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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.

Premis(s)is, Premiss, n. pl. Also: premis(s)es, praemissis, premessis, premisse, praemiss, premess. [ME and e.m.E. premisses, premysses (Chaucer), e.m.E. also premises (1529), also premise (1660), F. prémisse (Oresme, 14th c.), also obs. F. premise (Cotgr.), med. L. premissa sing., also -um, (11th c.) in logic, also premissa pl. (13th c.) premises, things mentioned before, orig. absol. use of ppl. adj. of L. præmittere to put before.]

1. The two propositions from which the conclusion is derived in a syllogism; the premises, in logic. 1490 Irland Mir. II 16/6.
And vthir ar proposiciouns proper in that sciens as the twa premissis in the sologisme demonstratiue. And vthir ar proposiciouns ar conclusiouns and correleriis

2. The matters or things stated, mentioned or specified previously; the foregoing, the aforesaid, the above.Chiefly the, also thir, premiss(is.Appar. chiefly or only construed as a plur. Some or all of the apparently uninflected instances may be editorial for the scribal representations alternatively transcribed sis (usually consisting of two successive ‘long s’s or ‘long s’ followed by ‘double s’ or the latter alone).(1) 1492 Reg. Episc. Morav. 249.
The saidis parteis ar content … to deliver on thar athis and conscience in the premissis 1496–7 Acta Conc. II 56. 1498 Ib. 182. 1512Treas. Acc. IV 207.
Deliverit fourtein Romany buge attour the premissis Ib. 354. 1514 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 20.
Ocht ellis that langis to the premissis 1518 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 47.
Quha s felyeis in ony of thir premises 1527 Douglas Corr. 119.
And in verite I sall nevir be at rest … onto the tyme ȝour celsitude be satisfyit in the premissis 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 303.
Finaly … thai … returnit hame, but ony effect of thir premisis Ib. II 203. 1533 Boece 48 b.
Quhen thir premisis [ed. premisss] war schewin to Coill, King of Britons [etc.] Ib. 268. 1549 Facs. Nat. MSS. III xxiv. 1549–50 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II 197. 1553–4 Knox III 153.
Seing … that this same medicine hath wrocht in yow a part of all the premisses, ressave it thankfullie 1554 Ib. 325. 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II 197. 1556 Ib. 258. 1557 Reg. Cupar A. II 137.
Give it happinis the said Maister Dauid … to failȝie in payment makin of the premissis 1562 St. A. Kirk S. 152.
To put the premissis in execucione 1562-3 Winȝet I 87 heading. Ib. 132 heading. 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary I 118. 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 160.
Sir James Balfoure … confessit … the premises to be of the treuth 1576 Orkney Oppress. 85. 1580 Mill Mediæv. Plays 161.
For preparatioun of the premissis 1589 Douglas Corr. 241.
Derek the clerk … to eik and pair to the premisses as is neidfull 1612 Edinb. Test. XLVII 79.
All and sindrie the premisis wes don in the said Henrie Cas his duellinghous 1616 Misc. Spald. C. II lix.
Qwhilks haill premisses above specifeit the said noble lord protests … that he hes made and subscrivit truely 1631 Justiciary Cases I 189. 1639 in Spalding I 227.
The practeiss of the premissis 1642 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 39.
To heire and sie the premissis decernit 1642 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct.) 24 March.
And lives no more but the premisses to his wyff 1646 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 66. c1650 Spalding I 229. 1655 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 158.
And therefter the former nominatioun, acceptatioun, and haill premisses to stand in full vigour 1656 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 62. 1665 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 223. 1667 St. A. Baxter Bks. 134. 1692 Conv. Burghs IV 149.
May it therfor pleas your lordships to take the premisses to your consideration(b) 1562-3 Winȝet
Gif præsumptioun vpspringis of the præmissis or nocht 1592 Burntisland B. Ct. 27 Oct.
I 107 heading. And quhat the saidis arbitoris … sall happine to pronunce anent the praemissis(c) 1598 Paisley B. Rec. 219.
To call and persew thairfoir and for the haill premessis(d) 1500 Reg. Privy S. I 84/1.
As the book of journall apon the premiss mare fullilie proportis 1508 Ib. 269/2.
To mak allowans to the said officiaris of all the premiss 1508–9 Ib. 274/1.
With power … to bruke and jois the premiss and to intromett tharewith 1544 Perth Guildry MS 221 (16 Sept.).
& for the premiss he is conuikit be the said assis ? 1545 Corr. M. Lorraine 139.
We … hes suir confidence in your grace concernyng the premiss and all uther ressoneble efferis 1625 Ritchie Ch. S. Baldred 61. Ib. 109. 1650 Sc. Ant. IV 29.
Rob Cousin confesses all the premiss verbatim 1664 St. A. Baxter Bks. 132. 1680 Galloway P. 14 April.
Both the parties binds them to keep the premisse to others, the partie felier to pay the observer £50 Scots(e) 1656 Dingwall Presb. 283.
After … long deliberatione of the praemiss the presbytrie … did condiscend to the forsaid call(f) 1652 Dalkeith Presb. in Butler Leighton 238.
The brethren having pondered the premess, approved of the same(2) 1501 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 117.
To kep ferme … quhat hir sade procuratour … ledis to be done in the premisis 1623 Conv. Burghs III 142.
To hald firme and staible whatsumeuir they sall doe in the premissis 1641 Glasgow B. Rec. I 433. 1659 Rothesay B. Rec. 280.
Premises 1675 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS 22 Nov.
Premisses(3) 1490–1 Liber Melros II 600.
To the quhilk obserwin kepin and fullfilling of the premisses … I … bindis … me faithfully 1499–1500 Acta Conc. II 356. 1500 Montgomery Mem. II 59.
Beand … warnyt … to compeir … to the fulfilling of thir premissis 1520 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 198. 1520 Ib. 200. 1521 Liber Melros II 631. 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II 220.
And gif he thocht sik premissis to be fulfillit to send his son … to remane in plege for obseruacioun therof Ib. 58.
Premisis 1533–4 Lochwinnoch Par. 3.
In default of nonefulfilling of the premissis 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II 20.
Premissis 1544 Perth Guildry MS 221 (16 Sept.).
To fulfill the premisis 1561 Reg. Privy C. I 186.
Bot the said Lord James … doand the premissis, to be fre of all the actionis foirsaidis 1564–5 Ib. V i 532/2.
Towart the executioun of the premisis 1569 St. A. Kirk S. 316.
For performing of the premissis c1590 Fowler II 185/8. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 48 b.
The officiars … sal keepe and obserue all the premisses [L. praemissa omnia] Ib. 51. 1671 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 11 March.(b) 1501 Acta Conc. III 67.
Premiss(4) 1578 Reg. Privy C. III 51.
To releif the said Robert of the premissis 1589 Glasgow B. Rec. I 141. 1605 Aberd. B. Rec. II 275. 1612 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bk. (ed.) 19.(5) 1601 Murray Lyon Hist. Lodge Edinb. 40.
Upon the quhilk all and sundrie premissis the said Thomas Weir askit and tuik instruments 1630 Aberd. Council Lett. I 328.