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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.

Residence, -ens, n. Also: ra-, rea- and -syd-, -cid-, -cyd-; -sed-, -ced-. [ME and e.m.E. residence (Chaucer), resydennce (1480), F. résidence (1283 in Larousse), L. residentia.]

1. The act or fact of living, dwelling or having one's usual abode (in or within a place, or with a person). Also fig.Common in the phr. to mak (one's) residence. Cf. 2 and 3 below.(1) 1398 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 38.
And tha Scottis borne men that now ar ressauit … to the faith of Ingland sal be constreign[yt t]o d[welle] and mak residence … in Ingland 14.. Quon. Attach. c. 40.
The quhilkis … war duelland & makand residens in sic land at stok & stak 1500 Conv. Burghs I 506.
That na persoun … hant merchandice without he mak continual residence within burch 1536 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 9 Nov.
That na owt burges hald buithe na loft wythin the towne … on to the tym thai mak residens wythin the towne 1545 Inverness Stat.
Owtlandis men … nocht habill … to use marchandice nor mak daylie residence nor policie [etc.] … within the said burgh in 1546 Reg. Great S. 757/1. 1558–9 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I lxii. 1615 Conv. Burghs III 14.
For suffering … thair burgessis to mak residence in the clauchane of Monigoff — a1500 Henr. Prayer 22.
That nane dar mak with vdir residens 1513 Doug. iv i 106.
Do set alhaill thi … diligence To causyng hym mak with thé residence 1576 Edinb. Test. IV 250.
My eldest sone to byde still and mak residence with Christiane Mitchell … for … thrie ȝeires(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 421.
Ane thornie schaw … Quhairin ane foxe … Maid his repair and daylie residence c1475 Wall. iii 422.
In chaumeris sone thair residence thai maid a1500 Prestis of Peblis 466.
A clark … dressit him with al his besynes … with this king to mak his recidens 1533 Soc. Ant. II 397.
The said Wylȝem Walson & Archibald Borthwik bindis thaim … to abid and maik residens in proper person and do daily seruice in the queir of Haidinton 1565 Reg. Privy C. I 353.
Rebellis hes withdrawin thame selffis in … Ergyle … intending thair to mak thair resort and residence a1568 Bellenden Bann. MS I p. 4/87.
My tender sone sall in hir bosum breid And in hir chalmer mak his residence 1580 Inverness Rec. I 286.
All … fre men … to … mak thair actuall residence, wyth thair wyiffis [etc.] … within the burcht 1581 Acts (1597) ii 53.
Quhair the persone interdited or inhibit dwellis, and makis his residence 1622-6 Bisset I 120/33.
Recydence 1648 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 86.
And to mak his duelling and residence in the blokhouse till that tyme(b) 1583 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 311.
The kingis hienes wald mak his recedence in the west quarter(3) 1551 Black Bk. Taymouth 192.
We sall dispone owrselffis … to … persew to the deid … thair … complices in all bundis and contreis quhare euer thai sall happyn to mak resydens 1622-6 Bisset II 269/8.
And that all unfrie burgessis nocht makand resydence sall fynd cautioun to use na merchandice — 1623 (1624) Linlithgow B. Rec. 5 Dec.
For not making his residence conforme to his burges aith(4) 1491 Acts II 230/1.
Placis quhare the king haid maist recidence c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 71/4.
Men makis in court thair solistationes: … Sum be continuall residence 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 87.
As to the ministerie of the principall town of his residence wythin the said diocye 1585 Reg. Privy C. III 747.
The parrochynnis quhair they wer borne or had thair cheiff residence 1615 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 28 March.
That he get no rest nor residens in Peterhead but he satisfie the kirk of Rathine 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2. Ser. III 68.
Nane to have residence, beild nor remaining thairinfig. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 466 (Asl.)
Thi hert … Quhar God delytis to mak his residens 1528 Lynd. Dreme 863.
Quhare polycie makith no residence 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 114.

