Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Mess John, Mis John, Mas John. [Mes n.⁴: also 17th c. Eng. Mas John (? 1661, 1672), Mes John (1682), a jocular or contemptuous name for a Scottish Presbyterian minister. Also in the mod. dial.] A (more or less jocular) typical name applied to any minister of the (Scottish Presbyterian) church or to the ministers as a group or class. — 1693 Answ. Presb. Eloq. (1693) 66.
Looking on the torn roof of his own church, he said, if Mis John (that was himself), did not put hand till'd, it was een like to bide sae 1693 Sage Fundam. Chart. Presb. 395.
But Mas John takes the chair without election; and would not be a little grated if the best laird in the parish should be his competitor 1711 Earl of Cromarty Proposals to a Farther Union (1711) 18.
Let the parliament of Britain judge whether Moses his promulgating God's will for toleration, or the presbytry asserting Mess John's will, be the best Ib. 22.
The inclination of the people is not for Mess John; … they incline not to Mr. John