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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.

Stoutnes, n. Also: stoutness, stowt(e)nes. [ME and e.m.E. stowtnes (Trevisa), stoutenesse (c1400), stowtenes (1553); Stout adj.]

1. Courage, valour, bravery; resoluteness; manly pride, esp. with regard to warfare. Passing into sense 2. 1375 Barb. vii 363.
That nobill hart … is hard till ourcum throw maystri For quhar ane hart is rycht worthy, Agayne stoutnes it is ay stoute 1375 Barb. xii 291.
Quhen I mene off ȝour stoutnes And off the mony gret prowes That ȝe haff doyne sa worthely, I trayst … To haff … wictour in this fycht ?1438 Alex. i 1003.
War of ane will and ane stoutnes [F. corage] ?1438 Alex. i 1913.
The stoutnes of thame of Grece … That neuer sa qvhein war of sik micht To helpe thame-selfis into ane ficht ?1438 Alex. i 2778.
Ane staluart speir in hand he hade; Enbrushed vnder his helme he wes, Fulfilled of pryde and of stoutnes [F. D'orgueil et de fierté] ?1438 Alex. i 3197.
Thay war baith stout and hardy, And full of hie, great cheualry, For ire, matelent and stoutnes Summond thame to do proues, Ather agane vther ?1438 Alex. ii 1450.
How in harnes hartis be red … And seis … His steid that starting and stamping mais, And seis the stoutnes of his fais, Despysing him with boste and pryde c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1210.
Of my worthynes Ande my laboure and my stoutnes And thrught strenght of my mekile myght Ourcommyn Troyiens in-to fyght a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 799.
Is nane sa stalwart in stour, with stoutnes to stand 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1677.
Marcus Curtius … Quhilk throw his stoutnes [L. stowtenes] in the fyrie gap For commoun profite of Rome him self did thraw 1558-66 Knox II 321.
The stoutnes of the Marques … is most to be commended; for … he starte to ane halbart, and ten men war skarse able to hald him a1578 Pitsc. II 303/23.
Bot now all thair stoutnes and manlines vas away 1596 Dalr. II 82/16.
That the men of weir mycht continue constant in thair alde stoutnes and cuil nocht in thair corage

2. Resoluteness, firmness, determination. b. Const. to do, in (something). c1420 Wynt. v 3348.
Constantyus to the empyre drwe, And governyd it wyth gret stowtnes 1562-3 Winȝet II 4/15.
Nocht regairding the terrouris spokin to him … in a gret stoutnes of spirit biggis he wp … al the braid wallis of Jerusalem 1588 King Cat. 182.
The fift is longanimitie or lang suffering, quhilk declaires ane certane stoutnes of mynd in luuking for guid things to cummeb. (1) 1513 Doug. i viii 64.
We com nocht … with drawyn swerdis … to spulȝe templis … Sik violens nane within our myndis is Nor sa gret stowtnes to venquyst folk 1637 Baillie I 21.
These tumults will hinder the Bishop, for all his stoutness, in haste to cause read service in his cathedrall(2) 1558-66 Knox II 385.
Lett her plainelie understand so far of your myndis, and steall not from your formar stoutness in God, and he shall prosper you