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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.

Vocatioun, -acioun, n. Also: -ation(e, wocatio(u)n, woccaioun. [Late ME and e.m.E. vocacion (1426), vocation (1553), OF vocation, L. vocātion-, noun stem f. vocāre.]

1. a. The action of summoning (to a council or parliament). b. The action by God of calling to salvation or some spiritual task or duty.a. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 272.
Mercurius thay cheisit … To be foirspeikar in the parliament … Speiris the caus of that vocatiounb. 1490 Irland Mir. II 58/8.
Venite a haly calling of thaim to His blis and glor eternall … for … eftir thar vocacioun He sal [etc.] a1561 Norvell Meroure 9a.
Joyning them, to thy trew churche melitant … They are thy chosin by vocatione 1562-3 Winȝet I 41/33.
Our Saluiour self tuke not that office vpon him without the lauchfull vocatioun of His Heuinlie Fader

2. (An episode or occasion of) calling on God's help. 1574 Misc. Maitl. C. I 98.
That ane publict humiliatioun and fast, togidder with ane ernest vocatioun and prayar, be institutit

3. A person's station in life; the style of life appropriate to it.Some examples may belong in 4 below. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 35.
Leive nocht in ydilnes do your devore and dewtie exerce your self in convenient laboris ilkane man conforme to his stait degre and vocatioun 1562-3 Winȝet I 23/9.
Quhen it come to my earis … of the seditious calking of the buith durris of certane Catholiks … and … at euin the durris of certane Caluinianis wes calket also with sum notes of dishonour, I wes panceand quhou happy ane thing it war giue euerie man mycht leue according to his vocation at ane tranquillitie in godlines 1562-3 Winȝet II 4/32.
I hald to be vnitie amangis our selfis in the treu Catholik religioun seruing God thairin treulie in feir and luue euery man walking in a cumlie ordour according to his vocatioun 1563 Ferg. Answer 23.
This certanetie of our saluation procedeth not of our owne merites … nor yet of the worthynes of these workes that follow after our externall vocation [etc.] 1567 Keith Hist. 381.
All nobillmen being in reputation, honor and credite with their soverane ar comonlie subject to sustene alsweill the vaine bruites of the commone people … as the accusatioune and calumnies of thair adversers, invyfull of our place and vocation 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (STS) 403.
That He will rais and steir up mony Dauid Lyndesayis that will continuallie admonische baith prince and pepill of thair dewtie and vocatioun a1570-86 Maitl. F. 441/15.
Recawe His giftis quhat ewire thai be Stand still quhair ewir He dois thé place Work thi wocatioun stedfastlie a1578 Pitsc. I 168/18.
The king … passit his tyme witht his flateraris … thinkand then that thair was no man that had at him invy bot he might saiflie perseveir in his plesour and wocatioun as he thocht best a1585 Maitland in Maitl. Q. 48/28.
Be glaid in hairt ay lesumlie And iust in thy vocatioun a1585 Arbuthnot in Maitl. Q. 130/124.
To prepair to thair saluatioun To walkin thame in thair vocatioun and monische thame thair missis to amend 1589 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 15 July.
James oblesis hym, … to sustene honestlie … Jonet his moder in meit clayth & bedding conforme till hir vocatione all ye dayis of hir lyiftyme

