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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Resavar, -er, -our, n. Also: res- and -savare, -ea(i)r, -ir; -sawar; -saiffair, -er, -saiver; -ceaver, -our; -sever, -cever; -ceiver; rasavour. [ME and e.m.E. receyuere (Rolle), -oure, also (15th c.) ryssavour, AF *receivere or receivour, receyvour, OF receverre, -ur, -eur (c1120, c1170 and c1283 in Larousse), agent-noun f. receivre, recevoir Resav(e v.]

1. One who receives (in senses 4 and 5 of Resav(e v.), accepts or takes delivery of money, goods, etc., also (once) of a prisoner.(1) 1481 Soc. Ant. Chart. No. 14.
We … and our ayris … rasauouris of the said some sal frely resigne … the said annuel rent 1519 Edinb. B. Rec. I 191.
Ane plak for thare laubour to be [pait be the re]ssaueris of the said money 1551 Hamilton Cat. 99.
That the resaiffer of the benefice sall provide a leiving for the freindis of him that is giffar of the benefice 1560 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 22.
The merchant resaver or deliverer of the geir being livered or ladned sall pay xl s. 1561 Reg. Privy C. I 192.
Quhair ony hydis happynnis to be put in the saidis schippis … to declair the … skipparis of the schippis ressavaris of the samyn 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary II 167.
The saids persouns ressavaris of the powder had ane … littil licht candell 1585 Douglas Bequest 4 March.
We … ressauaris of the said sowme sall … frelie deliuer all and haill the said toun and landis of Eister Saltoun 1598 Acts IV 175/1.
The multitude of … forayne gold and siluer … without ony certane stand bot at the appetyte of the gevear out and ressavear 1602 Reg. Privy C. VI 509.
Ressaveair 1612 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bk. (ed.) 57.
The said James Somervell, ressavear of the said salt in maner foirsaid 1633 Dalyell Darker Superst. 210.
Ane jewall of gold … quhilk … had the … devillische force of allureing and forceing the persone ressauer thairof to expose hir bodie [etc.] … to the will … of the gevar(2) a1568 Scott i 146.
Protestandis takis the freiris auld antetewme, Reddie ressauaris, bot to rander nocht 16.. Hist. Kennedy 56.
Resaiffair 1622-6 Bisset II 139/19.
Ressavare(3) 1579 Wemyss Corr. 19.
That ye … put Airchie Armstrang … to the … keiperis of our castell … and the said Archie being … ressauit of your handis and the tikket of the ressauer or a note takin thairvpoun

b. ? A resetter. But perh. merely a further instance of the above. 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 174.
The gold that was in it [sc. a kist], I referre to the receaveris

c. A recipient (of a written challenge). Cf. Resav(e v. 4 b. 1604 Stirling B. Rec. II 383.
The resavar of the cartell … salbe under the lyk paine gif the same be not revelit

2. One who receives, in various other senses of Resav(e v. a. One who receives the Eucharist. 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 382.
S. Paul … declaris … twa sortes of ressauers of Christs precious bodie …, some are worthie, & vthers vnworthie ressauers thairof

b. One who accepts (a particular doctrine or the like) as being true or valid. a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 136/3.
The godlye doctrine … of the kirk … is mekil mair profitable to the resauar nor is the contra opinione Ib. 138/18.
Quhilk of the twa interpretaciones is maist to the … veil of the resauars

c. One who harbours or gives shelter to (a person). 1591 Elgin Rec. II 16.
And ressauaris of thais [banished persons] within thair houses sall pay [etc.]

d. One who undergoes or suffers wrong or injury. 1656 Dumbarton B. Rec. 70.
Witnesses vpgivers of dittaye, receavers of malisses or wronges be Johne M'William, warlok

