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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
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Sek(e)nes, Seik(e)nes, Siknes, n. Also: seyk-, seick-, seak-, seek(e)-, saic-, seck-, syk-, sick- and -ness(e, -nis, -nas, -nace. [ME and e.m.E. seocnesse (Layamon), sicnesse (Ancr. R.), sekenesse (c1250), syknesse (c1290), sekenes (Cursor M.), seknesse (Gower), sik(e)nesse (14th c.), syknes (1412), seyknes (1435), sycknes (1526), secknes (1540), OE séocnes; Sek(e adj.

1. The state of being ill or unwell; illness, ill-health; disease.(a) a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 124.
Of all seknes, and of all bale In name of Jhesu thai mad [them] haile a1400 Leg. S. xx 345.
Quha-sa-euire in thare throt Seknes has a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 1590.
Deiff men thar gettis heryng … & halt men als thar gettis bute That seknes has in schank or fut 1398 Acts I 210/2.
Oure lorde the kynge for seknes of his persone may nocht … gouerne the realme c1420 Wynt. viii 3365.
The Erle Thomas, that qwhill than lay In hard seknes c1420 Liber Calchou 449.
For defaut of gud rewlyng and dyetyng in mete and drynk men fallys oft in seknas ?14.. Ship Laws c. 7 (H2).
Giff seknes cumis of suddantie to a schip mane or tua or thre doand thair office thai may nocht ly lang in the schip, bot [etc.] 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 6.
Of alde seknes ande vnheil as of langour as of infirmiteis the quhilk ony is haldyne with a hewy morb c1475 Wall. vii 381.
His fadyr … wes wesyed with seknes c1475 Wall. xi 1243.
Seknace 1490 Irland Mir. I 64/22.
And … he had bene translatit fra paradice to hewin without seknes ore deid 1490 Irland Mir. I 78/32.
Sua that he suld nocht incurrit seknes na bodely deid 1490 Irland Mir. I 163/5.
The spittin of his mouthe … helyt seknes 1545 Reg. Privy S. III 196/2.
Thomas Stewart … is corpolent, vexit with infirmiteis and hevy sekenes [etc.] 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II 227.
It nocht being knawin giff ony seknis be amangis thame(b) 14.. Acts I 359/1.
Ony burges … in seiknes of ewil that he deis of 14.. Acts I 378/2.
Gif it be … defalt of seknes in bed the quhilk aw to be freschly pruffyt a1500 Henr. Fab. 2463.
Sa happinnit it … This hound off suddand seiknes to be deid a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 307.
To be opprest, And torment sair with seiknes incurabill a1500 Henr. Practysis 19.
Is nowdir … Seiknes nor sairnes … Bot I can … leiche thame fra lame and lesure a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1490 (Asl.).
All the panes of this lyf present Seikenes wexacioun [etc.] c1490 Porteous Noblenes 183/9 (A).
A glutone allway has sum seknes or sorowe c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 178/2.
I that in heill wes and gladnes Am trublit now with gret seiknes 1535 Stewart 51888.
That fell poysoun it handillit him so sair, With sic seiknes that he micht leif na mair a1538 Abell 97b.
He tuik seiknes and … deit 1549 Compl. 24/12.
The heyt feueir, droutht, the sourde, tempest ande all euil seiknes 1560 Rolland Seven S. 111.
Seiknes is als naturall als heill 1564–5 St. A. Kirk S. 238.
Seyknes a1568 Bann. MS 72a/23.
Vpoun thy bak for to lay thé It gadderis seiknes in hairt & heid 1570 Leslie 268.
Pairtlie throuche gret maloncolie … and pairtlie throuch consumptione of seiknes 1571–2 Wemyss Chart. 202.
Johne Wemis … beand in extremite off seiknes in body, bot haile and perfitt in memorie a1578 Pitsc. II 318/2.
Thair was no towne … bot it vas vesitit with gret seiknes and speciallie the het fewir 1583 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 300.
Young infants and bairnis quhilk ar oft tymes left in the streitts and layet at the bailyies durris ourgane with seiknes and infirmiteis 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. Prov. No. 119.
The secound fall in seicknes is euer most dangerous 14.. Acts (1597) Table.
Seicknesse 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Iter.
Seiknesse 1610 Crim. Trials III 96.
Dilaitit … for ane … notorious witche … by laying on of seiknes vpone men, wemen, bairnes, and bestiall 1611 Brechin Test. II 149.
The said Johne being … superexpendit in seiknes with the plague 1619 Edinb. Test. L 255b.
Issobell Vertie … being lang bund to the bed of seiknes … makis my lattrewill 1622-6 Bisset II 82/15. 1628 Stirling Ant. IV 188.
Janet Chrystie … tuik ane great brasche of seiknes(c) 1558-66 Knox II 35.
