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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.

Presently, adv. Also: presentlye, -lie, -lé; precentlie; presantlye; præsentlie; and Presandlie. [ME (Wyclife) and e.m.E. presently.]

1. Being personally present; in person. 1533 Bell. Livy I 120/9.
Ȝit becaus the king saw this terribill sicht presentlie and was astonist tharewith, he [etc.] 1562-3 Winȝet I 133/16.
Quhilk we say nocht to accuis ȝou præsentlie a1578 Pitsc. I 389/31.
Bide thame heir thé as I war presentlie witht thame

2. a. At this very time and in this very place; here and now; just at this moment. 1532 Glasgow Prot. IV 58.
Mergret Elquhynston hes presentle owr gewin hyr conjunct fe … for ever 1536–37 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 82.
To fynd souerty heirfoir presentlie or within viij dayes nixt heirefter 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10234. 1569 Reg. Privy C. II 7.
Quhilk presentlie can nocht be weill done in default of ane speciall … law 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xlii 124.
With mony incommoditie, That I haue not schawin presentlie 1586 Jurid. Rev. IV 295.
Seeing it wes his grace’s will that the baillies sould sitt doun in this place and presentlie do justice 1587 Aberd. Council Lett. I 34.
Quhowbeit we can not haiff the sarks to send presentlie 1596 Bk. Univ. Kirk III 871. 1599 Glasgow Prot. X 75.
This blank following left thairfoir becaus I mycht nocht haif thame to be insart presentlie 1638 Charles I in Spalding I 99.
We … thocht good presentlie to schow oure gratious acceptatioun 1659 Dunferm. Hammermen MS 33.
And is ordinet to pay the samen presentlie 1685 Wodrow Hist. (1828) IV 252.
When that cruel man Lagg came up, he would haue them shot presently as they lay bound 1689 Melville Corr. 142.
Being under phisike, … I cannot goe presently to [etc.]

b. At that very moment, there and then. 1385 Red Bk. Grandtully I 139*.
The forsayde Syr Robart … rycht than presently frely delyueryt and vp gefe … the landys before nemnyt 1557 Admir. Ct. Bk. 228.
Johnne Somervell … allegit that the persoun that staw the said lordis clathis … was presentlie sittand at the table a1578 Pitsc. I 259/11.
[They] war standand presentlie besyde the king [sc. James IV] 1584 Crim. Trials I ii 127.
And thairfoir thair saidis thrie nemmis … war presentlie deleit 1625 Fraserburgh Kirk S. II 7 Dec.
Bot scho offerit sex pundis presentlie

c. At that time, then. 1533 Bell. Livy I 102/3.
Priscus Terquynyus, quhilk had ay mare desire to possede ane realme presentlie than to leif in esperance sum tyme to haue it 1603 Moysie 3.
Gif the king wer myndfull presentlie to have the said castell, the said erle Mortoun desyrit [etc.]

3. At the present time, throughout the present period; at present; for the time being.(1) 1550 Reg. Privy C. I 91.
Be his ambassadour presentlie being with the empriour 1586 St. A. Kirk S. 577.
The woman he presentle suitis to be mariit with 1612 Edinb. Test. XLVII 63.
The kaill bed quhilk he presentlie hes the occupatioun of(2) 1549 Compl. 104/4.
For the experiens of the samyn is manifest presentlye, for [etc.] Ib. 21/5, 131/16. 1559 Knox in Cal. Sc. P. I 256.
Ye pay thame vages whare thei ly presentlie, and yet [etc.] 1560 Bk. Disc. 195.
To the kirkis quhair no ministeris can be haid presentlie, must be appointed [etc.] 1562-3 Winȝet II 12/25.
Be the negligence … of ȝour hienes forebearis (quhat is ȝour awin parte thairin præsentlie, I am incertane) 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 6.
Ye sie quhow … mony … ar miscontent of my proceidingis presentlie a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xxii 5. 1573 Inv. Wardrobe 191. 1580 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 172.
To rander and deliuer the same [ensigns] … als haill … as the same is presentlie at the lenning thairof 1582 Laing Chart. 258.
The half land heidroome quhilk James Hendersone duellis intill presently 1583 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 311.
Ane hunder pundis vill do mair presently to the said work nor [etc.] 1584 Gray Lett. & P. 42. 1590–1 Burntisland B. Ct. 19 Mar.
The lordis … sittis nocht bot is in thair wacans presentlie 1627 Bk. Carlaverock II 91. 1668-9 Fraser Lawfulness Separ. 72.(3) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4855.
Geue presentlye thare prelatis can nocht preche, Than latt [etc.] Ib. 5236. 1553–4 Knox III 132.
[Adversity] is a medicyne, and therfore presently it can not be pleasinge 1568–9 Reg. Privy C. I 650.
And that presentlie lasour can nocht serve to devyise the thingis that ar necessar 1581–2 Waus. Corr. 238.
That presentlie I am in debt beyond tene thousand poundis 1583 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 697/2.
Quhair presentlie the said erll remains 1596 Dalr. I 70/4.(4) 1533 Bell. Livy I 123/8.
Lat ws … vesy be quhat ingynis … euery ane of oure wyiffis ar presentlie occupijt 1549 Compl. 3/9.
Ȝour … dochter … quha is presentlye veil tretit 1550 Reg. Privy C. I 89.
My Lord Cardinale of Guise, lyand presentlie in the court of Rome 1559 Edinb. B. Rec. III 45.
James Cranstoun pewderar presentlie dekyn of the said hambermen 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 14.
Sa mony of the assistandis … as be graduat in divinite, lawis or medicine, or presently regentis in philosophe or humanite 1569 Reg. Privy C. II 6.
[To] present … how mony ministeris ar presentlie thairat a1578 Pitsc. I 32/18. 1579 Acts III 138/1. 1580 Prot. Bk. W. Cumming 253.
He is presentlie vesseit … with seknes 1583 Cal. Sc. P. VI 657.
Precentlie 1583 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 312.
The capitanis hall quhilk is presentlie theikit with leid 1583–4 Elgin Rec. I 173.
All the middingis thairto presentlie thairupon 1584 St. A. Kirk S. 538.
Presentle 1587 Conv. Burghs I 245.
Sic materis as thai haue presentlie to intreit 1593 Acts IV 25/2. 1596 (1597) Reg. Great S. 194/1.
Be certane stainis presentlie set and infixt 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Cavpes.
In the Iles and Hie-lande … the calpes are presentlie payed by him quha oblishis him theirfore, after his decease 1613 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II 205.
And speciallie the cornis presentlie growand 1619 Aberd. Council Lett. I 172.
We have a verie great worke presentlie under hand 1623 Ib. 216. 1627 Bk. Carlaverock II 96. 1657 Edinb. Test. LXIX 26.
The said chyld quhich my wyfe is presentlie with 1673 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct.) 20 Sept.
Twentie auld sheip presentlie pastuiring in Largrenane(5) 1534 St. P. Henry VIII IV ii 8.
We have advertist oure maister herof be his secretare and Abbot Kinlose, now presentlie passande to him 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 116.
The Christiane congregatioun, quhilk is now presentlie in the warld, is [etc.] 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 26.
Alsweill now presentlie as in tyme bipast 1627 Rep. Parishes 91.
[Neatone] now presently be gud laburing and limming is becomme better 1637 Stirling Merch. Guild 54.
The wark of Cowans Hospitall now presentlye in building(6) a1568 Bann. MS. 93 b/6.
Pur commonis presently now ar peild(7) 1566 Bamff Chart. 102.
To be callit presentlie and in all tyme cuming Drummondis cairne

