Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Satisfactio(u)n(e, n. Also: satisfacton, -faccio(u)n(e, -faxion, -faccon; sattisfactione, -faccioune; setesfacten. [ME and e.m.E. satisfaccion, -iun (Cursor M.), satisfacioun (Ayenb.), satisfaccoun, (1477), satisfaction (1531), F. satisfaction (c1155 in Larousse), L. satisfactiōn-.]For many further examples (in senses 2 and 3) see St. A. Kirk S. Index, s.v. Satisfaction, and Irland Asl. MS I 22–32.

I. With reference to obligations.

1. a. Compensation for financial loss; repayment of a debt; settlement of money, etc., owed. b. Restitution or reparation made for harm done, goods stolen, physical injury committed.Also const. mak, (tak, give, get).a, b. (1) 14.. Acts I 363/2.
Off the sattisfaccioune [L. emendatione] of scathis don in burghe 1496–7 Acta Conc. II 56.
The sade Duncane become plege and souerte for satisfaccione of party 1501 Ib. III 26. 1546 Corr. M. Lorraine 162.
Oliver his wyffe and he lyis cursit and aggregit quhilk I traist thai wald nocht do without the hoipe of sum way by my satisfactioun [sc. of a debt]. … Beseiking your lordschip that ye will nocht gif ane absolutioun without I be satisfiit [etc.] 1587 Acts III 438/1.
Commissioun for satisfactioun of the clergie for thair lyverentis … prelattis … quhais rentis be the said annexatioun [of ecclesiastical lands] salbe diminissit sall … ressaue recompence and satisfactioun thairfoir 1588 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 10 July.
& that in full contentatione & sythment & satisfactione of all & haill his portione naturall … be the deceis of his wmquhill fader 1623 Brechin Test. IV 130b.
Tua hunderethe markis … quhilk scho acceptis in satisfactioun … of all contractis infeftmentis [etc.] 1647 Maxwell Mem. I 338.
I declar my selff to be awand to … my laufull dochtir … ten thowsand pundis … in satisfactioune to her of all that scho can clame of me … and in satisfactioune to hir of quhatsumevir portioune naturall, bairnes pairt of geir [etc.] 1681 Echt-Forbes Chart. 155.
In full … satisfactione of all provisione, bairnes part of geir … , or portione naturall 1681 Stair Inst. iv xlv §23.
The satisfaction of an old security has been always sustained … from circumstances proven Ib. i xviii §5.(2) 1398–9 Liber Melros II 489.
Qvhillez hale gre satisfactioun and payment to the forsaidez religiouse … be … made c1450 Cr. Deyng (STS) 264.
He [sc. a sick man] suld mak satisfaccione of al he has tane wrangwysly or at he aw 1509 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 8.
James Scot was ordanit … to … paye and caus to be maid satisfactioun as borowus for Robert Scot 1520 Ib. 56.
The inquest … culd nocht fynd to compel the said Wilkesoun to mak satisfaction nor pament of the said hors 1562 Edinb. Hammermen 252b.
To mak oppin satisfactioun to the said James afore the kirk 1605 Glasgow B. Rec. I 229.
That for thair trespas thair fredomeis be cryed doune … quhill thai mak sik mendis and satisfactioune thairfoir 1607 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 111.
Anent the satling of that feid Mr. James seamis to be very penitent and wald glaidlie … mak satisfactioun and assyithement 1649 Moray Synod 95.
Mr. James Gordone has removed therefrom [sc. from the ministerial charge], and his wyfe offered to move upon satisfaction made for the manse — 1456 Hay I 166/21.
And nocht gaynstandand that this said knycht had tane satisfactioun and assithement of the barouns gudis a1568 Kennedy Bann. MS 93a/31.
Trew men can gett no satisfactioun Becaus our king is nocht of eild 1621 Aberd. Council Lett. I 194.
Howsoever my men … deny any wrang … commitit be thame yit … I have send thame to be tryet … that as ye find thame giltie, thay may give satisfactioun

