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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sadnes, n. Also: sadnesse, saidnes. [ME (c1315) and e.m.E. sadnes(se; Sad adj.]

1. Seriousness, soberness, gravity, of mind or conduct. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 468.
To al lichtnes ay was he redie boun … with this king micht na man byde Bot thay that wald al sadnes set on syde a1500 K. Hart 531.
Fra Age harde that Conscience was come-ing Full sone he rais belyve and leit him in: Sadnes he had … and wes of Ageis kin c1520-c1535 Nisbet Hebrews vi 17.
The sadnes [P. sadnesse] of His counsale put ane athe betuix a1568 Bann. MS 80a/36.
Out of this land … Baneist is fraud … Flattery is fled and that for verry drede Both riche and pure hes takin thame to sadnes

2. Sorrowfulness, mournfulness, melancholy. c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 321.
It is bettir to cum to the hous off ernyst na to the hous of blythnes, and to the hous of sadnes na to the hous of joy a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 532 (Harl.).
The dreidfull day of dede, Quhen saule with sadnes sall part fra the bodye c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 185/13.
Seik to solace quhen saidnes [B. sadnes] thé assalis Ib. 138/22. 1549 Compl. 37/4.
Ande my spreit be cum sopit in sadnes, throucht the lang conteneuatione of studie quhilk did fatigat my rason 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10295.
Menstrallis maid mirth, ceissit was all sadnes 1567 G. Ball. 27.
And from my vitious lyfe conuert, Quhen sadnes hes ouerset my hart 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 13.
Greit doloure of heid with heauynes sollicitude & sadnes of mynd 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 124.

3. Heaviness (of a fall). 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 8/4.
Laying so a iuste … proportion betuixt the heicht of youre honorable place & the heauie uecht of youre greate chairge and consequentlie inkaice of faillie … of the sadnesse of youre fall according to the proportion of that heicht