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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.

Punisment, Puneisment, Punis(c)h(e)ment, n. Also: punys-, punise-, punysse-; punes-, pwneis-, punneis-; punysche-, pwnysch-, punischi-, punich-; puneische-, puneish(e)-, pwneis(c)h-; punesh-; ponis-, ponish(e)- and -mentt; pwnissament. [ME and e.m.E. punysshement (1413), punysh- (1535), punche- (c1450), ponisse- (1482), ponisch- (c1550), AF punisement (1292), OF punissement (1265 in Greimas), f. punir Punis v.] Punishment, or, infreq., an instance of punishment, as awarded, imposed, administered, undergone, etc. (for or of an offence; (that consists) of death etc.).A synonym of Punitio(u)n(e, of later currency.Under his pwnissament, subject to his power to punish offenders.(1) 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 339.
Quhilk sall nocht pas but puneischement 1533 Bell. Livy II 40/14.
We desire nowther the goddis nor men to tak ony wraik or punyssement on ȝow a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 146/10.
Punishment 1562-3 Winȝet II 12/12.
That worthy punisment war tane of schameles oppin learis and treuth brekaris 1564 St. A. Kirk S. 191.
The sayd James to underly … disciplyn alsoweyl of the kyrk as punischiment of the civil magistratis 1567 G. Ball. 216.
Lyke punischement for lyke offence Oft cumis to pas 1572 Canongate Ct. Bk. 361.
He sall satisfie … the ordour of punischement of the civill magistrat for the offence of simpill fornicatioun 1578 Conv. Burghs I 65.
That thai may suffer punischement in thair bodeis and guddis for thair dissobedience 1588 Old Ross-shire I 26.
For committing of vice worthie of puneishment contrar to the word of God 1588 Digest Justiciary Proc. L. 60.
That sik ane horribill fact sould nocht pas without sum pvnneisment a1595 Cullen Chron. Aberd. 61.
I … plaigitt thayme with punesmentt 1595 Edinb. B. Rec. V 145.
As the vyce of drukkynnes abounds within this burgh for laik of punisement 1597–8 Crim. Trials II 38.
Demereiting thairby maist hie and worthie pwneischment 1603 Reg. Privy C. VI 563.
Haifing nevir committit ony … offence decerving sik handilling or punneisment(2) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1583.
Quhow that Noye wes sax hundreth ȝeir, The tyme of this gret punysment a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. cii 24.
Lat ws all be content To vnderly the wand Off Godis pwneisment a1578 Pitsc. II 208/20.
The quein … was contentit to suffer quhat puneisment thay pleisit 1590 Conv. Burghs I 313.
Quhairby this pure burch is … liklye to incur his maiesties … importabill punisment 1606 Inverurie B. Ct. 19 Aug.
In recompens of his former puneisment of fywe lib onlaw 1666 Rothesay B. Rec. 124.
Maid lyabill to pay quhat fyne and puneisment the magistrats and counsell shall think fittpl. c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxxv 7.
Thy punysmentis & plaigis reteir Frome me(b) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2739 (Ch.).
Quhen God send Jonas to that toun To schaw thame of his punischment Ib. (S.T.S.) 3411.
Punyschement 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5844.
The hid inuy … Culd not eschew the punischment of heuin sa hie a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 146/3.
The sammyne iugement and punishment … suld procede one … Calvyne and all others steraris vp 1558-66 Knox II 371.
That thei … should execute the punishment … by such means as thei mycht 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 45.
That … He may not onlie remoue sic punischment and plaig frome vs 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (S.T.S.) 18/6.
What punishment then thinke ye merites these magicians and necromancers? 1597 St. A. Kirk S. 836.
Quhat sche will gif for to releif hir of the civile punischementpl. 1558 Knox IV 377.
For two punishmentes are laid upon her, to witte, a dolor [etc.] … as oft as ever she shal be mother 1592 Digest Justiciary Proc. P. 22.
Diuers actiounes … & reporting diuers punischementis can not be accumulate in ane lybell 1613 Crim. Trials III 262.
Vnder the pane of deid … and dyuerse vtheris grevous panes and pwneischmentis(c) 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. II 252.
[You] sall vnderly the samyn ponisment that thai aucht to sustene 1560 Cal. Sc. P. I 517.
Our synnes deserving the ponishement(3) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xxvi 52 marg.
For the pwnyschment of ewill doers 1562-3 Winȝet I 19/20.
Of the terrible punisement of … Abiron c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 21.
The first head, the punyschement sall be Of wekit synnairis for thair iniquytie a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. cii 43.
Sum he will pwnis To preif thair patience … For pwneisment of man 1572 Peebles B. Rec. I 342.
To assist … with the maiestratis for pvnisment of dissobeyaris 1579 Laing MSS I 31.
How that article of puneishement of murtherars micht enter in execution 1587 Acts III 460/1.
The punisement of hocharis of … guidis 1590 Crim. Trials I ii 200.
For punischment of certaine wichis and sorceris 1593 Acts IV 16/2.
For pvneisment of the contempnaris of the decreittis … of the Kirk 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 155.
And therfor referrit hir ponishment to the modificatioune and discretioune of the justice(4) 1532 Acts Sederunt (1790) i 7.
That we may gar the samyne be amendit and punysment maid thairfor as efferis 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 398.
[God] On ȝow prencis sall mak sore punischement c1552 Id. Mon. 1608.
Quhow God maid ane conuenent With Noye to mak no punysment 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10675.
According to the law he bad proceid And giue sentence … And thairefter to mak the punischement 1567 Acts III 43/2.
That … scharpe pvneisment [be] maid for the hame bringaris of fals cunȝe a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xv 12.
God send grace to our quein regent Be law to mak sic punischment To gar lymmaris foirbeir a1578 Pitsc. II 9/27.
For he sould caus to try the matter and mak puneisment thairvpone — 1592 Acts III 555/2.
Becaus the jurisdictioun of the lyoun king of armez is nocht able to execute dew pvnisment [etc.](5) 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 71.
Gevyng forder execucion and punyschement heirof, that is of the cryme of adulterie 1558-66 Knox II 164.
The raschall multitude, opponying thame selfis to the punischement of vice 1567 Facs. Nat. MSS III lv.
To tak armes for pvnisment and revenge of the said murther 1570 Aberd. B. Rec. I 367.
The … baillies … modefeyt … the emendis and puneshment of the saidis crymis a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xxii 10.
Bot Lord this cwmmis of Thy iust iugement For pwneisment of our iniquite 1578–9 Reg. Privy C. III 80.
Puneisment 1581 Lanark B. Rec. 80.
The rest of the punisment of sklander remittis to the deciplin of the kirk 1596 Dalr. I 101 marg.
The punisment of credence ance crakit 1615 Crim. Trials III 361.
For the better pwneischment of the wiked cryme of setting fyre in coil-heuches 1621 Reg. Privy C. XII 472.
For the glorie of God and punishement of so heavenous and foull a cryme(6) 1590 Kinghorn Kirk S. 8.
The hewie hand of God plaging us speciallie the punichment of famine scarsitie & derth 1626 Justiciary Cases I 48.
And inflictis nocht the puneishment of daith unto persones transgressing uithin [etc.] 1627 Ib. 72.
Pwneishment 1631 Ib. 160.(7) 1552 Banff Ann. I 29.
Thomas Bard to have the ane halff of the tovne under his jurisdiction and pwnissament