4. a. Without any delay; at once, forthwith; immediately, directly. Passing into: b. After a short time, before long, soon, shortly. 1543 Facs. Nat. MSS. III xxv.
That diuers grete personis … tendis presentlie to cum to … Edinburgh … in forme of ane army 1547 Corr. M. Lorraine 183.
That this Frenche man that is to cum presantlye heyr will dyssyr … the mariaig 1549 Compl. 119/27.
Than Dauid said … Quhar fra ar thou cum? Presentlye the ȝoung man ansuert I am cum [etc.] 1565 Keith Hist. II 328.
We luk to be certifit be you presentlie in write with the berair [etc.] 1569 Reg. Privy C. II 7.
To se the kirk and ministeris presentlie put in possessioun of … the saidis manssis 1571 Warrender P. (S.H.S.) I 106.
That our said cousing … will presentlie denunce to our subjectis … that [etc.] 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 461. 1579 Acts (1597) ii 31.
In case of the refuse … of ony person … to pay … presentlie & indelaiedlie vpon their apprehension c 1600 Ayr & W. Coll. V 17.
Thri hunder markis, quhilk salbe send iff ȝe pleis, presentlie, and iff ȝe may comportt ane lytill tyme [etc.] 1622-6 Bisset II 169/16. 1633 Misc. Abbotsf. C. I 155.
[She] did cast the keall wpon the said Catrine Sowenes breist … and presentlie scho losit hir milk 1637 Baillie I 37. 1638 in Spalding I 100.
Your last buke … I purpose presentlie to print heir 1640 Kirkcudbr. Min. Bk. 99.
All the … collectores must presentlie cum to Edinburgh 1644 Acts VI i 93/2. 1653 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 62.
That he sall betake himselff to some laufull calling and imployment presentlie 1654 Inverness Rec. II 210. 1663 Dunkeld Presb. I 130. 1665 Ib. 404. 1666 Edinb. B. Rec. X 15.
The bursars … who ar to be presentlie laureat 1678 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 259.
To enter presentlie and thankfullie to be my herd at May day nixt 1683 Martine Reliq. Divi Andreae 232.
And presentlie professors were established 1687 Cramond Kirk S. II 2 Jan.
The Session … recommends … that he gett in from Cramond the anwelrent … and that presentlie 1692 Symson Descr. Galloway in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 80.
And then presently they pull the stale points from the ground

5. Recently, newly, only just. 1521 Douglas Corr. 78.
I and utheris hes presentlie directe this berar … towart the kingis grace c 1565 Facs. Nat. MSS. III xx.
The kingis grace … hes presently chosin him ane of the lordis of his sessioun 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 114.
The sam yeir, the said Alexander, leidand the first laid of his bear, presentlie shorn, thow … drew ane acher furth of the laid 1671 Boharm Kirk S. 9 April.
The minister keeped no session all this tyme being presently after the death of his spouse

6. ? Concurrently, at the same time. a1568 Bell. Bann. MS. 2 b/107.
In hevinly melodie Quhair thre attanis presentlie assayis The vnisone and concord armonie