3. One appointed to receive or collect money due, esp. one of a number of royal officials appointed for this purpose; a collector, treasurer.The (General) Ressavour, the chief receiver of the King's rents, etc.; see also Resavar General.(1) 1451 Acts II 40/1.
Ande that na Inglis penny haf cours bot at the wil of the ressauour 1467 Ib. 89/1.
The samyn substance and walour redunde to the ressavour lik as he sulde haif hade the tym of the making of this act 1478 Acta Conc. I 14/1.
That lettres be writin to Thomas Symsoun and the resavour to bring or send the said rentale 1482–3 Ib. II cxxii.
Johne of Murra to pay to the resavour xv li. for thre termes of the wild horses that he has of our soverane lordis 1542–3 Reg. Privy S. III 4/2.
Makand him thesaurar to the quenis grace, ressavar and intromettar [etc.] 1569 Reg. Privy C. II 30.
The copy of the same attentiklie subscrivit be the ressavar 1575–6 Ib. 511.
Appointit … as thesaurare, ressavare and debursare for the said haill cumpany 1576 Orkney Opress. 20.
Anent the ressait of the wadmell be the Laird of Cultemalindeis ressavearis 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 116/3.
Speciallie choose honest, diligent, meane but responsall men to be youre ressaueris in money maitteris 1613 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 131.
Resauearis 1618 Argyll Rentals 9 Oct.
To James Bailȝie as the resauer for the chekker(b) 1595 in Purves Revenue Crown 10.
To appoint new clerks, receavers and intrometors with all the forsaids rents belonging to the forsaids offices for whom they shall be answerable to his highnes 1603 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 672/1.
Officers and attendaunts vpon the queens syde in the courte. … A cofferar or receavour(c) 1594 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 3a.
The reseuers boy(2) 1482 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 43.
To be payit … exceptand the petie custume of … Leith to the ressauouris thairof 1562 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 4.
Vnder the pane of twa s. ilk persone, to be wptakin be the ressawaris of the purellis almows 1569 Macgibbon & Ross V 564.
Parson of Innerkeithing, appointed … resaver of the said contributions 1591 Edinb. B. Rec. V 43.
That the resaver of the knaifschip expell … all idill vagabounds out of the saidis mylnis 1597 St. A. Kirk S. 834.
Ressavir 1620 Conv. Burghs III 107.
To caus roup thair said commoun guid …, ordanis thair thesaurer to be the onlie ressaiver thairof 1625 Douglas Corr. 376.
Ressaivers 1629 Fraserburgh Kirk S. II 16 Dec.
The sessioun hes appoyntit the stentaris in the landward to be collectaris & resaueris of the said money … in landward 1658 Wemyss of Bogie MSS. Geo.
Receiver of the fines of forfaulted persones 1671 Wemyss in Sc. Diaries 131.
Herper … gritte receaver of monys for all my colles … I have put him out of his office(3) 1482–3 Acta Conc. II cviii.
The complaint made … apone Alexander Lesly ressavour 1566 Inv. Wardrobe 175.
Sir James Balfour of Pettindreich knycht vissier and ressaver 1575–6 Reg. Privy S. VII 72/2.
Patrik Davidsoun, Ross harrat, under collectoure or depute ressaver in that pairt(4) a1500 Bk. Chess 1572.
And be thir thre ȝe sall weile vnderstand All merchand men that vsit ar in land Conȝeour wislar resaver to the king 1612 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 328.
His majesties ressavearis 1615 Soc. Ant. XXX 56.
Our said soverane lordis thesaurer and resaueris of his hienes rentis of the said kingdome 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 32.
Sir Henry Wardlaw … ane of the ressavers of his majesties rentis 1686 Lauder Notices Affairs II 750.
Maxuell of Kirkconnell, and Blair Drummond, are admitted the king's receavers and cash-keipers(5) 1473 Treas. Acc. I 46.
Gevin to Boware passande with lettres for the Generale Ressauour 1515 Wemyss Chart. 142.
James, Postulat of Dunfermelinge, ane of the generall resauouris of the casualite 1617 Ure Rutherglen 11.
Lord Erskin, Lord High Tressurer, Comptroller and General Recever of our said kingdom of Scotland 1669 Edinb. B. Rec. X 56.
Which soume of fiftie pounds money forsaid the Counsell ordans to be instantlie delyvered to Mr. William Sharp Generall Receaver(6) 1570 Treas. Acc. XII 211.
With preceptis of the chekker to the schereff of Perth, ressavar of Striviling [etc.] 1579 Exch. R. XX 548.
The ressaver of Butt and Arrane