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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
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Worschip, n. Also: wors(c)hip(p)e, -schyp(e, -s(c)hep, -scipe, vorschip(e, uorshippe, wirs(c)hip, -schyp, -op, -ep, -shepe, -chip, -ep, wyrschip(e, -ype, -chipe, -ype, wours(c)hip(e, -schepe, -scip, werschip. [ME and e.m.E. wurþscipe (c1175), wurr(þ)shipe (both Orm), wirschip (Cursor M.), worschipe (Manning), worship (1357), wirchep (c1400), wourschippe (1463), OE weorðscipe, later wurð-, wyrð-, north. worðscipe f. weorþ worth adj.]

1. a. Honour, worth, as a quality or condition displayed in a person's character or behaviour. Also personified. b. The honour, dignity or distinction viewed as concomitant with position or rank. c. Renown, high reputation achieved by or recognised in worthy, honourable or valorous behaviour. Passing into 2 below. d. transf. Of a community, town, country: Honour; renown; well-being. Also an instance of this.a., b., c. 1375 Barb. xx 608.
The erle off Murreff … With gret worschyp has gert bery The kingis hart at the abbay ?1438 Alex. ii 4741.
The ladyes him louit … For the great worship and bounte, That of him ran in the citte 1444 Aberd. B. Rec. I 10.
We … beseikis humeli yhour lordschip … that, for the worschipe of the king and the gude of the realme, yhe witsaufe to … deliuer frely the said Inglismen 1456 Hay II 9/3.
The maner how it [sc. knighthood] suld be kepit … in honour and worschip, as efferis a1500 Henr. Fab. 109.
O gentill iasp … Quhar suld thow sit, bot on ane kingis croun, Exalt in worschip [Makc. wyrschip, Bann. wirchep] and in grit honour? a1500 Seven S. 406.
A gentill knycht Off hie worschipe wys and wicht For our all vther thing lufit he Of armes gret nobilite c1500 Fyve Bestes 350.
This king … Said … 'Quhat evir thé ask that thing I will deny' … Than spak this clerk … 'I ask no more Bot hald the purpos … to distroye ȝone tovne … Now may ȝe cheis to lat ȝour wordis stand … or tak this tovne on hand And brek ȝour word' … So throw … the gret worschipe of his conquerouris … with fredome ȝit thai ryng 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 876.
Scho of nobill fatis hes the steir To write thair worschip [L. worschyp], victorie and prowes In kinglie stile, quhilk dois thair fame incres(b) ?1438 Alex. ii 3390.
Schir … for ȝour valour And ȝour wirship and ȝour honour, And for ȝour mekill courtasy, Lat me [etc.] c1420 Wynt. iv Prol. 12.
A garland as a crowne sulde be … A takyn off wyrschype, state or hycht c1420 Wynt. v Prol. 58.
To the Pape is the honowre, The state, the wyrschype, and the cure Off the grettest governale c1420 Wynt. v 1269.
The empryoure schyre Adriane … lyvyd in wyrschype and honowre a1500 Colk. Sow Prol. 38.
Gyd ȝow so that first ȝour God plesit be And obtene name and wirchep quhen ȝe de a1500 Colk. Sow ii 228.
Littill thing weill spendit may incres To he honour wirschep and gritt riches a1500 Colk. Sow ii 254.
Spend with wirchep and spair nocht Godis gud c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 63/94.
In fals vane glory thai so drunkin ar, Thair wit is went … Quhill that all wirchip away be fro thame gone 1513 Doug. i vii 77.
Allace! behald, se ȝondir Kyng Priam, Lo, heir his wirschip [L. laudi] is haldin in memor a1568 Bann. MS 87b/31.
Be nocht as lantern in mirknes vnspyit … Be wirschop so thy name beis magnefeit a1570-86 Arbuthnot in Maitl. F. 60/170.
Thoucht God haue nocht in erde appoyntit thé To brouk wirschip and honour with the laif Ȝit [etc.](c) c1400 Troy-bk. i 354.
Wourschepe c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1254 (C).
Vlixes, wauntyng in deid All wourschipe of worthy knyghthed a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 419.
Brevit throu bounte for ane of the best That now is namyt … Sa wyde quhare wourscip walkispersonified a1508 Want of Wyse Men 57 (Bann.).
Lue hes tane leif, and wirschip hes no vdir waned. (1) 1475 Edinb. B. Rec. I 31.
Statutis … for reuling governyng of the saidis twa craftis, and honour and worschipe of the towne c1475 Wall. viii 1605.
Scotlande atour … He raid … and statut all the land. … The kynrik stud in gud worschip and es; Was neuir befor … Sic welth and pes(2) 1456 Hay II 9/33.
The mekle honour, worschippis, and worthynes that to the said ordre appertenis