Alexander Quhytlaw tuik seaknes betwix Berwyk and Edinburgh c1610 Melville Mem. 364.
In the mean tym, the K. of Denmark tok seaknes and departed this lyf 1649 Soc. Ant. IV 473.
His father, being under seakness, had written for him(d) 1558 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 17.
That … nan of them be suffered to begg except they … be auld cruikit laim or debilitatit be great seeknes 1623 Melrose P. 497.
He excuisit the absence of his collig … be ressoun of seeknes 1688 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 258.
The deponents wyf … took seeknes and died(e) 1523–4 Carnwath Baron Ct. (SHS) 6.
& he alegit that he brocht syknes one hym & he alegit that he gat the seiknes in his hous 1661 Dalyell Darker Superst. 132.
[A man] that same night took sicknes and had panes as a woman in chyld-birth 1665 J. M. Beale Fife Schools 179.
He could not reprove him [sc. the doctor] that he attended when he had healthe, but was sometyme visited with sickness, and … then he did not attend 1691 Dunbar Social Life I 293.
I am not at this tyme able to goe the length of Edinburgh, by reasone of sickness(f) a1605 Montg. Flyt. 7 (T).
In wea[l]the or woe, in healthe or secknes cast

2. a. A particular illness or disease, freq. named.Also pl. without inflection.For (the) seiknes of Nap(p)illis, see Napillis a.(1) c1420 Liber Calchou 451.
Quhan a man is in this seknes [sc. plague] he suld be dyatyd mesurably c1420 Liber Calchou 449.
Sekenas 1514 Aberd. B. Rec. I 90.
It is thoucht expedient … to vmbeschew the said seknes, that thar be bot thre portis haldin oppin for cuming of strangearis 1529 Stirling B. Rec. I 37.
[To learn] gif tha be infecit with lypyr, becaus it is suspecit … that tha ar infecit of the sammyn seknes(b) 1497 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 71.
This contagius seiknes callit the grandgor 1499–1500 Acta Conc. II 366.
That he had ane lauchfull impediment and stop throw this seiknes of pestelence being in the partis about Peblis 1507 Aberd. B. Rec. I 437.
That diligent inquisitioun be takin of ale infect personis with this strange seiknes of Nappillis 1507 Aberd. B. Rec. I 437.
That nayne infeckt [pr. infecht] folkis with the seiknes of Napillis be [etc.] 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II 16.
Forsamekill as it wes vnderstand that the seiknes of pestilens is richt vehement and perseweris still in Sanctandrois, and the spredin tharof was maist be conuersatione of nichtbouris trastand it had bene the het seiknes 1530 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 106. 1535 Stewart 36452.
The seiknes hecht the gentill mannis ill 1551 Hamilton Cat. 222.
Quhow can a medicynar discerne quhom he may hail … quhil he ken the seicknes? 1554 Knox III 167.
What was said in Newcastell and Berwick befoir the sweitting seiknes, I trust sum in thai partis yit beiris in mynd 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 231.
Scho be hir wichcraft declarit, that the seiknes that he had was ane elf-schot 1596 Dalr. I 5/18.
That sair seiknes, named the sueit of Britannie [sc. sweating-sickness] cam nevir till ws 1597 Crim. Trials II 27.
Scho … bad her tak brwme … and seith in quhyte vyne … for the seiknes of her hairt 1610 Hist. Carnegies 343.
The seiknes wes ane fewer ardent, with ane diarea 1600-1610 Melvill 657.
The royall ceremonie of tuiching of some diseased childrein for hailling off sume of the escrolles, commounly callit the kingis seicknes 1633 Orkney Witch Trial in Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. V 554.
He going to sie, the bark being under saill, he ran mad … an his sone … gat him … and held quherupon the seiknes imediatly left him and his sone ran mad 1647 Jervise Memor. Angus & Mearns II 309.
The Lord visiting this burgh with the infecting seikness, ther was no session holden(c) 1625 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. I 9.
The contagious seeknes of the pest 1636 Caldwell P. 91.
This is not onlie for the comon plague which is called the seeknesse, but alsoe for the small pockes, missells, surffete, and diverse other deseases(d) 1560–1 Inverness Rec. I 48.
The same droge is … for the syknes of cankyr sowyr rameid 1606 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 90.
This contagious siknes is swa spreadde, that nather broughe nor land in onye pairt is free 1662 Soc. Ant. XXII 229.
Her son … being diseased of the falling sickness(2) 1375 Barb. iv 191.
A seknes tuk him in the way c1420 Wynt. viii 5041.
And thare tuk hym a gret seknes, That so fellown and angry wes … That the dede folowyd at the last 1460 Hay Alex. 2642.
With wapon suld he neuir be slane Na of na vther seiknes thole na pane c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. iv 23.