2. The action or fact of being in attendance or residence (at a place, convocation, etc.) to carry out certain offices or duties, or to comply with regulations.(a) c1450-2 Howlat 200 (A).
Thai mak residence raith, and airly will rys To kepe the college clene a1538 Abell 57a.
Kirk men plurall in benifice & makis nocht residence wil [etc.] Ib. 3*a.
Benifice requiris residens personal principaly at hes cuyr of saulis 1553 Perth Guildry 510 (13 Sept.).
The said Schir Johne … sall mak daly residence within our said choir … and sign [sic] and say in the samyn the best he can 1584 Acts III 294/1.
Quhair the persoun being in the functioun of the ministerie … makis not residence at his mans 1584–5 Glasgow B. Rec. I 116.
The tuelf puir men of the said hospitall sall mak residence(b) 1544 Reg. Soltre 111.
To mak daylye seruice and resedens in the sayd collage

b. No (non) residence, failure to reside in the place appointed. 1594 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. IX 92.
Anent the no residence of James Lambe at his paroche kirk of Bolton a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 27.
Ministers … found culpable … of heresie, … non residence [etc.]

c. specif. Attendance required of a judge at a sitting of the Court of Session. 1565 Edinb. Univ. MS La. iii 388a. fol. 4b.
Anent the act maid in our souerane lordis tyme of daylie residence the lordis seand and considderand the great abuse thairof [etc.] 1571 Reg. Privy C. II 81.
And chieflie sen the Lordis of Counsell makis na residence in Sessioun for deciding upoun the saidis letters of advocatioun 1587 Waus Corr. 441.
I … grantis me to haife ressauit [£82] … as compleit payment of my resydence vpon the sessione fra … [1586 to 1587] 1622-6 Bisset I 115/16.
That the … extraordinare lordis … mak personall recydence with the president and utheris lord numeraris ordinare in discussing of all caussis … of justice

3. The action of staying in a place for a limited period of time. b. Also, in weakened sense, freq. in negative contexts: Tarrying; procrastination; lingering.Common in the phr. to mak residence, also to mak (one's) residence. Cf. 1 and 2 above.(1) 1433 Liber Coll. Glasg. 167.
Qwhen hym lykis tyll cum tyll do hys erandis or mak residens within the town a1500 Henr. Orph. 216.
Wnto the mone he maid na residence a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 503.
In his avne presence Heir sall I mak residence a1500 Lanc. 669.
If that I mak abid or resydens In to o place langar than o nycht c1475 Wall. ix 651.
In Flandrys land no residens he maid 1501 Red Bk. Menteith II 304.
Rasidens c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 109/30.
Welcum … Withe us to live and to maik recidence 1596 Dalr. II 206/18.
Quhen the king thrie days thair had maid recidence and nathing had obteynet [etc.] — c1580-90 Rules of Health.
Keip fra the nychtt aire that ȝe maik not lang residence thairin(b) 1471 Buccleuch Mun. II 71.
My lord … sall haf fre … entre … in the Ermtag and to mak resedence with mony or few als lang as plesis him(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 641.
Mercurius … Into the Virgyn maid his residence 1540 Lynd. Sat. 574 (Ch.).
I haue maid my residence With hie Princes of greit puissance a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 24.
The regent … was then making his residence at Glasgow(3) 1456 Hay I 290/16.
The pape … will nocht thole the Emperour mak na residence langer na he have done his dede c1475 Wall. ix 656. 15.. Clar. v 627.
He haistyt him sone and maid no residens(b) 1460 Hay Alex. (S.T.S.) 1296.
The chiftanis … thocht to mak no resedence nor stent Quhill thai com to the ost of King Nicolas(4) c1475 Wall. vi 369.
He raid To Tynto hill with outyn residens c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 976.
Thay bad me pas withoutin residence Vnto the ten Sibillais of science 1554 Duncan Laideus Test. 153.
Quha gaif strait command without residence Me to … seik … Quhill I wer fund(5) 1640 Maidment Balfour Ballads 5.
Each where, that for our Crowne and Faith's defence, Our present progresse keepes a residence

c. A stay made by a ship in a harbour. ?14.. Ship Laws c. i (B).
And gyf the schip … makys ony resydence thrw hys ankyr attachyt on the erde 1445 Aberd. B. Rec. I 13.
For the tyme that he bydis or makis residens in the havynnis of Scotlande … bath schipe and gude

4. The place where one resides or dwells; one's abode. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 424.
Quhen that the ravyns sall ryve out bath thine ene, And on the rattis salbe thy residence 1513 Doug. vi x 109.
In soft bene medowis … Our habitatioun is and residens 1627 Orkney Rentals iii 51.
His reasidence wes in Conquescoy 1687 Dumbarton B. Rec. 98.
[The panel was] ane vagrant persoune, and had noe constant residence