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

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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.

Vastatio(u)n(e, Wastation, n. [e.m.E. vastacion (1545), vastation (1614), L. vastātiōn-.] a. The action of laying waste or destroying; an instance of this, destruction, devastation. b. A state or condition of devastation, destruction, etc.a. a1538 Abell 98a.
Eftir at Robert had maid a wastation in Ingland the Inglis mennis souyn come eftir & birnt Melros 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 163.
The laird of Grange … hes bene, the instrument and occasioune of the present vnquyetnes and bypast vastatioune of the toun a1639 Spotsw. Hist. (1677) 175.
Thereupon insued a pitiful vastation of churches and church-buildings throughout all the parts of the realm 1640 Intentions Army Scotland Declared 22.
Giving them hopes after so great a deluge and vastation, to see a new world 1654 Nicoll Diary 139.
Thair fell out a violent fyre … to the vastatioun of many houses, and killing of many pepill 1665 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. II 412.
He sustained no loss nor vastation for the said two years 1681 Stair Inst. i xv § 3.
The like is in vastation by public calamity, which hath been frequently decided upon occasion of the late vastations. But this will not extend to private accidents befalling the crop after the growing or reaping 1682 Lauder Observes 59.
We got accompts from Holland, Zeland, and Brabant, of the dreadfull wastations the inundations of the sea breaking over ther bastions, had made 1696 Fountainhall Decis. I 725.
For there be many casual accidents befalling the subject set, which plead for an abatement, but no dissolution of the tack; as sterility … vastation by an hostile invasion, or by a plague, inundation [etc.]b. 1600-1610 Melvill 222.
In that simmer He send a pest, quhilk … raget till almaist utter vastation in the townes of Edinbruche, St. Androis [etc.] 1659 Jervise Land of the Lindsays 79.
That if it shall come to pass that ther be a general vastation of the said paroche of Loghlie be Hielanders or otherwise, that … in that case [the laird and his heirs were] obliigst to pay to the said reader the whole stipend year or yearies as the sam vastatione sall endure 1699 Fountainhall Decis. II 52.
No more coal could be found in that ground, which being equivalent to a total vastation, sterility, or deficiency, there was neither law nor reason to compel him to pay the tack duty