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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Main-, Mantenance, Mentenance, n. Also: mayn-, mane- and -ten(e)anc(e, -aunce, -ans, -tein(e)ance, -ans, -ence, -teynance, -tinance, -enc(e, -tynance, -tanance, -ence, manteanance, -aunce, meyntenance, man-, mentemans, -ence. [ME. and e.m.E. main- (14th c.), mayn-, meyntena(u)nce, mantenans (15th c.), F. maintenance.]

1. Keeping vigorous, effective or unharmed (an institution etc.); upholding, furthering, fostering, protecting (a cause etc.). 1456 Hay II. 23/31.
The principale caus of the ordre is to the manetenaunce of the Cristyn faith, and of all vertues 1504 Justiciary Rec. (MS.) I. 342.
We have … takin the … metropolitane kirk of Glasgw the dene [etc.] … the kirkis landis [etc.] … under oure speciale protectioun mentemans defens suple and saufgarde 1518 Merchants' Seal of Cause in Edinb. B. Rec. I. 181.
The haill merchandis … desyring … that we suld interpone our autorite supple and mantenance thairto [sc. their common weal] 1559 Knox VI. 33.
Whair they will tak ordre for the menteynance of the trew religion 1559 Cal. Sc. P. I. 224.
Vainly to travael for the manteanaunce of that wherof allreaddy we have sein the daunger 1558-66 Knox II. 339.
Manteanance 1562 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 5.
For mantenans of gud manneris and extirpatioun off wyce owt of this burgh 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 166.
Ane ambassatour … brocht … ane wretting … for mantenance of the allia betuix the said King and thame a1578 Pitsc. I. 136/6.
Be auld awaricius gredienes of courteouris for the mantinance of thair insolent follie and ambitioun c1590 Fowler II. 75/32.
Remeideis … for the better maintenance and langar contenuing off his … estate 1611 Inverness Rec. II. 80.
And for maintenanc of the liberties of the said brucht 1630 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 332.
For the maintinance of letters … I leave … ten thousand punds [to the grammar school etc.] 1638 Nat. Covenant in Facs. Nat. MSS. III. xcvii.
A generall band for maintenance of the true religion and the Kings person 1641 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 311.
To make civill interruptione for mantinence of his right against the Earl of Vigtone 1642 Inverness Rec. II. 179.
Mantinance

2. Backing, support, protection, granted by, or due from, one person to another, his dependants, possessions etc.As by a lord to his man, one ally to another.Also band, letter(is of maintenance, a formal contract of such backing or protection.(1) 1422 Fam. Rose 125.
With our help, suppouel and manetenance in al your lachful … erandis 14.. Quon. Attach. xl (A).
Quhar a man walde haf lordschip & mantemans 1452 Reg. Great S. 132/1.
All my tenandis … [to be] at the verray manteinance and governance of the said Walter 1454–5 Edinb. Chart. 81. 1462 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 22.
Forsamekle as the forsaid lorde is oblist till ws in mantenance and supplie 1466 Misc. Spald. C. II. 251. 1481 Fam. Rose 145. c1515 Asl. MS. I. 234/26. 1504 Justiciary Rec. I. 342 (see Maintenant n.).
Mentemans 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 244/1. 1553–4 Corr. M. Lorraine 382.
Remembyr ye ar bund be your grace mantemence to deffend me your grace man a1578 Pitsc. II. 283/24.
Thay tuik the Quein to be thair manteinance and to defend hir auctoritie 1590 Edinb. Test. XXI. 243 b.
To assist and concur with … my sonne in fortificatioun and mantenance of my wyf a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxv. 14.
Mantenance(2) 1420 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 182.
The said schir Thomas is becum mane till our said lord the governour … alsua … the governour sall giff his lettres … till his forsaid cusin … of mantinance helpe and suppleie 1477 Stewart Mem. 74.
The said Neill … sal gif to the said lord Erlle his letres of manrent … and the said lord Erlle sal gif the said Neill his lettres of mainteinance 1516 Misc. Spald. C. II. 268. 1545 Treas. Acc. VIII. 368.
Send ane boy … witht ane letter of manteinance … of my lord governoris to the said bischop [of Glasgow] — 1527 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 307.
Becaus of ther bandis of mantenans maid to ws 1543 Misc. Spald. C. II. 270. 1555 Acts II. 495/2.
That … all bandis of manrent and mantenance [supra -tanance] … be null 1573 Black Bk. Taymouth 219. 1594 Acts IV. 72/2; 1602 Reg. Privy C. VI. 826.
Quha hes … gevin band of mantinence to the thevis … or receavis thair cawlpis 1611 Scrymgeour Invent. (S.R.S.). 22.
Band of mantenance gevin be Johnne a Lorne to Gilbert, the sone of Johnne a Glastre

b. Abetting, encouraging, countenancing, shielding (a wrong-doer). c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 79/2.
Brekand … the law of God … in myn awne persone or … be my … assistence or manteinance in other personis 1559–60 St. A. Kirk S. 13.
In maynteynance defens or favour of the Pape of Romme 1560 Knox II. 62.
Weying … the intollerabill oppressiouns commitit be the Frenche men of weir … by meyntenance of the quene dowager

c. ? The improper aiding, encouraging or fomenting of litigation: cf. Maintenar n. b. 1584 Hawick Arch. Soc. (1961) 6.
To wrak the said Sir Thomas and his hous be plane and partiall mantenance undir colour of iustice in our wardane courtis haldin be him

