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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Prelacy, -laci(e, -lacé, n. Also: (-laty), -lacey, -licé, prellacie. Plur. also prelaceiis, prelacis, praelaces. [ME and e.m.E. prelacy(e (c 1325), -lacie, e.m.E. -lasy, -lasie, AF prelacie (1306), med. L. prelacia, -io (11th c.), f. prelatus Prelat(e n.]

1. The office or dignity of a prelate; the benefice of a prelate, a prelatic see. 1493 Acts II 232/1.
That all thai prelacyis abbaceis pryoreis and vther beneficis … be disponit … within the realme Ib.
That na maner of persoun … mak impetratioun [etc.] … to that benefice or prelacy that salbe purchest and vaik for the tyme 1513 Doug. viii Prol. 106.
Prestis … Tobe papis of patermon and prelaceis pretendis c 1522 Id. in Doug. (Sm.) I p. cx.
Prelaceiis 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 1021.
Aye quhen thare vakit ony beneficeis, I suld gar call ane congregatioun The principall of all the preliceis 1531 Bell. Boece II 369.
Mony of al the abbasyis and prelatyis of Scotland war in Inglismennis handis Ib. 160.
Prelacyis 1535 Stewart 60468.
No preist sould be to prelacie promovit, … Without he war ane doctour in his grie 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3040.
Quhat bene the caus of all the heresies, Bot the abusioun of the prelacies? 1550 Reg. Privy C. I 91.
That na promotioun of prelacy pas in Rome but the princis suplicatioun 1561 Reg. Dunferm. 449.
Albeit the haill prelaceis of our reallme ar bund … to warrand thair thridis to us 1568 Haddington Corr. 274.
Prelacis 1569 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 151.
We … inlaikit only a consent to the dissolution of the prelacies c1575 Balfour Pract. 34.
The names of the prelacies within Scotland: Archbischoprikis … bischoprikis … Abb-acies … Prioreis … Nunreis Pitsc. I 413/1 (cf. 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 577).
His [Cardinal Beaton's] prelacie pomp nor paiplie gravitie … Availled him nocht 1579 Reg. Privy C. III 177.
Upoun the vacance of ony prelacie the kirkis thairof salbe disponit to qualifiit ministeris in titill 1581 Acts III 212/1.
All benefices of cuir vnder prelacyis salbe presentit be oure souerane lord 1593 Ib. IV 34/1.
Prelacijs 1597 Ib. 130/2.
All ministeris provydit to prelaceis suld haif woit in parliament 1601 Scot Narr. 119.
To ride with foot mantles, and have the titles of prelacies 1612 Laing MSS. I 127.
Nocht serveing the cureis of the kirkis of the saidis prelaceyis 1615 Orkney Rentals App. 100.
With the said archbischop of Glasgow, formarlie titular of the said prelacie of Orknay 1621 Acts IV 598/1.
That his majestie hathe erected sindrie prelacies in temporall lordschipis 1627 Rep. Parishes 45.
[Cockpen] is of the prelacie of Newbottle a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 25.
Archbishops, bishops, superintendants and wthers titulars of praelaces [41572 Acts III 72/25 possessouris or titularis of prelattis] should be deprived befoir the Generall Assemblie and all inferior persons befoir the ordinar of the diocie 1641 Acts V 646/1. Ib. 679/1. a1651 Calderwood VI 178, 179.
Prelaceis 1683 Martine Reliq. Divi Andreae 34.
Postulation is defined an unanimous petition of the chapter, that one may be promoted to the prelacie

2. ? Spiritual pre-eminence. 1456 Hay I 296/17.
Syk prince takis rychtwisly the name of prince and of prelacy. For as he is preferrit all otheris in honoure … sa suld he be in vertues

3. a. The body of prelates collectively. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4544 (Bann.).
And fulis speik of the prellacie It will be haldin heresie

b. Church government by prelates, episcopacy (chiefly or only as a hostile term). 1638 Cant Serm. 13 June 1638 (1741) 35.
Is it a respect to prelacy that hinders thee, O Scotland? 1641 Spalding II 9. 1642 Humble Petition Commissioners of the Kirke 4.
The strongest let … is the mountaine of prelacy 1643 Solemn League & Covenant in 1644 Acts VI i 150/2.
We shall … endevour the extirpatione of poperie, prelacie, that is church goverment by archbeshopes, beshopes, ther chancellouris and commissaries, deanes, deanes and chapteres, archdeacones and all other ecclesiasticall officeres dipending one that hierarchy [etc.] a1650 Row 419.
For honest men will not have your antichristian prelacie, etc. 1648 Laing MSS. I 229.
The year 1600 when neither prelacie nor service book was in this kingdome 1651 Scotland & the Commonwealth 345. 1661 Galloway Synod Suppl. in Wodrow Hist. (1828) I 128.
We mean lordly prelacy, the very lair-stone of antichristian hierarchy 1676 Brodie Diary p. lvii.
This veri thing, civil places and dignities of churchmen, which we cal prelaci, as it is a human, sinful devic of man [etc.] 1689 Acts IX 104/1.
The estates … declaired that prelacie and the superioritie of any office in the church above presbyters … ought to be abolished 1692 Pitcairn Assembly iii iii 51.
I see you have a … hankering after prelacy 1696 Penninghame Par. Rec. I 1.
Before the coming in of prelacie in the yeer 1662