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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Trew(is, n. Also: trewe, trow, true, trewys, treuis, trewus, triewes, trowis, -es, trwys, trues, treuce, truce, truice, trieux, tr(e)ux. Pl. also treues, truix. [ME and e.m.E. triws (Ancr. R.), trewe, trues (both Manning), trewes (Cursor M., c1375), trew, true (both c1400), triews (Caxton), trux (1496), truce (1534), OE tréow (pl. tréwa), ON trúa.]Forms in -s, -ce and -x represent original plurals which in most, though not all cases, have come to function as singulars. It is not always possible to decide whether a form is intended as a singular or a plural.

Truce, (period of) suspension of hostilities; terms or pledges of truce, (an) agreement bringing a truce into effect. a. Without article or specification of number. b. pl., or with pl. construction. c. sing. A truce.Freq., to tak treu(is (Ta(k v.¹ 50, q.v. for further examples).a. 1384 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 5.
That this condicion of speciall trewe and assurance sall stande and be kephit fullely by see als vell as for thair bondes be lande as the trewes beforsayd askys 1384 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 5.
Gif hit meght happen of langar trewe c1475 Wall. viii 1553.
To Scottismen, and all the boundis haill. To fyve ȝer trew thai promyst be thar hand(b) ?1438 Alex. ii 6309.
Thay gude men ask I will Trewis, gif thay will grant thair till 1456 Hay I 242/16, 17.
Me think I suld declare first quhat is trewis. And first I say … that trewis is a kingis asseurance generale [etc.] 1456 Hay I 243/19.
Quhasa brekis trewis or pes suld be dungyn nakit throu the toune 1460 Hay Alex. 2243.
Sa com thair fra King Dare ane messingeir, Askand thair trewis 1531 Bell. Boece II 61.
Ambrose … skalit his army, and tuke four monethis trewis with Saxonis 1572 Sat. P. xxxi 16.
For ofttymes, into treating trewis, Cumis tydingis that richt mony rewis, Be tratorie and seditioun c1590 Fowler I 190/8.
I feil his [sc. Love's] bow … euer bent … to perseue my harte Who never yet his rigour hethe relent, Yea, in trewes to play a tratours parte 15.. Bk. Dean Lismore 84.
James kyng of Scottis … was tane on the se vith Inglismen wnder trewis passand to Fransche waichis c1650 Spalding I 259.
For a certane space, trewis wes takin wp betuixt the toune and the castell(c) 1375 Barb. xv 102 (C).
Quhill the Tysday in pask-owk, On athir half thai trowis tuk a1538 Abell 110a.
The Erll of Douglas birnt Striviling and maid ane lig with the Herll of Craufurd quharfore eftirwert he wes slane (ȝe ondir trowis)(d) c1475 Wall. viii 1309.
Wald yhe grant pes, and trwys with ws tak(e) ?1438 Alex. ii 4977.
We sall for fyue dayis treux ta 1527 Douglas Corr. 121.
Reformacioune to be maid … of the attemptatis and myscheiffis committit be thaim according to the vertew of treux(f) 1596 Dalr. II 86/32.
Outhir … to lat him pas frie … or vp trues, against thame he sal proclayme weirisb. 1375 Barb. xix 188.
Eftre sone war trewis tane Betuix the twa kingis that wer Tailȝeit to lest for thretten ȝer 1375 Barb. xix 200 (C).
The trewis on his half gert he stand Apon the marchis stabilly And gert men kep thame lelely 1384–5 Acts I 349/2.
And also hit is accordit that gif thir specialx trewes likes to the erle of the Marche [etc.] 1386 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 9.
That the Castelx of Jedd Rokeburgh [etc.] … er contentyt in thir speciale trewes and assurancz ?1438 Alex. ii 6593.
The truix ar tane Quhill Monnonday the day be gane c1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
It is well knawin that trewis war tane & sworne o late betwix the rewmys of Ingland & Scotlande 1535 Stewart 51133.
Or passit wes ane schort part of tha trewis c1590 Fowler II 122/22.
I might … shaw vnto yow how many treues and treatises of peace and promeises have bene of na effect through the faithlesnes of prences 1596 Dalr. I 75/23.
Nocht lang eftir, trues ar bund, mariages ar maid with sum of the inhabitourisc. 1375 Barb. xix 180.
And fele that now of wer ar sley In-till the lang trew sall dey 1375 Barb. xv 126 (C).
Bot for the trewis he lefit noucht Wachis till set to the castele 1384 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 5 (see a above).
Trewes 1384 Acts I 350/1.
Gif any company stellis any gudes withtin the trieux … ane of that company sallbe hengit 1386 Rot. Sc. II 85/2.
To trete for a pees perpetuel or a lang trewe betwene France ant Scotland … and Ingland 1398 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 38.
[Ilk m]an sal … kepe the kyngis trewis ?1438 Alex. ii 4993.
The trowes … It will be kepit lelely For v dayis ?1438 Alex. ii 4998.
That the trux be takin thus That [etc.] ?1438 Alex. ii 7987.
To-nycht at euin the trew sall faill c1420 Wynt. ix 1073.
Trwys 1449 Armstrong Hist. Liddesdale I 171.
Triewes c1475 Wall. viii 1361.
Than your curst king desyryt off ws a trew 1482 Edinb. Chart. 147.
Treux c1500-50 Brevis Cronica 338.
The ambassodouris of France and Ingland came to begg of this king a trews for the Inglismen 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 530.
Truice