3. Financial or material support, provision of the means of subsistence; livelihood, means of support.(a) 1627 Rep. Parishes 27.
They haue bene both servit with on minister for laik of maintenance 1633 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 375, 1671 Kingarth Par. Rec. 68.
Maintinance 1651 Hist. Carnegies 442.
Noe mainteinance we haue gottne this long tyme by past, nor annuwalls payed 1675 Aberd. Council Lett. v. 460.
For the maintanance of the bibleothecar(b) 1558-66 Knox I. 51.
Thei pretend nothing ellis bot only the mantenance and uphald ofthair bardit mullis 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 15.
Hir lawful husband … not only wantit all hir mantenance for his necessarie expensis 1606 Edinb. Test. XLI. 218.
The said Mr. Alexander levis … his eldest sone to the wardlie mantenance of … his tender eme 1640-1 Kirkcudbright Min. Bk. 167.
For hir and hir childrene thair aliment and mantenance 1648 Sc. N. & Q. i Ser. XII. 74.
[To] provid … ane mantinance for ane scooll c1650 Spalding II. 4.
Victuall … transporting … for mantenans of Generall Lesleis army 1655 Argyll Synod II. 127. 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 382. 1662 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I. 259.
In other parts upon Forth … gentlemen furnish their coall heughers butt competent mantinence till the coall baiges bee sold 1681 Cramond Fordoun Ann. 50.
Mantinance(c) 1558-66 Knox II. 76.
For the nureisment, sustentatioun, and menteinance of the said Frenche men 1618 Melrose P. *627.
For prouision of mentenance to pastours 1641 Acts V. 401/1.
A constant and locall stipend and mentinance to ilke minister 1645 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. i. 698/1.
Since my entrie in the publickis seruice, I only ressauit thrie monethis mentenance in maill, and ane monethis pay in money 1650 Peebles B. Rec. I. 422.
For thrie nightes quarteres of ane ceirgent that com owt of the castill to Thomas Smyth for mentanence 1661 Glasg. B. Rec. II. 471, Rothesay Par. Rec. 50, 1683 Conv. Burghs IV. 38.
Mentinance 1663–9 J. Livingstone Sel. Biog. I. 193.
I never put any thing to the fore of any mentenance I had

b. spec. The monthly pay due to serving troops (appar. orig. of the Army of the Covenant); chiefly, the tax first imposed on the Scottish shires and burghs in 1645 to provide this. Also monethly maintenance. Also attrib.See for a few further examples Locality n. 3. 1644 Army of the Covenant 155.
[Payment by Morpeth acknowledged] as part of the monethly mantenance of the army 1645 Acts VI. i. 351/1.
Act anent the mentenance of the armie Ib. 353/1.
And with power to the saidis committies of warre in everie shyre who are heirby declaired to be lyable in the monethlie mentenance due to the souldieres Ib. 447/2. Ib. ii. 506/2. 1645 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 89.
To advance to the officeris of the draguneris twa monethis mentinance out of the first end of the excyse money 1645 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II. 746. 1645 Army of the Covenant 347. 1649 Acts VI. ii. 506/2.
The garison of Stranever … their monethly pay … to be payed … forth of the maintenance of the shire of Caithness 724 l. … , the maintenance of Sutherland 439 l. … , the burgh of Dornock 27 l. [etc.] 1649 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 107; 1650 Ib. 113. 1650–1 Misc. Spald. C. V. 175.
Payit … to Wm Laa half monethis mainteineance for the proportion of the expensis of his Majesties corronatioune, 600 lib. 1650 Irvine Mun. II. 75.
Payment off the mentinance off the brough dew to my lord Argyll his regement 1650 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II. 869. Ib. 872.
To goe throw the haill toune and to requyre the mantinance fra these quha ar dew 1652 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 281.
In anno 1645 the mantinance is laid one … [but] of … 1645 and 1646 … the payment of sevinteine moneths suspende for payment of the quarterings 1657 Balfour Ann. III. 398. 1657 Melrose Reg. Rec. I. 152.
[£6 Scots] that he did pay owt for all bygone sesse and mentinenc since the Inglisch entred Scotland 1659 Irvine Mun. I. 107.
The proveist baillȝies … and others lyabell in peyment of the … mantinance of Agust and September 1661 Alyth Par. Ch. 102.
[That] ane old monthes mantinance should be levied 1663 Rothesay B. Rec. 77. 1670 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 9 March.
Johne Lidderdaill merchand wha was collector of the sex monethis maintenance of the twelff monethis 1671 Ib. 26 July.attrib. 1647 J. Hope Diary (1919) 142.
The committe of the shirreffdome … haveing … ordored me to pay for my leadworkes maintenance mony [etc.] 1655 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II. 1004.
The toune being to alter ther mentinance roll have nominat Johne Airdrie [etc.] … to be stenteris

4. Upkeep of a building. 1600 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 90.
Quhilk sowme … sall be … imployit in the … erecting of the strenthes … with the mantinance of the samen continewallie upon the sic cost [etc.]

5. In etym. uses. a. Support with the hands, physical support. b. Holding ‘in one's hands’, keeping, possession. a1500 Henr. Orph. 576 (Asl.).
Sen our affectioun Is allway … redy to fall dovn That He wald helpe ws with his haly hand [B. That he wald vndirput his haly hand] Of manteinans [Ch. & M. maneteinance, B. mantenans] & gif ws grace [B. fors] to stand In parfyte luf 1605 Glasg. Trades House i.
[Which] poyndis arin the said Johnne maintenance … quhill the said Johnne … be satesfeit for his paines … to hald in his hand ane of the said poyndis