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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.

Merynes, Mirrines, n. Also: meri(e)-, mere-; mirry-, mir(r)i(e)-, mirre-, myrry-, myrri-, myrre-; merri-, merre-, mary- and -ness(e, -nais. [ME. miri(Cursor M.), merynesse (Chaucer), e.m.E. merrinesse (1638), but ? chiefly Sc., f. Mery a.]

1. Joyfulness, happiness, cheerfulness, contentment.(a) c1500 Crying of Play 152.
With all sportis and merynes Ȝour hartis [to] hald euer on hycht 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5498.
With iocund mind pas and ga play ȝow in merynes 1567 G. Ball. 76.
The angellis sang with merynes Unto the hyrdis a1578 Pitsc. I. 3/7.
Thay luife no thing bot joy and merenes 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 11 b.
Guid lyfe with merenes is haldin best(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxiii. 31.
Tak thow example and spend with mirrines Id. xxiv. 22.
Off warldis gud and grit riches Quhat fruct hes man but mirines? Id. xxxi. 2. Id. xxxvi. 23.
Mirrynais 1572 Sat. P. xxxii. 20.
We … lap, quhen we had done, For mirrynes a1585 Maitl. Q. viii. 23.
Mirrienes 1596 Dalr. I. 74/8. Ib. II. 241/18.
Thay … vset to sing … hymnes of mirrines

2. Merrymaking, jollity, revelry, entertainment.Also, to mak mirrines (merines), Mery a. 2 a.(1) a1500 Henr. Fab. 26 (Makc.).
With sad materis sum merynes to myng Accordis weil 1533 Boece x. xiv. 383 b.
In dansing karoling and vthir merynes 1560 Rolland Seven S. 165.
Na menstrell myrth nor ȝit na merines Into his hall was sene Ib. 2049. 1567 G. Ball. 38.
Quhat menis all This glaidnes and this merynes? a1578 Pitsc. I. 381/10. Ib. II. 16/1.
Witht great merienes(b) 1549 Compl. 43/6.
Myrrynes 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1843.
Princes sumtyme mon seik sollace With mirth and lefull mirrenes a1578 Pitsc. I. 249/ h. of ch.
Hou the bischope maid the Paipe and his cardinallis ane denner and quhat mirrienes was thairat Ib. 306/8. 1588 Crim. Trials I. ii. 163.
Scho … saw with thame pypeing and mirrynes and gude scheir 1596 Dalr. II. 120/2.
Heir the king dryues ouer certane days … in mirrines 1600 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 666/1. 1603 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 237.
All godlie mirrines and pastyme [to be] vsit, that may expres the joy … of the people c1650 Spalding II. 296.
The young Laird Drum foirsaid wes mareit … with gryte solempnitie and mirth and myrrines(c) 1618 Chron. Perth 20.
All sorts of pastyme and merrenes(2) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1062.
How the emprice led Dioclesiane to hir chalmer for to mak merines Ib. 3233.
That thay micht mak gude cheir and mirrines 1567 G. Ball. 38.
That I mycht mak sum merynes And with my luffaris blyith to be a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxix. 89.
I wait nocht quhow to mak myrrenes

3. Jesting, jest, fun. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1067 (H).
And all the court in merines and gam 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8881.
It is ane prouerb … Quhilk I oft times in mirrines hes hard tald Ib. 4100. 1572 Sempill Sat. P. xxx. 68.
In thé was manly mowis and marynes a1578 Pitsc. II. 174/27.
It was alledgit that my lord of Arrane in his mirienes sould oppin this consperacie quhilk was nocht of weratie 1596 Dalr. II. 124/27.
A certane Italian … of quhais mirrines and mowis he mekle delytet Ib. 126/1.
This was … a sport to lauch at in mirrines throuch al Scotland Ib. 268/29. 1598 James VI Basil. Doron (1603) 115.
Tempering it with grauitie, and quicknesse or merrinesse c1610 Melville Mem. 123. a1650 Row 195.
In mirrines, yit in modestie, all things were spoken