4. A specific calling; a function to which a person is called (or destined). a. Of an ecclesiastic, etc., to the ministry or some similar function in the church. Also transf. b. Of a king, to rule. c. Of an officer of state or other specified function. d. Of a craftsman. Also applied to (the members of) the craft collectively. e. transf.a. 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 366.
Mak hym byschope, that prudentlie can preche, As dois pertene tyll his vocatioun 1562-3 Winȝet I 2/9.
Questionis, tweching the lauchful vocatioun of Johne Knox and his brether precheours to the protestantis in Scotlande 1562-3 Winȝet I 39/20.
Exhortis ȝow … gyf ȝe may collect furth of the Euangell ony defence be precept or exemple to assure vs of ȝour precheouris lanchfull vocatioun 1562-3 Winȝet I 54/8.
I, being a preist, … intendit … to declare me planelie … an vnfeinȝeit Christiane … a manifest aduersar … to all schisme … And albeit I wes nocht sa weill exerceit in the Scripturis as become me of my aige and vocatioun [etc.] 1564 Reg. Privy C. I 277.
He [sc. a reader of prayers in the church] is nocht abill to continew and use his vocatioun 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 536.
That thai hindir nocht the ministerie ony maner of way in thair vocatioun 1560–1 Knox II 147.
The vocatioun of God to bear charge within his kirk, makethe not men tyrantes nor lordis, but appoynteth thame servandis, watchemen, and pastoris of the flock 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 157/29.
Johann Knox [pr. Kmnox] … entered not in the kirk be ordinar vocatione … bot, be impositione of bullatis and poulder c1590 Fowler II 50/14.
Thay ar not to be estimit laufull ministers in an weill reformit kirk, quha ar not ordinarly callit. Ordinare vocatioun consisteth first in the inuart working of the halie spreit in the hart of him, quha is to raceaue that burdene 1666-7 Blakhall Narr. 174.
Since my first comeing north I have ever remained in this syde of the Month … finding mater aneugh for my vocation in the northtransf. 1575 Reg. Privy S. VII 30/2.
That the conventis fundat in abbaceis … and ar nocht necessar to be haldin up and restorit as a necessar vocatioun in a Cristiane commoun welth [etc.]b. 1528 Lynd. Dreme 1055.
The Exhortatioun to the Kyngis Grace … And, syne, considder thy vocatioun, That for to haue the gubernatioun Off this kynrik thov art predestinate 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (STS) 403 (see 3 above). 1580 Facs. Nat. MSS III lxx.
That we shall continue in the obedience of the doctrine … of this kyrk and shal defend the same according to our wocation and pouerc. 1561 Reg. Privy S. V i 217/1.
Sindrie of hir saidis officiaris berand the greit armes hes nocht sa behavit thame in thair office … according to thair aith and vocatioun … bot hes usit sic manifest oppressioun [etc.] a1568 Scott i 170.
Caus everye stait to thair vocatioun go, Scolastik men the scriptouris to descrywe, And maiestratis to vse the swerd also, Merchandis to trafique [etc.] 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. in Cath. Tr. (STS) 82/6.
I being impeschit vith my daylie and ordinar vocation hauing ane charge of instruction of the maist nobill learnit and Catholik Prince … Charles of Bovrbon 1592 Prestwick B. Rec. 82.
The inquiest … admittis him to be thair provest & Edward [etc.] … to be thair bailȝeis … & thai all into thair vocatiounis to wse, exers & hant thair officis as thai sall answer to Godd. (1) 1578 Reg. Privy S. VII 244/2.
[Appointment of William Tod … as] cowpar … [to the King … ] with speciall lycence … to by all maner of necessar geir pertenyng to his vocatioun 1586 Edinb. Skinners in Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI 62.
Dauid Thomesoun … serwe owt his fywe ȝeiris of prenteschip … witht sum maister of that woccaioun [sic in pr.] 1587-99 Hume 83/98.
Cast thy selfe to a certaine calling and vocation that thou be not lowse and without a craft and in chuising thy vocation … consider to what vocation thy hart is maist inclined and … consider gif God hath indued thee with gifts meet for that calling quhilk thou likes of 1599 Murray Lyon Hist. Lodge Edinb. 13.
Tak tryall … of everie fallow of craft and everie prenteis according to ather of their vocationis 1670 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 298.
His vocatioun and calling of ane carpenter(2) 1622 Glasgow Maltmen 70.
That thair sould be twa mortclaiths off velvet bocht for the commone use of the said vocatioun 1695 Inverness Kirk S. 3.
The petitione of James Porteous visitore of the tailores of Inverness in … behalf off himself and the rest of his vocationee. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 326.
Quhate bene (quod he) thy vocatioun, Makand sic supplycatioun?