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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.

Protectio(u)n(e, Proteccio(u)n(e, n. Also: protecs-, and -yo(u)n(e; protekeseione. [ME and e.m.E. protexcion (1387–8), -teccioun (Wyclif), -tec(c)ion, -teccyon, -tection, F. protection (12–13th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), late L. prōtectiōn-, f. prōtegere Protege v.] 1317 Liber Melros II 324.]
[Proteccio perpetua pro Abbate et Conuentu de Melros

1. The action of protecting; the fact or condition of being protected; defence or preservation from harm or evil; tutelage.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xviii 320.
Grant syne to myn indigens Thi proteccione 1386 Rot. Sc. II 85/2.
The lord Nevill has granted his protection to the enhabitants 14.. Acts I 12/2.
Of the kyngis proteccioun to pur folk and waik c1475 Wall. i 333.
Schyr Ranald had the Perseys protectioune Ib. v 590. 1502 Acta Conc. III 180.
Contrair our soverane Lordis respitt and proteccione … gevin til [etc.] 1509 Reg. Privy S. I 286/2.
The kingis … licence to thaim [sc. a convent] [etc.] … to … have protectioun of Inglismen for wele and savite of thair place 1592 Warrender P. (S.H.S.) II 180.
Your majesties protectioun of my lord secretare 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. Table s.v. King.
Kings protection, the breive, and the forme of proces of the breaking thereof, the pane quhereof, is the kings mercy, and payment of all damnage and skaithes, to the party skathed 1695 Acts IX 450/1.
All such [ministers] … shall … enjoy his majesties protection(2) 1436 Acts II 23/2.
That na man be assouerit of Inglismen na tak proteccion of thaim for landis nor gudis 1549 Compl. 118/10.
Thai gart Pausanias seruitur pas to the tempil to tak gyrtht and protectione 1558-66 Knox II 290.
And so murtheraris, adulteraris [etc.] … and all malefactouris, gatt protectioun under the quenis wyngis(3) a1400 Leg. S. iii 943.
[No] place … to me sa gaynand ware As vndir ȝour proteccione c1420 Bute MS fol. 141.
Vndyr the ferme pese & protection of oure lorde the kyng 1471–2 Liber Melros II 591.
Wit ȝe ws to haue takin vndir oure speciale mantenance protectioun defense supple to saufgarde … the convent [of Melrose] 1499–1500 Acta Conc. II 387.
Thai beand under our soverane Lordis proteccione and respict 1509–10 Peebles Chart. 42. c1575 Balfour Pract. 530. 1584 Gowrie P. 30.
Thoughe I was under his majesties protection, & havinge his great seale for my warrant 1591 Buccleuch Mun. II 344.
We … takis the said Schir Walter, and all … his landis … rentis, possessionis [etc.] … vnder our protectioun — 1587–8 Aberd. Council Lett. I 21.
As oure frie lieges under the protectioun and safe guard of oure … lawis(4) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 848.
Pryame … The which thow aught wele … To saue in thyne protectioune 14.. Acts I 71/2.
For quhi the body of the tenande … aw to be in the proteccioun of his lord 1456 Hay I 238/18.
Thay ar all in the protectioun and salvegarde of the Pape c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 2826.
He … put in his protectioun all the leave 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 44.(5) c 1390 Reg. Morton I xl.
Brekand … the ferme pece and the protectioun of howre fornemmit Kyng Robert c1420 Bute MS fol. 141.
The fourme to mak clepe and cal apon brekyng of protectyon 14.. Acts I 61/2.
He salbe … punischit as ane brekar of the kingis protection 14.. Quon. Attach. c. 38.
Gif the assise sayis … that apone the complenȝeand the protection is brokyn he salbe in a merciament 1498–9 Acta Conc. II 332.
In the breking of the sade proteccione apone the sade Margret 1562 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 127.
Ony thing quhilk may tynd to the violatioun or brek of this our speciall protectioun 14.. Acts (1597) Table s.v. King.
The kingis protection breakers suld be punished(6) 1574 Reg. Morton I 80.
As knawis God quhae mat haf ȝour La. in protectioune 1576 Douglas Corr. 218.
I commytt your honour to the protecsyon of the Almightie 1596 Dalr. I 267/18.
S. Andro, vpon quhais protectioune the Scotis natioune dependis 1602 Dundee Shipping P. 78.
Protekeseione 1632 Lithgow Trav. x 430.
They also at the sight of each new moone … bequeath their cattell to her protection 1634 Fam. Rose 320.
Protectyoune — 1525 Misc. Bann. C. III 107.
My saule … in quhaiis protectione … I incal the blyssit Virgen Mare

b. Letter of protectioune, a document granting (freq., royal) protection to the person or persons specified in it.For quots. from, or refs. to, specific letters of protection, see 1 (3) above, quots. for 1471–2, 1509–10 and 1591.See also 3 below. 1425 Acts II 9/1.
All … to quham he has grantit ony lettres of newe infeftment confirmacion or proteccion speciale vndir his hail grete sele [etc.] 14.. Acts I 345/2.
For ilk letter of attornay or protectioun … xij d. 1552 Breadalbane P. (Reg. H.) No. 81.
This my letter of manteinance and protectioun c1575 Balfour Pract. 651 marg.
The formis of the letteris of protectioun

2. A person or thing that protects. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1537 (B).
The … quene of fary To be ȝour protectioun 1551 Hamilton Cat. 38. 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (S.T.S.) 401.
Nouther teiching nor preiching … culd be protectioun to ony aganis sa cruell … aduersaries

3. A letter of protection. = 1 b above.Freq., a general ‘protection’, but also issued to cover particular circumstances, as an official journey abroad. Also, ‘protections from diligence were granted sometimes by the court’, etc. Bisset I 271/18 note.Quot. 1586 may properly belong to 1 (5) above.Freq. coupled with Respit n. 3 and with Saufgard n. 1 b. 1509 Reg. Privy S. I 295/2.
A protectioun and respit maid to Andro, bishop of Murray, … to him, his cathedrale kirk [etc.] … and als respittis all actiouns [etc.] … to ceis and rest … quhill his returnyng 1515 Ib. 405/2.
Ane protectioun and sawfgard maid … to David, Bischop of Ergile, his beneficis, kyrkis, teindis, frutis, etc., and gevand the said bischop full licence to remane at his saidis beneficis Ib. 411/2.
Ane speciale protectioun saufgard and respitt maid in dowbill forme for the space of sax monethis … or quhill xv dais efter the ambaxatouris returnyng 1535 Ib. II 245/1.
Ane protectioun, respit and saufgard maid to Dona[ld] abbot of Couper and xv uthiris 1542–3 Ib. III 14/2.
And that nane of yow tak upoun hand to do … ony uthir thing incontrare … this oure protectioun, salfgarde, respitt and exemptioun during all the tyme and space thairof abonewrittin 1586 James VI in Gray Lett. & P. 121.
Noe parte of the said pretended protection haveing at any tyme beene imparted unto noe other 1611 Scrymgeour Invent. (S.R.S.) 24.
Protectioun gevin be the Lord Locho to Alexander Scrymgeour, rectour of Glaistre, and his men 1622-6 Bisset I 271/18.
Heireftir the lordis of sessioun sall grant na protectioun frome ony executioun 1661–2 Carstairs Lett. 80.
I causit give Lochnell … ane schairg of horning … bot he had a protectione in his pockit, which mead it ineffectual 1676 Acts Sederunt ii 124.
If … it appear that there was collusion … it being only done that the said person might obtain a personall protection