c. specif. Compensatory payment or indemnification made for manslaughter or mutilation.In collocation with Kinbut(e n., Assithment n. and Contentatioun(e n. 1557 Prot. Bk. G. Grote 17.
In assithment and satisfaction of the said mutilation 1574 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 37.
For full assyithment, haill satisfactioun and compleit kinbut paying for the slauchter of … Johne Mure, … to … pay to Janet Mure £233. 6 s. 8 d. 1588–9 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 7 March.
In full contentatione & sattisfactione of the allegit mutillatione & bluid schedding of the said Allexander Dunbar 1605 Reg. Privy C. VII 707.
Gif the hurt fall out to be a maymeing or mutilatioun, that then the pairtie offending sall … performe the order … for satisfactioun of the pairtie maymed 1623 Douglas of Morton 704.
In name of kinbute assythement and full satisfactioun [for the cruel and unnatural slaughter of the said Thomas Johnestoun] 1632 Lithgow Trav. i 7.
I was … inforced … to submit myselfe to arbitrement satisfaction and reconciliation 1657 Rothesay B. Rec. 269.
He … was fynet and haid found cautioun for satisfactioun of his bluidfyne

d. Restitutory payment of expenses. e. Payment for a service rendered.d, e. 1456 Hay I 138/32.
For satisfactioun and payment of are done dede and service 1570 Canongate Ct. Bk. 279.The bearer is cummit to you on his awin charge … therefore ye mon have respect to him.
To content and pay to Williame Grant xx s. money … in satisfactioun of the mending of the said Thomas wyfes face being hurt with ane chandilar 1592 Crim. Trials I ii 324.
The last bearer that ye send, cam heir behind the hand, and hath gottin na satisfaction as ȝit 1617 Acts IV 540/2.
Concerning the feyis and satisfactioun to be gevin to the constables and clerkis for thair paynes 1618 Aberd. Council Lett. I 164.
Ye sall … gett acquittances upon sic as ye deburss for discharge of ȝour diligence and satisfactioun of the counsall at ȝour returne 1620 Crim. Trials III 483.
He making satisfactioun to the javellour for his expenssis 1636 Glasgow B. Rec. II 42.
To giv satisfactioun to the said maister Alexander Lyndsay … both for his debursingis amd for his awin pains 1670 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 23 July.
Sex punds Scots in satisfactioun for his paines in building the steiple staire

f. Payment of a tax. 1638 Dumbarton B. Rec. 56.
The maister of the Inglis schip … entiris his vessel for the pettie customes, and agries to give four hundredwecht of guid tobacco in satisfactioun of claims under that head

g. Appar. a receipt (for money received). 1630 Aberd. Council Lett. I 318.
Efter your husbands buriall we sall then give order for receaving these moneyes from ȝour ladyship and to give yow all just satisfaction in securitie for your liberation thairof

2. a. In the pre-Reformation church: The performance by a penitent of penal and meritorious acts, as part of the sacrament of penance, an instance of this.(1) c1450 Cr. Deyng (STS) 198.
And than the ded … pacyently tholyt makis satisfaccioune, nocht alanerly of the vaneall synys, bot als … for mony dedly synis c1490 Irland Asl. MS 33/6.
Allmous deid is a part of satisfactioun Ib. 27/21. Id. Mir. I 47/20.
Satisfaccioune ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 658.
Grant me of thi sonne to haue compassioun … And for my synnis do satisfactioun a1500 Rois Garlandis 520.
O Sanct James and Sanct Josaph … grant me full satisfactioun for my synnis or I de c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 18/93.
Off undone pennence and satisfactioun sure a1538 Abell 17a.
Scantlie dois he sufficient satisfactioun 1534–5 Prot. Bk. Sir J. Cristisone 35.
[That] throuch his patience, humilite and satisfactioun, and recompensatione done to God and religioun and to ws … he serue … to be deliverit … of the said pennance 1551 Hamilton Cat. 223.
And this lawly and meik submissioun in thi confessioun … is ane part of satisfactioun Ib.
That satisfactioun quhilk is heir spoken of is nocht sa to be takin that ane penitent synnar may … deserve remissioun of synnis be ony paine … tholit be him or to mak to God ony just … recompence equivalent to the syn … for in this maner it is nocht in the powar of man to satisfie for that satisfactioun hes only our salviour Christ wrocht and fulfillit be his bitter passioun. … Bot satisfactioun quhilk is callit the thrid part of pennance is diffinit thus. … Satisfactioun of pennance is to cut away the occasionis of synne 1562-3 Winȝet I 104/23.
Qvhy hald ȝe satisfactioun Papistrie? 1588 King Cat. 91b.
A gryt misdeid … necessarlie requiris gryt satisfaction(2) 1562-3 Winȝet I 105/8.
And ȝit thai [sc. St. Cyprian and others] speik … of a satisfactioun requirit of our obœdience 1580 Facs. Nat. MSS III lxx.
Satisfactioneis of men for theyr synnes

