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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Jois, Joys, v. Also: joice, joiss(e, joyse, joyce, choys, joyis(t), joyes. [OF. joiss- lengthened stem of joir to rejoice, enjoy, possess, etc. (cf. also Joy v.); also ME. josyen, jois(s)en (c 1320–1340), to rejoice. Cf. also Jose v.]Freq. coupled with bruke, (broke, brouk(e), q.v. for further examples of the most common uses and contexts, and also with other verbs, as have, occupy, possede, possess, use, etc.

1. tr. To enjoy or have the use of, to be in occupation or possession of, to hold, occupy. a. Lands, property or revenue.(a) 1381 Douglas Chart 29.
That our … systir … sail … entir, haue, and frely ioyse … all hir thrid of the landes 14.. Acts I. 28/2.
The man sall ioys the borowage all his lyf tyme bot he may nocht wedsett na sell it c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 226.
That sum men sesis neuir to labour … to wyne the warldis gud … and … wat nocht quha sal joys thai gudis eftir his dais 1450 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 343.
Frae tyme that I sal be … resaiuand and joysand frely the benfice of Turray a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 306.
The saull of man sa noble is of nature And maid to joys sa hie ane heretage 1513 Doug. vii. iv. 145.
Eneas … quhais offspring By thar power suld joys and occupy The haill warld vndre thar senȝeory 1536 Soc. Ant. XVI. 194.
The said v merk landis … to he had, joycit and browkyt be the said Adam 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 126.
Geuin to vncouth natioun, To ioyse ȝour habitatioun 1652 Edinb. Test. LXVI. 81 b.
Jewals, gold, silver [etc.] … to be had, bruikit, choysit, vsit [etc.] … be the said Margaret 1671 Samson's Riddle 133.
To be peaceablie bruiked, joysed, sett [etc.] … be the said General Thomas Dalȝell(b) 1399 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 42.
That the said religious men hafe and jois freli the said fife mark 1410 Red Bk. Menteith II. 282.
Gif it happynnis … the samyn Contesse til clame and joise hir jointfeftment 1454 Mun. Univ. Glasg. I. 14.
Quhat tyme at it lykis hym … vse and jois the profitis tharof [of a tenement], manur, wedset and sel thaim … als frely as ony mane in … Scotlande vsis and joisis thar awin propir heritage 1488 Red Bk. Grandtully I. 170.
The said Andrew … sal bruik, jois and reman with the hail watter that cumis to his said myl this day 1508 Mill Mediæv. Plays 137.
[Defaulters at the Robin Hood games in Aberdeen] sall nocht breuk nor jois tak, fischeing nor land of the said burgh 1607 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 107.
That ewerilke ane of us may joisse ower awin kyndlye rowmes and possessiounis(c) 1392 Lennox Mun. 47.
In case gyf the sayde Erill dissesys … the saydis William [etc.] … sal frely entre in thair sayde landis … and joyes thaim withoutyn ony impedyment off the sayde Erilis hayris 1400 Maxwell Mem. I. 138.
[To] thole the sayd Robert … joyis thaim [lands] frely in forme as thai ar taylit 1580 Wemys of Bogie MSS.
Sua that she may bruik and joyist the samin landis … and the fermes and victualls

b. Office, dignity, rule, etc. Also absol. c1420 Wynt. vi. 130.
In cas … Sum hethyn man … Mycht wsurpe Crystyn feys And wyn and joys swylk dygnyteis Ib. viii. 357.
Joys yhe the crown swa, and noucht I, Wrangyd I call me hely 1423 Reg. Great S. II. 31/2.
He sal joyse and use pesabylly the office of chancellary and of chamerlanry of Annanderdale 1513 Doug. viii. viii. 115.
The owtworn dait and mony ȝeris, … Envyis that I suld joys or bruke empire 1531 Bell. Boece I. cv.
Princis … Quhay did thair kingrik in maist honour jois Id. Livy II. 60/25.
To haue the mare indignatioun to iois ony office, that sic seditious men war machit with thame in authorite 1570 Leslie 268.
Elizabethe was proclamed Quene of Inglande, quha joyses the same to thir dais 1615 Soc. Ant. XXX. 56.
To … exerce the said office … als frelie … as vmquhile Schir William M^cDougall bruikit and joissit the samen of before 1688 Tryal Philip Standsfield 32.
Swa that his posterity may never … be able hereafter to bruik or joyse any honoursabsol. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1279.
Quhen for this glydand glorye temporale Iniustlie enterand or ioysand with abusioun

c. Rights or privileges. 14.. Acts I. 23/2.
He sall nocht ioyse [L. gaudebit] the fredome of the burgh bot gif he by it Ib. 61/2.
That the merchandis … sall haif their merchand gilde and sall ioice and possesse the samyn with libertie to by and sell [etc.] c1420 Wynt. viii. 65.
Scotland … suld joys all fredomys, Frawnchis, profyt, and customys, Alsa frely as before 1456 Hay I. 220/30.
He aw nocht to joys the privilegis of the citee sen he is ane aliene Ib. 224/7.
That the maister [and] his servandis … suld gang all a gate, and jois all a privilege 1513 Doug. xii. xiii. 104.
Thir ilk pepill … The auld vsans and leyd of thar cuntre Sall bruke and joys 1596 St. A. Baxter Bks. 60.
To vse and joys the hail privileges of craft 1641 Peebles B. Rec. 104.
To hald, bruik, joyce and exerce weiklie within the said brugh mercat dayes

2. To have, possess or obtain, in more general applications. a. A person, animal or thing. a1500 Seven S. 2678.
The craw that savit the birdis lyf Sall jois the bird 1513 Doug. ix. vii. 179.
The schameful victouris … The pray and spreth … Joysyng but obstakil Ib. xii. i. 44.
Lat hym joys Lavinia to hys wyfe

b. Something non-material. c1420 Wynt. ix. 1987.
Sic abbotis yeit suld joys defens, Agane thaim or thare ware gevyn sentens ?1438 Alex. ii. 10249.
To ioys lufe of lady fre 1513 Doug. vii. i. 149.
[The priest] gan the goddis carping bruke and joys Ib. ix. 3.
This hellis goddes, joysing at hir will Hir promys c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i. 709.
Joys I my life … Thay sall haif caus … for to lament

3. intr. To take pleasure, to delight or rejoice (in or of something or to do something). = Joy v. 1. a1568 Bann. MS. 77 a/57.
Thow ioyis no thing of this warldis vane gloir a1570-86 Maitl. F. xxxi. 8.
Ageit men sould jois [Q. joyis] in morall telis And nocht in talis c1590 Fowler I. 249/11.
Gif I desyre in vthers to mak chose, Or in thame ioyse quha would my loviye fyre Quensche 1609 Gardyne Garden 72.
So inely thou may joi's To heare his name renound