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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
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Thesaurary, Thesaury, Tresory, Thresorie, Tressoure, n. Also: thesaurarie, -ii, -ar(e, thesawrerie, thesurarie, thesauar(a)y, -awrie,, threasaurarie, thesaurie, theasury, thesserie, thesrie, tresorie, -erie, treasourie, treasury, -urie, thresouri, threausarie, thesaur(e, -er, theasure, tre(a)(u)sour, -ure, threasure. [ME and e.m.E. tresorie (c1290), tresori (Cursor M.), tresorye (Chaucer), tresurrie (c1440), treasuries pl. (1535), treasorie (1560), thesaurarye (1597), treasury (1642), OF tresorie, med. L. thesauraria, thesauria.]

1. The post of treasurer; treasurership. Freq., the office of thesaurary. 1208–15 Reg. Episc. Morav. 41.
[Prima canonia decanatui … secunda canonia cantarie … tertia canonia thesaurarie [etc.] 1511 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 379.]
Confirmatio electionis decani Cantoria. Cancellaria. Thesauraria(a) 1473–4 Treas. Acc. I 1.
Johnne bischope of Glasgow, thesaurare to oure souerane lorde, of the office of thesaurary 1494 Acta Conc. I 334/2.
To bring with thaim sic richtis & evidentis as thai haid of the thesaurary of Cathnes pertening to our soverane lordis presentatioune … the sege vacande 1494 Acta Conc. I 351/2.
Henri Abbot of Cambuskinneth askit a not that he offerit him reddy to mak his compt of the office of thesaurary 1516–7 Reg. Privy S. I 446/2.
With power to exerce the office of thesaurary in all thingis siclyke as ony uther thesauraris exercit the samyn 1539 Acts II 354/1.
Ane[n]tis his office of thesaurarie of the custumarie of the burgh of Edinburgh 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II 221.
To decern … gif the office of thesaurary aucht of dewite to haif ane burgesschip yeirlie or nocht 1561–66 Book of Assumptions in Orig. Par. II ii 626.
The rentall of the thesaurarie of Cathnes pertening to Mr. Williame Gordown 1574 Reg. Privy C. II 395.
The offices of provestrie, baillierie, thesaurarie, denerie of gild, commoun clerkschip, or to be of the counsall of the said burgh 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 11.
Archibald [sc. Douglas] was depryvit of the thesaurarie, and placit thairin Robert Cairncorse, abbot of Halyrudhous 1567 Reg. Privy S. V ii 351/1.
Disponand to the said William Murray … the said benefice and thesaurarie of Dunblane 1578 Reg. Privy C. III 53.
It hes pleasit our Soverane Lord to present him to the thesaurarie of Orknay, quhilk is the personage of Stronsay, vaikand be deceis of umquhile Maister Frances Boithuile last possessour thairof 1581 Reg. Privy S. VIII 25.
[Confirmation of a gift by] Robert Stewart … To Thomas Gun off … the stalrie of the thesaurarie foundit and erectit within the cathedrall kirk of Orknay 1582 Reg. Privy C. III 478.
How far he is drawin in debt … speciallie in his thesaurarie and casualiteis 1587 Acts III 489/2.
The thesaurarie and chantorie of Orknay and sic vther benefices of honour and dignitie 1601 Reg. Privy C. VI 227.
[Alexander, Master of Elphingstoun, treasurer … to furnish all their Majesties' necessities] proper and dew to be furneist be the office of thesaurarie 1607 Inverurie B. Ct. 16 June.
The thesawrer William Robertsone quha is ordenit to contenew in office of thesawrerie 1617 Orkney Rentals ii 152.
The 2 d. land of the archdeanrie … The 2 d. land of the thesurarie of Orkney, taxed in both termes to 20 s. c1627 Craven Ch. in Orkney II 154.
[Stronsay in benefice] is the threausarie of Orknay. [There were then three kirks] and may very well be reducet to ane kirk in the midle part of the ile 1637 Edinb. B. Rec. VII 187.
David Jonkein thesaurer … desyred to be fred of the said thesaurarie 1649 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 105.
Furth of the leitis for the thesaurarie, Mr. Alexander Skeyne was chosin thesaurer(b) 1537–8 Treas. Acc. VI 380.
Tuiching the office of thesaurie 1641 Baillie I 396 (see Thesaurar(e n. 3 (2)).
Thesaurie 1655 Rothesay B. Rec. 6.
As lykwayis the brughe for the cause foirsaid hes put him of the laits of thesaury(c) 1617 Melrose P. 298.
The Erle of Mar … installed in the full plaice … of the office of threasaurarie(d) 1630 Misc. Hist. Soc. II 263.
We heir … of ane dimissione of the treasourie in my lord of Morton his favors

