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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Stabilite(e, -ie, n. Also: stabilietie, stabillitie. [ME and e.m.E stabilite(e (c1400), -ie (1585), ME also stabylte (Rolle), stabulte (a1400), OF estabilité, estableté (1119 and 1162 in Greimas), L. stabilitas, f. stabilis Stabil(l adj.]

1. Of social affairs, institutions, countries: Freedom from (political or social) turmoil or upheaval; orderliness. b. Of the elements. a1500 Henr. III 171/35.
Now is stabilitee fundyn in na stage, Nor degest connsele wyth sad maturitee, Peas is away [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I 7/30.
Quhan he had brocht his realme to stabillitie … Thair was nathing bot paice and vnitie a1578 Pitsc. I 51/22.
Thair was nothing more deare to them nor the weillfair of the kingis persone and the stabilietie of this realme a1578 Pitsc. I 352/26.
He kaist him also witht all the ingyne he might to bring the southland and the bordararis of Scottland to the same stabilietie 1584 Reg. Privy C. III 699.
The cuntrie being brocht to a greittar stabilitie 1588 King Cat. 49b.
Thay planelie troubill the peace, and stabill order of the kirk, quhilk without the heighe Bishop … naither may deulie be gouernit nor ȝit lang contenit in vnitie and stabilitieb. 1490 Irland Mir. I 119/7.
The … concord of the speris and planetis … without pes … may nocht stand; stabilite amang the elementis without pes may nocht indure

c. transf. The means of stability. 1533 Boece 427.
The blude royal quhilk suld be the knott strenth and stabilite to this kinrik

2. Of a person's character or nature, also of the nature of God, fortune, etc.: Unchangeability, formedness; immutability; steadfastness, firmness, resolution. 1490 Irland Mir. I 32/7.
And tharfor the name of God is qui est He that is in stabilite without mutacioune 1490 Irland Mir. I 69/3.
The tendirenes of thar membris and moving & flowing of thare humoris garris at the wndirstanding procedis nocht in operacioune quhil the complexioune & persoune haue rest and stabilite 1490 Irland Mir. I 69/7.
Fra the begynnyng the barne had this habit … in the saule bot eftir that the humoris had stabilite he had wsit this habyt 1535 Stewart 12352.
As Fortoun wald, suppois scho fikkell be, Vnstabill als without stabilitie 1535 Stewart 36557.
His houshald … So gude exempill at the king hes tane … tha war … So full of wisdome, gentres, and discretioun, With fredome, faith and greit stabilitie [etc.] 1674 Annand Dualities II 31.
His breast plate … is of judgement … and in it there is an order, a comely quadrat … The four-squardness thereof signifying the stability [pr. satability] and firmnesse we should observe in that higher, in that lower place we are set

3. Of a building, etc.: Ability to remain standing, freedom from liability to fall. 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 125b.
Ane maist sure grund, on the quhilk the stabilitie of the haill bigging sulde depend 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 221.
A tent … lacketh a ground, it lacketh a foundation and stabilitie