b. In the post-Reformation church: The performance of (public) penance for one's offences against church discipline, a particular instance of this. a1568 Dunb. Bann. MS I p. 9/44.
Lord I haif done full littill reuerence Vnto thy sacramentis … And of thy halye supper for my sin recompence Gif I for my sin bewaill and mak satisfactioun [Bann. MS 18a/44 The haly supper for my syn recompence And of my gilt the holy satisfactioun] 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 142.
Thai ar decernit to mak public satisfaccion this nixt Sundaye in the essemble 1582 Ib. 491.
Quhen satisfactioun is dewlie maid be him for the … crymes [of fornication] … mariage than to proceid 1587 Ib. 602.
Thai haif oftimes bein chargit to enter on the penitent stuill and mak satisfactioun for thair offences 1588 Ib. 630, etc 1616 Ritchie Ch. S. Baldred 144.
George Richeson … was ordainit to mak publik satisfactioune the nixt Sabbath befoir the congregation 1638 Baillie I 164.
Except he preveened the sentence by satisfaction a1651 Calderwood II 303. 1651 Cupar Kirk S. 7 Feb. in Lamont Diary 21 n.
The haill elders … declairit they ressauit full satisfactione of him [sc. the Earl of Crawford] and thanks the Lord for him 1654 Moray Synod 119.
John and Alaster M^cGueines have closed their satisfaction and their repentance is received 1666 Bonckle Kirk S. 8.
They might enter for the third time and have ther satisfactione accomplished Ib.
The minister … graunted the bill … appointing them to enter … ther satisfactione for the third time, and to pay four pounds of penalty 1684 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. 3 Ser. XXXVI 162.
Thir marked with a cross are to give satisfactione to the church

3. The atonement made for human sin by Christ in his passion.(1) c1490 Irland Asl. MS 23/18.
For originale syn he him allane maid satisfacton be his passioun Id. Mir. II 29/19.
He offerit His precius lif for ws and maid perfit satisfaccioun quhar nouthir we nor vthir creatur mycht or had power to mak satisfaccioun Ib. 39/20.
His deid and passioun … was necessar for our satisfaccioun and deliccioun of our synnis ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 589. a1568 Dunb. Bann. MS 18a/44 (see 2b). 1533 Gau 4/29. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 154.
To mak satisfactioun and mendis for al our synnis Ib. 223 (see 2a above). a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 112/8.
The doctrine of the kirk of God … hes declarit this mistery [of the blessed sacrament] … as ma, aucht, and suld be to the contentacione, contenment and satisfaccione of al guid Cristiane men Id. Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 158/28.
To the effect that we mycht obtene euerlastand lyf, satisfactioun forsyn, redemptioun fra the … serwitude of the dewill(2) 1551 Hamilton Cat. 154.
To … bring us agane in the favour of his father eternal makand to Him ane just and perfit satisfactioun for al our offencis 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 158/31.
The sacrifice of the mes was institute … nocht as ane new satisfactioun, or redemptioun, bot as ane new sacrifice 1638 Nat. Covenant in Facs. Nat. MSS III xcvii.
His satisfactions of men for their sinnes

II. With reference to desires or feelings.

4. Gratification or pleasure occasioned by some event, or a particular instance of this; contenting (a person) by the complete fulfilment of a desire or supply of a want. 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 169/28.
For satisfactioun of ȝour desyr, ȝe sall consider that the markispoinct of oure ressoning is [etc.] 1641 Bk. Carlaverock II 139.
Quiche loiss, altho great to me, hes nocht … geven these quho ar so heid set aganes me full satisfactioune 1646 Lennoxlove MS (The Duke of Hamilton) C1?2094.
When that shall be done by his majesty that will give satisfaccon to his subiects, no man living shall joy more thereat 1653 Wemyss Corr. 97.
The satisfaxion I shall reseaue in sieng you is a uerie great uan 1664 SRO Seafield MS GD248/556.
Dier Madam, It is a verey gret setesfacten to me to heir from your la[dyship]