Jesus yede about al Galilee … heiland euery langour and ilk seeknes 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Phthisis, ane seiknes in the lungis a1594 G. Marioreybanks Annals (1814) 37.
Ther was tua yeirs before this tyme ane grate vniversal seiknes through the maist part of Scotland: vncertaine quhat seiknes it wes, for the doctors could not tell, for ther wes no remeid for it; and the comons called it cowdothe 1587 Carmichael Etym. 30.
Contagio, a smitting seiknes 1587 Carmichael Etym. 32.
Tabes, … a pining seiknes 1596 Dalr. II 132/34.
At this tyme [sc. 1510] an vncow and sair seiknes lyk the verie pest invadet hail Scotland, quhilk … tha callit stoup galland, meineng that the maist potent and noble men it gart stoup, bot contemnet the simpler sorte and leist potent 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 9.
Gif they … verifies in the court, the infirmitie to be ane langour (or ane vehement seiknes of bodie or of minde) 1622 Crim. Trials iii 526.
He saw Cuthbert Greig, the tyme of his seiknes, sueitting and brocheing in ane vncouth seiknes 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 167/501.
The diarhee uith the hoate euill a seikness sore(b) 1657 Misc. Spald. C. II 394.
Contracting ane hectick sicknes, he died in Seaton in winter, 1611(3) 1584 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 347.
The said bailyie, quha sall pas, visie, and try quhat seiknes that persoun deyet into(b) a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1352 (Wr.).
First gard the ground of all his griefe, What sicknes ye suspect(4) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 390 (Asl.).
As smyttand seiknes caussis corporall offens Contagious company infekkis devocioun 1498 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 74.
The daynger of perilous seiknes of pestilence now rissin(5) pl. 1456 Hay II 116/10.
Syndry excessis … quhilk, gyf and quhen he excedis, he mon on nedeforce be seke of syndry sekenesses 1549 Compl. 45/16.
There bodeis ar subiect tyl al sortis of seiknes be rason of the corrupit infectione and euyl ayr that is generit in ane cite quhar maist confluens of pepil resortis 1549 Compl. 57/6.
At that tyme men and vemen of ane tendir complexione ar in dangeir of diuers maladeis, as of fluxis, caterris [etc.] … and to diuers vthir contagius seiknes 1588 Crim. Trials I ii 164.
He tauld hir that the Bischop of Sanct Androus had mony seiknessis, as the trimbling fewer, the palp, the rippillis and the flexus(b) 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 32/38.
[Frenzy and mania] are but naturall sicknesses

b. The ailment, illness or disease a particular person is suffering from; the fact of suffering from an illness.Also pl. without inflection.There is some overlap with a above.(1) 1375 Barb. xx 153 (C).
And thar hym tuk sa felonly His seknes a1400 Leg. S. vii 576.
Full besyly can he spere Of his seknes the manere & of the cause als of the ile 1512–13 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 140.
Ane quhyt claith … in taikin of thair seiknes gif thay cum furth, that vther clane folkis may eschew thame, vnder the pain of deid 1541 Treas. Acc. VII 455.
For expensis maid in tyme of his sekenes 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5579.
Galiene … Felt his punsis and als his vrine saw Quhairby belyue his seiknes he did knaw 1570 Cal. Sc. P. III 235.
Her majeste [sc. Queen Elizabeth] … excused her of her saicnes of her leg that sho myght gif me audience sonar 1571 Cal. Sc. P. III 563.
[To send into France for some physicians] that knoweth my seaknes bettir nor any of thame I fynd yeat hear 1576 Crim. Trials I ii 54.
Hir seiknes was ane cauld blude, that gaid about hir hart 1596 Edinb. Test. XXIX 126.
To Marioun Fergushill my keipar in my seiknes ane blak kirtill 1653 J. Hope Diary (1919) 158.
Her seekenesse had beene long contracted throw breeding of teeth and defluxtione 1655–6 Glasgow B. Rec. II 532.
To Patrick Wilsoune, beddell of the Hie Kirk, for his supplie in tyme of his seaknes 1660 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 191.
In respect of the said Mr. Andro his seeknes, weaknes, and old aige 1676 Strathblane Par. 333.
The session ordained 12 sh. … to be given to ane poor lad … to buy drink now in his sad seiknes(b) 1619 Sel. Biog. I 100.
He began to kyth his sickness the first of March, and departed the last of March 1655 Old-lore Misc. V iii 132.
Issobell Mowat being delated that sche wes the caus of hir housband's secknes after he wes 20 dayes seik 1664 Boharm Kirk S. 16 Oct.
No session all this tyme be reason of a defluction in the minister's eyes after his sickness 1676 Boharm Kirk S. 27 Feb.
No sermon, the minister being impeded by his wyfes sudden sickness(2) c1450 Cr. Deyng (STS) 130.