d. transf. Agreement between the parties in a lawsuit to observe a temporary stay of proceedings. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 112.
And therfore this time is called induciæ deliberatoriæ, because … the pley ceases and stayes: and trewis are taken betwixt the parties

e. The state of being at peace, absence of hostilities. 1456 Hay I 164/9.
Fra the weris be declarit rychtwis … and notifyit to the inymyes of a prince or king … namely, fra trewis be gevin our and diffiaunce maid

f. Day of trew(is (day trew), a prearranged day on which the Scottish and English Wardens of the Marches met under truce on the Border to settle disputes; the Warden Court held on such a day. Also in fig. context.For a more detailed explanation see T. I. Rae The Administration of the Scotish Frontier 1513-1603, 47 ff. 1480 Acta Conc. I 49/2.
A certane some of mone optenit be Inglissemen at a day of trew vpon the said Walter & James 1488 Treas. Acc. I 95.
Til a man to pas … to Fawklande for the Bisschop of Galway to pas til a day of trew 1488 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 83.
Thomas Illertoun … was filit thairfor [sc. slaying of a Scottisman] at a day of trewe of befor 1501 Treas. Acc. II 110.
Giffin to Alexander Focart to pas with the kingis writingis to the lardis in the Forest Tevidale and the Mers agane the day of trew 1515 Treas. Acc. V 40.
For keping of the day of trow 1525 Douglas Corr. 106.
At the next dais of treuis I sal mak redres 1577 Douglas Corr. 223.
Hobbie Dagglese … was field in a bill for a nagge at the last daye of trew for Tevedall 1583 Reg. Privy C. III 612.
[In order that he might be delivered to the opposite warden of England at a] day trew [held at Redderburne] 1585 Cal. Sc. P. VIII 154.
And that meettinge and dayes of trues are to be appointed with the Warden of thopposit March 1596 Dalr. II 166/31.
Dakres and the rest of the wardanis … war fane to procuir a day of true 1596 Warrender P. (SHS) II 292.
Treucefig. a1497, 15.. Gray MS v 46.
Is no money na no meid With Him may hauld a day of trewus

g. A document containing the terms of a truce. 1502 Treas. Acc. II 350.
To Schir Thomas Gabreth to pas to Edinburgh to illumyn the trewis and the conjunct infeftment, to by gold [etc.] 1502 Treas. Acc. II 352.
To Lioun herald, for to pas in Ingland with the trewis

h. attrib. and comb.attrib. 1509 Justiciary Rec. II 145.
Gif thair be ony trew brekaris or ony that settis upone assouerance with Inglismen in tyme of weir 1573 Cath. Tr. 29/9.
Thair sall cum perrolus tymes, in the quhilkis salbe … trucebrekers, fals accusars, palliards [etc.]comb. 1533 Treas. Acc. VI 138.
All liegis within the wardanrys of the myddill marchis to obey to the wardanis deputis of the said myddill marche for keping of gude reule during the trewis taking