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

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

Thair self, Thar(e) self, pron. Also: thair-, tharselff, thairsell. Pl. thairself(f)is, thareselfis, thairsell(f)is, there selfs. [ME and e.m.E. þair self (Cursor M.), þer self (c1440), theyrself (Caxton). Pl. their selfes (1525).]Chiefly written as two words. Almost always singular in form until the late 16th c.

1. In reflexive use as the object of a verb or preposition. = Thaim self pron. 3.(1) sing. 1375 Barb. xx 200 (C).
He bad thame leiff thair sorowyng, ‘For it,’ he said ‘mycht nocht releif And mycht thar self [E. thaim rycht] gretly engreif’ c1420 Wynt. iv 1982.
Fre men … Sall set thame for till eyk the gude … And helpe thare-self [C. thar self, W. thaim self], thaire kyth, thare kyn c1460 Thewis Wysmen 409.
Thai wen thare-self visest of all, And vthir folk fulys thai call 1526 Douglas Corr. 109.
The Erles of Arane … and divers utheris … dislugit thare self, fled, and left the toune 1533 Boece 159.
Romanis defending thare campe and thare self with mekill hardyment, be incredibill laubouris stoppit inemyis fra the entre a1538 Abell 21a.
Swin eftir thai slew thare self 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1995.
Nuresis suld not be negligent To keip thair babis quha can not keip thair sell Fra … perrell 1602 Colville Paraenese 73.
Prophane persons violently intrusing thair self in … possessions ecclesiastiquepl. a1568 Scott xxx 20.
This … lust but lufe Dois so ȝung men to madness mvfe, That thay ma nowthir rest nor rufe, Till thay mischeif thair sellis a1578 Pitsc. I 313/30.
The laird of Ballcluch … brocht ane companie witht him the number of vj^c speiris … and held thairselffis quyit quhill that the king returnit out of Jedburght c1590 Fowler II 129/27.
The Romane empreours had a thrid difficultie, which was to accomodat and apply there selfs to the anarchie and crueltye off there sulddarts(2) 1533 Boece 189b.
As oftymes happynnys among Scottis, lang contynewit pece with strangearis preparit sedicioun amang thare self a1538 Abell 1*a.
Thir figuris … in the fyrst place tha numyr bot thairself … In the secund place that is to say coniunyt with a nothir fygur or o rund cyrkil tha numyr ten tymys thair self [etc.] c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3017.
Than, be thare selfis, ilke regioun come fordwart, with thare garnisoun a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 310/58.
Quhat thai get in hand Castell toun or land Thai will it not restoir Bot keip it to thair sell a1578 Pitsc. I 27/12.
He compellit thame to compone for thair sellfis 1625 Glasgow B. Rec. I 347.
Thair claithes … all to be maid be thair selff in jupe fassoun

2. In emphatic use. = Thaim self pron. 2. 1482–3 Acta Aud. in Acta Conc. II cxv.
William Quhitburn, William Hill and Johne Litster sall … pay to Johne Elis the some of thre pundis … for thre bollis of mele that thai tuke fra him, as thai grantit thair self and as was prufit befor the lordis 1515 Edgerston Writs MS (Reg. H.).
Ony persone of hiar degre nor thair self 1526 Red Bk. Menteith II 331.
Swa that thai be of na gretter degre … na thareselfis 1586–7 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 114.
That na maillmaker caus ony uther mett the mail, bot thairselff to mett the same

3. In apposition to the third person plural pronoun or a plural noun. = Thaim self pron. 1.Also used in relation to a singular noun with ilk.(1) c1475 Wall. iii 410.
He hard tell of thair gret grewance, Thar selff was caus of this myschefull chance c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 186/27.
Quhen thar baggis ar full thar self [M. thair self, B. thair selfis] ar bar, And of thar riches bot the keping hes 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II 8.
The awnaris of the said meill met the samyne thar self 1534 Carnwath Baron Ct. (SHS) 165.
All tennandis … be redy … for the debaitting of the rewme and for the debaitting of my lord thair selffis and the baronie geif ony oursetis cumis one thaime 1535 Stewart 989.
Airis had thai nane To take tha landis quhen thairselfis war gane 1551 Edinb. B. Rec. II 160.
That na maner of parsoun by ony malt in this merket without thay be fremen of this toun, and to brew the samyn thairselfis 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 466.
Geue thare be sic, I knaw of nane: Thay knaw, thare-selfis, that buddis hes tane, To hurte the pure a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 318/44.
Sum hes … Thair guddis spulȝeit halelie … Thair selffis tane vncourtaslie And haldin in captiuite 1558-66 Knox I 430.
Gif the slauchter of ane cardinall be ane syn irremissebill, as thay thair selffis affirme 1572 Sat. P. xxxi 131.
And thay be wyse, Thay sall … gre with ȝow, Nor with the hous of Guyis to mell, Quha is als godles as thair sell(2) 1518 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 47.
The barois to be maid at all partis of the towne, … and the mony that ilk part of the towne is stentit thairselff to be inbroucht to the persones that is assignit to rasaiff it