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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.

Scottis-man, Scottish-man, Scotsman, Scotchman, n. Also: Scottys-, -es-, Skot(t)is-, -es-, Scotis(e)-, Scoit(t)is-, Schottes-, Scottishe-, -yshe-, -esh-, Scotish-, -isch(e-, -eshe-, Scotts- and -man(n)e. [e.m.E. Scotesman (c1490), Scotcheman (1570); Scottis adj. and Man n.]Freq. written, and prob. often regarded, as two words.

1. = Scot n. 1.In pl., freq. without article, and freq. in coll. sense.sing. a1400 Leg. S. xl 840.
He ves a Scottis-mane 1515 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 41.
My lord governour trastit nocht that ony Scottisman in the realme of Scotland wald sek help at Inglesmen in his doingis a1538 Abell 40b.
Fynmacoull a Scottis man of natioun gret of persone 1562 Prot. Bk. Gilbert Grote 47.
[William Helis] Scottisman borne in the toun of Gilmertoun … [and dwelling in] … the cuntre of Ducheland 1562–3 Edinb. B. Rec. III 157.
Ane writing … to maister James Quhite, Scottisman, in Londone; … [he] hes greit proffit be his scole in Londone 1570 Lanark B. Rec. 48.
Beand ane Inglis man, hie hes na place upone the lawes to cleme to be sarvet air to na Skottes man withouit hie wer licenciat and admittet be the awthoratis 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 132.
He is ane natiue borne Scottisman 1586 Gray Lett. & P. 101.
Many of his auin subiects accomptis him [sc. James VI] a better English man than Scotise man 1587–8 Cal. Sc. P. IX 546.
A Scottis man cumming frome Scotland with a schips laeding of heringe 1596 Dalr. I 207/9.
Pape Innocente the first … quhome sum … affirmes to haue bene ane Albane, or Scottis man 1600-1610 Melvill 43.
The souldarts inquyres what he was. He answerit, ‘A Schottes man’ 16… Crim. Trials III 2 (see Scottis adj. 1 e (a)).
Scottis 1650 Misc. Maitl. C. II 485.
That never a hair of Scotismans heid that I could save fell to the ground(b) 1524 Douglas Corr. 15.
He should shew kindness to them afore any Scotishman after the king my son 1586 Gray Lett. & P. 89.
I assured him I meant no harme to no Scotteshman a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 137.
A Scottish man is wise behinde the hand a1612 Comrie Hist. Sc. Medic. 347.]
[He (Peter Lowe) appends the title ‘Scottishman’ almost every time he writes his name 1631 Justiciary Cases I 179.
Was sory that any Scotischman should haue a hand in it for it was a shame to the wholl natione 1640 Sc. N. & Q. 1 Ser. XII 59.
Ane Scotische man banisched from Irland 1693 Sage Fundam. Chart. Presb. Pref. Sig. b 1.
I thought it concern'd me as a Scottish man to understand(c) 1564 Dumfries B. Ct. 21 June.
Alexander Leis Scottsman 1651 Melville Corr. 233.
For he resolved to goe to Ingland and nevir bee an Scotts man 1693 Answ. Presb. Eloq. 57.
No Scots man can approve our authors ridiculing his own country language(d) 1601 R. Bruce in Wodrow’s Life of Bruce 100.
‘He means’, said M. Edward, ‘that he would once make you a Scotchman, and then [etc.] 1649 Digitus Dei as Exemplified in the Life and Death of the late Duke of Hamilton 29.
A Scotch man enters Hell at's birth, And ‘scapes it when he goes to earthpl. (1) 1375 Barb. xvii 121.
Bot Scottis-men sa weile thaim bar That thar fayis ay ruschyt war Ib. vi 459 (C). c1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
The brennynge slachtyr [etc.] … that is done be yhour men to Scottys men c1420 Wynt. viii 2118.
Scottis men … That wyth the Inglis men [oft] ware Aggrevyd Ib. 2211 (W).
Thai … come behind the Scottismenis bak, And slew, and hewit Ib. 2505 (W).
Oure [R., c. The] Scottismen were than agast c1475 Wall. vii 849.
The Irland folk than maid thaim for the flycht … Born Scottis men baid still in to the field c1515 Asl. MS I 253/25.
The noble uniuersite of Paris, foundit be twa Scottis men 1525 St. A. Formulare I 270.
The maledictioun … mot lycht apoun tham rydand aganis trew Scottismen a1538 Abell 6*a.
Halydon hylles lamitabil batel to Scottis men 1550–1 Bk. Carlaverock I 219.
That samony as will cum Scottismen and giff ther aithis be plege for dew obedience … salbe ressauit as Scottismen to the quenis pardoun 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 79.