Ande sen the seknes at we have her is gevyne ws in part of our purgatory, it suld be blythly resauit 1570 Cal. Sc. P. III 235.
[Queen Mary] ȝit was sumpart vexed … with the saicnes of her syid throcht ane accident quhilk happined of ane new gown that was oure strait 1697 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 658.
[In case the said Robert recover] of the present seeknes I ame now under(b) 1562 Crim. Trials I i 422.
[He] labouris in ane hevy and continewell sicknes 1644 Spalding II App. 502.
And for restoring my child from that siknesse which they reported to have beene heavier before I came 1700 Cramond Kirk S. IV 28 March.
Ane act of the General Assembly for a solemn nationall fast for the severall causes thairin mentioned, viz: the continued pincheing dearth, the great & unusuall sicknes and mortality of late throw all the landpl. c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. viii 17.
He tuke our infirmiteis, and bair our seeknessis [W. sykenessis, P. siknessis] 1528 Reg. Morton I 3.
We understand that … James Erle of Mortoun … is subject to diverse seiknes and infirmiteis in his persoun havand ane sare leg and not habill to endure grete travel in weirfare

3. A period of illness. a1400 Leg. S. xxiv 466.
[I] now has gotine neuir-the-les Il coweryng eftyre lang seknes c1420 Wynt. viii 3116.
Kyng Robert lay In lang seknes c1500-50 Brevis Cronica 338.
He deyt of a schort seiknes a1578 Pitsc. II 53/27.
Ane continuall seiknes and meledie into the houre of his death 1652 Laing MSS 271.
Your son Thomas hath bean hear and scheueth me your weaknes throuche long siknes

4. transf. or fig. a. (A) spiritual fault, (a) sin. b. A spiritual or emotional failure or misfortune more generally. c. Appar. a fault in a mechanism.a. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 484 (Asl.).
Syn is a seikenes richt contagious 1490 Irland Mir. I 80/33.
This was ane nobile curand medycyne agane oure seiknes, that deliuerit us fra eternal ded 1490 Irland Mir. II 102/37.
His pepil may fall in spiritual seknes and syn 1490 Irland Mir. III 5/29.
And institut the haly sacramentis of grace and of the new law for to heill our woundis seknes and infirmite and to gif ws perfit heill wertu and grace in our saule c1490 Irland Asl. MS 64/16.
For he chesis the seiknes of the saull that is syn and ledis to the deid eternale 1533 Gau 7/23.
The commandis of God leris al men to knaw thair spritual seiknes 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 159/18.
Men ar daylie subiect to the hevy seiknes of syn(b) 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 110.
But gif thy saull be diseased, and gif that dwining siknes occupy thy saull quhilk ane evill conscience brings on 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 73/10.
The naturall siknessis that haue euir trublid … all the kirkes sen the beginning of the uarlde … hes bene pryde, ambition & auariceb. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 204/24.
Or thane in frustar is ȝowr lang lerning Gyff to ȝowr sawis ȝour deidis contrar be Ȝowr maist accusar is ȝour awin cuning: Ane peralows seiknes is vane prosperite 15.. Clar. ii 1499.
That love hir sa streinȝeit … That it ane seiknes grew about hir heart a1582 Facs. Nat. MSS III lxvi.
Capitane Cocburne … wery of ane wyfe [ed. wyfis] deliuerit hir to the queyne againe, bot you deliuerit of ane wyfe castis your self in the samyn nette … and so capitane Cocburne is in better case than you for his seiknes is in the feitte and yowris in the heid 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 44/8.
In that compte lett not youre selfe be smoothed ouer to uith that flattering filautia, quhilke is ouer kyndlie a seiknes to all mankynde 1600-1610 Melvill 190.
Ther is na remeadie to be gottin, altho the law be plan, because judges, lawers, lords and all is infected with the sam seiknes a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 68.
An evill mariage is a dwyning seiknes 1674 Laing MSS 398.
Since the schisme in this church hath opened a doore to most of our other secknes [pr. seckes]c. 1661 Dumfries Council Min. 7 Sept.
Ther wes tua sufficient gangand milnes at pnt. and that the wrichts wer directit to mak vp the thrid and that thai could not be anssr for spaites or seiknes of the mylnes

5. a. ? A bout of nausea or vomiting. b. ? Sea-sickness. 1566 Q. Mary in Inv. Q. Mary xxxii n.
Bot of trewth we ar so tyrit and ewill at ease, quhat throw rydding of twenty millis in fiue houris of the nycht, as with the frequent seiknesses and ewill dispositioun be the occasioun of our chyld 1600-1610 Melvill 221.
About twoll persones passingers inbarkit … bot be contrarie windes, with grait fascherie and seiknes, war put in in Tinmouthe