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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.

Vice, Vis, n.² Also: wice, vyce, wyce, wise, vyse, wys, vyice, wyice, wyes. Pl. vices, vyce(i)s, vises, vizes. [ME and e.m.E. vyce (Wyclif), vice (Trevisa), vys (14th c.), vise (?a1400), OF vis, Flem. vi(j)ze, vijs, L. vītis. See also Fize n.², Fissé n.]

1. ? A spiral staircase. 1428 Ayr B. Ct. 121b.
For a clof off irn to the wys xvi d. … viii d. for the wyrkyn off it 1460 Hay Alex. 11192.
The durris and wyndois of beriall and cristall; The touris with siluer ouregilt war thekit all—In that mansioun was na stane bot of price Na wall nor pillare nor ȝitt grete nor vyce

2. a. Bowys off vyse, crossbows, bows bent by means of a screw or winch-like device. b. A device operated by a screw or turning mechanism; the screw itself. c. A screw or a mechanism operated by a screw for securing something. d. The knob or sight on the muzzle of a gun. e. attrib. With counge, hasp, nail.a. c1420 Wynt. viii 4229.
Alblastrys, and bowys off vyse [C. wise, W. vis], And all thyng, that mycht mak serwyse … in to pres off were … thai gert thaire battis bere To the castelleb. 1460 Hay Alex. 538.
Throw that brander lyke till a port-culis His mett was put intill him at a vice Be ane turnand gin throw his barier 1460 Hay Alex. 14257.
Alexander the entre couth espye … And how that all was closit with a pyn Quhilk was in mony crukis like a wise 1460 Hay Alex. 14292.
Abone that porte thare was a porte-culis, Quhilk as before was opinnand with ane wise 1561–2 Edinb. Old Acc. II 156.
Ane greit foure square lettrane … turneand upon ane wycec. 1541 Treas. Acc. VII 499.
Johnne Bikcartoun, smytht and culveryngmakar, enterit to wirk in the castell upoun the dichting and grathing of the half haggis and culveringis … till making of vices, vice nalis, and clengeris to ane parte thairof 1585 Elphinstone Mun. 23.
Tua pair of fissies for monting the ordinance with the vyceis thairof 1615 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 369.
For oyldollie for making of the vyces and the vyce naillis ii s. 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 368.
Thrie rodes with ane wyce on the end of them for the kingis chalmber windowes for hingingis(b) 1503 Treas. Acc. II 238.
For mending of ane wise for the Quenes bed, viij d. 1507 Treas. Acc. III 397.
For xliiij vices and nutis for harnes sadilles, xxxij s. viij d. … For meting and grathing of the vises, iij s. 1536 Fraser P. 222.
Four gret gunnis furnist vyth stok quheill vis and veggis [etc.](c) 1598 Treas. Acc. MS 111b.
Ane irne vyice to hing his maiesties cannabie ond. 1644 Army of the Covenant I 31.
Charge of vizes 1644 Army of the Covenant I 36.
The whole charge … budge barrells 10 … , vizes 2, ladles 2, rammers, spunges [etc.]e. 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 332.
Vice haspes the dozen, xii s. Vice counges or hand vices the dozen, xl s. — 1488 Treas. Acc. I 85.
A grete vice nail made of siluer 1501 Treas. Acc. II 26.
For mending of ane vice nale of the Kingis cowp that was brokin, vj s. 1541 Treas. Acc. VII 499 (see c above). 1615 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 369 (see c above). 1615 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 376.
For making kipperis vyce naillis and rodis for the forsaid kist 1658 Edinb. B. Rec. IX 92.
Complaint … that … the wrights of this brugh in making of the dead kists doe make the samen with yroun vycenaillis quhich sticke so farr out that the mortcloths ar torne and riven theirby drawing them aff at the graves

3. A top for a container which closes by screwing. 1571 Melville Chart. 119.
Ane fute of siluer to ane cup, with ane wice 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 305.
Flagones of glase with vices covered with leather, the dozen, xii li. Urquhart Rabelais i v (1664) 26.
The bottle is stopped and shut up with a stoppel, but the flaggon with a vice

4. A mechanism for gripping or holding metalwork, etc. while it is being worked on, a vice. Also proverb. b. specif. Used by workers of glass and makers of windows.(a) 1549–50 Stirling B. Rec. I 58.
Thir warklumes undirwritten … the gret scheris, ane taingis, ane vice, turkes, the stule and graitht perteinyn thairto 1588 Burntisland B. Ct. 7 June.
The clame … be Johine Coilȝear smyth aganis Robert Measoun smyth … that … the said Robert … spulȝeit … the gudis geir and warklumis wnderwretine … ane wyice pryce xx s. [etc.] 1600 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 296.
Of worklumms by the airschipe 3 irne plains price 40 s. … 3 irne uyces by the airschipe price of piece £3-£9 1615 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 357.
Ane wyce to the smedie xiii lib. vi s. viii d. 1680 Paisley Tolbooth Acc. 8 July.
For bringing out of Andrew Purdone his vice and the rest of his worklooms from Glasgow to Pasley(b) 1659 Dunferm. Hammermen MS 52.
His master is oblest to mack him ane wyes of his oven ayron and brasproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1667.
Smug the smith … Sold al his toolis & yit he keipt his viceb. 1647 Edinb. Test. LXIII 67.
Ane glasinwricht vyce mylne and calmes therof 1662 Glasgow Merchants House 115.
Hendrie Colhoune wright is ordainit to receave frae James Somervaill … the leid mylne for glas windows or glas vyce, he imployed him to bring from Holland laitlie

5. A device or mechanism attached to a saddle for supporting a spear. Perhaps a further example of 2 c above. 1538 Treas. Acc. VII 10.
For ane vice that wes put to the Kingis justing sadill to beir his speir on l s. … gevin for thre vicis to put apoun the Kingis sadill for rynnyng of the speir v s.