Heir ar … on cace cumin twa Scottismen, strengearis and inhabitan[tis] in that cuntre, to sell the ladnyng of thar schip 1566 Reg. Privy C. I 482.
The Scottismen frauchtaris of the said strangearis schippis a1578 Pitsc. I 61 h. of ch.
Incurstionis meid in Ingland be Scottis men 1581 Sempill Sat. P. xliii 212.
Of rasche decreitis cums rew and may not mend it, As Scottismens wisdome dois behinde the hand 1596 Dalr. II 249/10.
Because the Inglis king schot not out … the heires of Makonell skot, and of otheris Skotis men, out of thair landes … quhilkes thay possessed in Irland 1609 Crim. Trials III 15.
Seing my race has bene tenne hundreth yeeris kyndlie Scottis men, vnder the Kinges of Scotland 1612 James VI in Ellis Orig. Lett. III i 106.
To cause youre officers … pyke shillings from poore Skottismen a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 335.
Scottismen resident in England Ib. II 14.
All cryms committed be the border Scottismen shal be tryed befor the justice generall and his deputts 1664 Decis. Lords G. 83.
The creditors and debitors were all Scotsmen, and the bond drawn after the Scots form 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 300.
The Covenanters … found themselves Scots men, wise behind hand 1682 Irvine Nomenclatura 255.
I desire all honest Scots-men, that are acquented with the old language, and histeries of this nation, that they will be pleas'd to send me [etc.] 1687 Shields Hind let Loose 585.
Those Scots men that took that oath there(b) 1548–9 Corr. M. Lorraine 287.
My Lord … mannit the laycht place with certane Frenchte men and Scoittis men a1578 Pitsc. II 320/34.
The townis of Flanderis commandit that na Scoitismen sould bring in salt to thair cuntryis 1639 Hamilton P. (Camden Soc.) 77.
It is now highe tyme for all Scotsmen that … dare to repair to Scotland(c) 1547 Douglas Corr. 166.
Therwith commeth also halfe a skore gentlemen to have the leadinge of the Scottishemen Ib.
Scottyshemen 1577 Ib. 223.
If it had onely consisted in Gawen Elwood and the Scoteshemen c1610 Skene in Misc. Stair Soc. I 152.
Sick counsellours (Scottishmen) as shall happen to be with his majestie present in England 1611 Reg. Panmure I xxxi.
Be the conuoy of certaine Scotishmen then fauorers of England 1641 Eight Articles of the Scots Demands 4.
If Scottish-men should be loaden with forraigne commodities in any forraigne place, and in forraign bottomes 1669 Jus Populi 345.
Their libertyes, as civil Scotish men, and as Christians, sold away(d) 1676 M.P. Brown Suppl. Decis. II 205.
The Parliament of Scotland, by their Act, can determine the interest of all Scotchmen … and though a stranger … could not be ruled by an Act of Scotland, yet Scotsmen having estates in Scotland must submit thereto(2) 1375 Barb. xix 192.
Eftre sone war trewis tane … The Scottis-menn kepyt thaim lelely c1420 Wynt. viii 4313.
Hys wil wes til enherde To the Scottis mennys party a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 346.
Thou lufis nane Irische … Bot it suld be all trew Scottis mennis lede 1549 Compl. 106/17.
Inglis men and Scottis men … [are] of ane langage c1550 Balcarres P. 315.
Quhat can ȝe say of Scottismen but that they are fals and grede 1559 Reg. Privy S. V i 144/1.
Ane A B C for Scottis Men to reid the Frenche toung 1570 Leslie 71.
The Scottis men at this tyme war nocht beheynd, bot far abone the Inglis men baithe in appareill, riche juellis and massy cheanis 1600-1610 Melvill 43.
Yie Scottes men are all Hugonotes(b) a1578 Pitsc. II 120/23.
[The] quein regent … consawand the myndis and natur of Scoittismen [etc.](c) 1669 Jus Populi 123.
Which may deservedly make him odious to all true Scottish men(d) a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1344.
Scarting and byting is Scots mens wowing a1663 Pappity Stampoy 46.
Scots-men reckon ay fra an ill hour 1683-4 Dick Testim. 36.
That fault called by logicians repugnantia in adjecto, and by us Scots men downright nonsence, and a flet contradiction a1689 Cleland 102.
Let it stand That Scots-men's wise behind the hand

2. = Scot n. 2. 1596 Dalr. I 272/4.
Kortill, Scotisman, inspyret with a deuote spirit … paste into Saxonie

3. As a place-name element, ? in sense 2 above. 1534 Bamff Chart. 64.
Ane mylne of Foyell callit the Scottismanis mylne