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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.

Mont-, Munt-, Mounting, vbl. n. Also: montinge, -eing, -an(e, (-i(n)e). [Late ME. and e.m.E. mowntynge (Prompt. Parv.), mountyng (Caxton), -ing.] Mounting, in various senses.The spelling montan (sense 6, quot. 1531) is possibly due to the influence of Montan(e n.

1. Ascending, flying upwards. a1585 Polwart Flyt. 713.
Like an cran … in mounting soone orethrowen That must take aye nine steps before shee flye

2. Setting (a cannon) on its stock or carriage.Perhaps the original notion was that of lifting or raising onto the stock or carriage: cf. sense 3. 1515 Treas. Acc. V. 17.
For the … stokking, monting, drawing and making of crane and wyndais for fourtene pecis of artalȝery 1545 Ib. VIII. 380.
For his laubouris in monting of the said artalȝe, making of treslis [etc.] 1598 Ib. MS. 87.
To the monting of the cannoun and keiping of thame vpoun the grein [of Glasgow]

b. ? Fitting (a cannon) with its stock, carriage or other appurtenances. 1581 Treas. Acc. MS. 50².
Fillies of elme and birk … for monting … of the artaillierie 1585 Elphinstone Mun. 23.
Tua pair of fissies for monting the ordinance with the vyceis thair of

c. Attrib. with -hous, -traist. 1545 Treas. Acc. VIII. 389.
For careing of ane mounting traist … to Glasgw to mont the saiddis culvering bastardis 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II. 86.
To fyifteine warkmen … for helping to draw in the ordinance into the muntinghouse

3. Lifting or raising (a cannon) into position for use or to the place where it is to be used. 1558 Treas. Acc. X. 367.
To certane pyonaris for thair laubouris in the monting of Mons furtht of hir lair to be schote 1562–3 Ib. XI. 248.
To certane werkmen for halyng and monting of the samyn [gun] to the toure heid

4. Fitting out with appurtenances a. clothing and furnishings, b. other manufactured articles.a. 1633 Edinb. B. Rec. VII. 130.
For scheirring, monting, lynning, and pasmenting of glooves and purses 1658 Boyd Fam. P. No. 236 (27 Feb.).
Twentie sex peices of sowit work litlle and meiklle for montinge of chyris 1661 Funeral Acc. i. 3.
Black uelvet for munting the peall and tuo cushings for the burriall 1691–2 Glasgow Hammermen App. 276.
For an jocky coat to James Kerr making and mounting therofb. 1669–71 Glasg. Procurators 71.
For timber to be the meikle box … bands, lockes, kys, naills and munting therof 1676 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 16 Dec.
For monting a new backit

c. Fitting (a sword) with its hilt. — 16.. Glasgow Hammermen 10.
[Essay for an armourer] The munting of ane old broad suord grinding and dighting the same with best hieland hilt

d. Fitting out, equipping (a person), with clothing and other personal equipment. c1615 Chron. Kings 107.
The Queine tuik gritt paynis to haue Bothwell most braw, bot thair wes small regaird had to the monting of the King … at sic ane soleame tyme 1672 Dumfriesshire Valuation Bk. MS. 15 Apr.
Everie leader to expend for mounting of each man in his blew cloath coat [etc.]

e. Furnishing with a riding horse. 1599 Wemyss Corr. 35.
Send heir … ane of your fynest hacquenays … for the monting of the said ambassadour or sum gentilman of his tryne

f. Monting money, a payment made to the commanding officer of a regiment of horse, ? for furnishing his troopers with their (? personal) equipment (as d above). — 1646 Army of the Covenant II. 367.
Paid to Collonell James Mersser in farther part pay^tt of his monthes pay and monteing money … fyfteine hundreth pounds

5. The act of mounting (guard). 1669 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 69.
Ther punctuall attendance upon their respective capitanes for munting of the guaird

6. concr. A support for something raised or elevated above the ground. Also comb. with -post.(1) 1531 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 58.
ix pece akin gestis sqwair tymmer … for gestis and montanis to the foir rondis(2) 1629 M. Works Acc. MS. XXIII. 25 b.
vij great battis and tua virrellis to the mounting postis that caryis the tua globis and theanis 1677 Stirling Common Good MS. 114 b.
4 lang bandis to help the monti[n]e post of the knock