2. The office or department of a treasurer. a. Of the (Lord High) Treasurer of Scotland. Also attrib. b. Of the treasurer of some other institution or organisation.Some examples may be further instances of Thesaurar(e n.a. 1508 Treas. Acc. IV 140.
To the clerkis of registre, houshald, chancellary, and thesaurar for thar laubouris and to thair gownis, liij li. vj s. viij d. 1510 Reg. Privy S. I 326/2.
The soume … unpait to him be us or our thesaurare … quhilk we ar restand awing to the said M. Thomas as the last fute of compt of thesaurary maid in our last chekker beris 1550 Treas. Acc. IX 447.
To Alexander Guthre, scribe in the effaris of the thesaurare 1550 Treas. Acc. IX 450.
To Williame Stewart for his daylie service and laubouris in writing in the thesauraris bukis 1558 Treas. Acc. X 361.
To ane boy passand of Edinburgh, withtin the sherefdomes of Linlithqw and Striviling for doing of certane bissines concernyng the thesaurarie 1560 Treas. Acc. XI 21.
For ane sellar male in the Castell hill providit to keip the provisioun of the thesaurarie be the space of ane ȝeir 1584 Reg. Privy S. VIII 354 (see Thesaurar(e n. 3 comb. (1)).
Thesaurarie 1669 Bruces of Airth App. cxvi.
With advice & consent of our lovites our commissioners for the treasury 1670 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 3 Sept.
Johne Black thesaurer hes gotten ane discharge grantit be Sir Adam Blair of Carberrie to the toune as having commission from his majesties thesaurarii 1671 Aberd. Council Lett. V 75.
We therfore … doe hereby prohibit … all persones … without the particular licence of the lords commissioners of our thesaury to import any salt into this kingdome 1671 Mylne Master Masons 164.
To the Lord Hatton, his majesties threasurer deput in Scotland … As soon as the commissioners of theasury write to me for a warrant for … materials toward the repairing Halyrudehouse, I shall dispatch it 1672 Aberd. Council Lett. V 175.
Thesserie 1672 Aberd. Council Lett. V 193.
The Lordes of the thesaurarie 1675 Aberd. Council Lett. V 488.
Thesrie 1697 Orkney Rentals App. 69.
A petitione to the king's majestie or his lords of counsill and thesawrie 1703 Cromartie Corr. I 202.
Ther is now a vacancie in the thresorie(b) 1556 Waus Corr. 9.
We Marie … regent of Scotland … grantis to our said seruitour ane yeirlie feall of ane hundyrreth pvndis … to be vptakin of our deirest dochteris theser … at twa vsuale termes in the yeir … chargeing heirfoir the thesaurar present and to cum to … obey to the said … Patrik of the said … feall 1596 Dalr. II 350/9.
The queine … promiset that scho … nouther suld take of him … ony rekning of ony thing that … he had spendet in the quinȝehous or in the kingis tresour or of the custome quhilk he to the kingis thesaur … suld haue committedattrib. 1684 Laing MSS 428.
Informe whats fitted for me to know relating to thesaurie bussieness dureing my absence 1689 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 542.
The said office of generall postmastershipe is to be publictly rooped in the thesaurie roome upon Wedensday nixtb. 1531 Perth Guildry 195 (30 Oct.).
The prouest and auditouris vnderwritin hes dischargit Jhone Makison of al the futis of his gild compt and findis him payt of the x lib. contenit in his buk of thesaury 1533 Bell. Livy I 256/4.
The proffitt … [was] confiskit to the public tressoure 1576 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 372.
Whether hath the city of Geneva committed sacriledge, or not, in appointing of the rents and teinds of their bishoprick to their common theasure 1579 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 108.
The thesauaray to delyuer to the … provest for the ane hundrethe and threscoir menis expenssis quhilk watcheithe … in this toun … fourtie twa pundis x s. 1660 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 10.
They [the burghs] pay verrie grytt customes and excyse quhiche comes in to the commune thesaurarie(b) 14.. Burgh Laws c. 94 (A).
Quhen that terme war runnyn he sall proffer him his wed sald and the treausour sall tak his dett [etc.]

3. A treasure-house, a repository for money, valuables, documents, etc.; a royal, etc. treasury viewed as a repository rather than a department of state. Also attrib.(a) 1460 Hay Alex. 1075.
Ane hundreth thousand scheildis he sall ȝow schaw, Of all his land the choise of thesaurie; Was neuer sic cunȝeit in ȝour company a1500 Lanc. 1766 (see Thesaur(e n. 2 a).
Tresory c1520-c1535 Nisbet Mark xii 41.
Jesus … beheld how the pepile kest money into the tresorie [P. tresorie, AV treasury; Vulg. gazophylacium] c1520-c1535 Nisbet Mark xii 43.
Thresorie [W., P. tresorie] c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xxvii 6.
And the princis of prestis tuke the siluer, and said, It is nocht leefful to put it in the thesaurie [P. treserie, AV treasury; Vulg. corbonam] for it is the price of blude 1533 Boece 329b marg.
He [sc. King Ferquarde] ceissit nocht to pyne thaim with tormentis quhil thai confessit gif thai had money in pois and deliuerit the samyn to his thresouris 1549 Lamb Resonyng 133/4.
Ȝe Scottis practizate to steill out of oure thesaurie diuers of chois instrumentis 1549 Lamb Resonyng 165/5.
This forsaid euident is mater in deid, and nocht stollin furth of the Scottis thesaurie 1558-66 Knox II 197.
That everie minister have sufficient … for … claithis [etc.] … of the rentis and thesaurie [1621 treasurie] of the kirk [where he serveth] 1596 Dalr. II 261/33.
Quhen he diet his realme he left ryche, the treasure nocht tume and bair of money. Bot meruelloslie instoret with gold, siluer [etc.] 1587-99 Hume 20/99.
A memorie for to conserue quhilk like a thesaure deepe All things conceaued in the heart dois weill retaine and keepe 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 42.
Which works the church had in its treasury to sell at mister(b) 1596 Dalr. I 303/10.
Quhat proffit sa euir cumis of that feild … with the hail toucher gude … sall cum in to the kingis thesaurattrib. 1495 Treas. Acc. I 268.
To the pynouris to turs it [sc. the cupboard] to the thesaurary hous in the castell, ij s.