mair cuning be sic thre Hes to posseid ane dignitie(2) c1420 Wynt. vi. 130.
In cas … Sum hethyn man, or heretyk, Mycht … wyn and joys swylk dygnyteis 1456 Hay I. 16/2.
Gudely clerkis … , the quhilkis had the grete dignities in haly kirk 1490 Irland Mir. I. 12/22.
Accumilacioune of honoris, digniteis, riches, … and happines 1533 Bell. Livy II. 71/20.
The grete officis and digniteis of the ciete 1542 Acts II. 419/2.
The said Iames restorit … to his gude fame, … honoris, digniteis, offices [etc.] 1549 Compl. 20/11.
Lordschips ande digniteis hes incressing, declinatione, ande exterminatione a1578 Pitsc. II. 126/22.
He sall resawe the crowne with all honouris and digniteis perteining thairvnto 1596 Dalr. I. 109/7.
Thay … war than promouet … to haue sik vthires ample dignities in the land

b. A dignitary. c1450-2 Howlat 690.
Denys and digniteis as I eir demyt

3. With specification of the dignity. a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 1290.
The haly gast hes callit thé Of bischape to the dignite c1420 Wynt. i. 498.
Off Iaphet … Fyrst come knychtys dignite 1456 Hay I. 24/28.
Sa dois the dignitee imperiale [derive from] the dignitee papale Ib. 252/35.
The dignitee royale a1500 Bk. Chess 232.
Riall dignite in a king c1515 Asl. MS. I. 315/21.
Thair was … gevin to the sonnis of Hely pontificale dignite c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlviii. 147.
Imperiall birth, honour and dignitie 1533 Bell. Livy I. 106/25.
The pepill thoucht to haue deprivit him fra his sete and dignite riall 1551 Acts II. 485/1.
Ane barrone or beneficit man constitute in dignite ecclesiastick 1562-3 Winȝet II. 34/26.
Quhen … he wes promotit to the dignitie of preistheid

4. Distinction or worth of a thing. ?1438 Alex. ii. 2147.
He sall swere ȝow be … the dignitie Of his lufe and his lemmenis bounte Ib. 2227.
For the dignite Of this play and ȝour bounte 1490 Irland Mir. I. 102/22.
In hir crovne was a precius stane of gret dignite 1551 Hamilton Cat. 20/2.
Of the preeminens and excellent dignitie of the Pater Noster 1596 Dalr. I. 112/24.
This name … appeiris til ws … sa gret dignitie to conteine