2. Worthiness, prowess or valour (chiefly in battle). Also personified.b. An instance of this, an act of valour. 1375 Barb. iii 50.
Throw his worschip sa wrouch he That he reskewyt all the flearis 1375 Barb. vi 338.
Worschip [C. vorschip] extremyteys has twa Fule-hardyment … And … cowartys 1375 Barb. vi 371 (C).
Thus hardyment gouernit vith vit … Gert him of vorschipe haf the pris ?1438 Alex. i 28.
Emynedus de Archade, That for his hie worship was made Baith constabill and ledere Of all the kingis oist ?1438 Alex. i 1509.
His wourschip [F. proesce] thocht him gude to se ?1438 Alex. ii 621.
Quhen in ald men sic wourship [F. vaillantie] neuis, It gammis all that heris c1420 Wynt. ii 1527.
Hyr douchtyre Synope … Tuke wpe armys in hyr stede That wyrschype [C. worschep] prowyd in mony dede c1420 Wynt. iii 992.
He that mycht … wyn Off towrneamentys … In the Olympy [etc.] … For floure in Grece wes off clergy And off wyrschipe and off chewalry c1420 Wynt. v 820.
He … commendyt mekyll wes For hys gret worschype and prowes a1500 Rauf C. 965.
He thocht him richt worthie to byde in his steid, For to weild that worschip worthie and wicht c1475 Wall. ix 899.
Plesand it is to se a chyftane ga So chyftanlyk; it suld recomfort ma Till his awn men, and thai of worschip be, Than for to se ten thousand cowartis flepersonified ?1438 Alex. ii 7401, 7405.
Worship ȝow summondis on Tyisday To put ȝour bodeis to assay, In bath of sueit and swordis hewin … Thare sall worship hald court … And deme honour euin to the richt a1500 K. Hart 689, 706.
Wirschip of Weir come on the tother syde, Vpon ane steid rampand, wes reid as blude; … Strenth said ‘ … Fayne wald I follow Wirschip'b. 1375 Barb. viii 429.
Quha-sa weile on hand couth ta To tell his worschippis ane & ane He suld fynd off thaim mony ane ?1438 Alex. ii 1556.
Now is gude tyme worship to do! Gif we na do, we sall be shamed And als salbe refused and blamed

3. To eke worschip, to increase honour, importance or rank. To win (tyne) worschip (of weir), to win (lose) glory, achieve distinction generally or in battle.(1) ?1438 Alex. ii 3329.
Ȝour worschip sall I eke in hy With all the land of Tabory c1420 Wynt. iv 2397.
Off Rome the tresoure ekyd he … The state [the] wyrschype and the fame That thai than ekyd till his name August, that in propyrte Ay suld ekyng callid be a1500 Henr. Orph. 18.
The grete lordis of Grewe, Quhilk sett thair hert, and all thair hale curage Thair fadirs steppis iustly to persewe, Eking the worschip [B. wirschep] of thair hye lynage(2) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1814.
Pallamydes was richt wicht And oft wan gret worschipe in ficht ?1438 Alex. ii 2263.
Lat we now … wourthy wirship win manfully ?a1450 Florimond 1.
Quha ȝarnis to win wit and wirschip Till eldren deidis suld tak keip a1500 Rauf C. 460.
Mekle worschip of weir worthylie he wan a1500 Rauf C. 824.
Haistely hewit they togiddir, to leif thay war laith To tyne the worschip of weir that thay air wan c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 96/15.
That on so fair and gude as sche Throw hir vertew sic wirschip wan 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9529.
Cum and defend, gif thow wald worschip win a1570 Misc. Spald. C. II xxviii.
Thow hes hard tell and say haiff I Men haiff wyn werschip throcht thair gold a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 804 (L).
‘Quha pances quhat chancis,’ Quod he, ‘na wirschip wynnis’

4. A source of honour. a1500 Henr. Hasty Credence 17.
It is no wirschep for ane nobill lord, For fals tailis to put ane trew man doun c1475 Wall. viii 1677.
It war worschip his presens for to se 1513 Doug. x xiv 73 (Sm.).
He bad ga fech Rhebus, hys ryall steyd, Quhilk was hys wirschyp and hys comfort hayll 1596 Dalr. I 345/27.
Robert Bruse standeng stoutlie with the Inglismen aganste the Scotis, Wallase, the cheife honour and wirschep of the weiris drew him back to the Scotis partie

5. a. Respect, honour or reverence shown to a person or thing. Also to do worschip till (a person). b. Reverence, veneration or honour shown to a saint, etc. or God. An instance of this. c. (Divin, family, publick) worschip, (an act of) prayer or formal worship of God. See also Public adj. 8 a for further examples.a. (1) ?1438 Alex. ii 1793.
All sik as he Suld haue worshep [F. estre … honourés] and cherising And our all vther haue louing ?1438 Alex. ii 5266.
We sall … Serue ȝow in worship c1420 Wynt. ii 339.
The quene … walde have gert hym ly hyr by Bot he [sc. Joseph] refoysit that curtasly For the wyrchype off hys larde 1456 Hay II 107/10.
Do honoure and loving to the maist wyse and worthy men, and that sall encresse thair bountee and the honour and worschip doublis ay agayn to thé a1487 Gud Wyf & D. 24.
Kep vorschip till all creatour a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 611.
Now, worthie wemen, in this ballet schort, Maid for ȝour worschip and instructioun a1500 K. Hart 423.
In wirschip of that lustie feist so ding Dame Plesance hes gart perce dame Venus' tun c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 103.
Sen thow with wirschep wald sa fane be styld, Haill, soverane senȝeour! 1513 Doug. v xi 2.
Thus, hyddyrtyllys, warryn derenys seyr Excersyt in wyrschip of hys fader deyr a1568 Bann. MS 228b/44.
Hir paitlat suld be … Weill furrit with fair affere With peirlit prenis of pacience For hir wirschop to weir(2) a1400 Leg. S. l 1189.
God did sic worschipe to that may 1456 Hay I 84/28.
He seis that all men dois honoure and worschip till a hardy man, and dishonour till a coward 1460 Hay Alex. 1268.
He sall be met with mekill reuerence—We sall do wirschip till his excellence 1467 Aberd. B. Rec. I 27.
The saide Thomas sall be stedable to the saide William … and to do him alsmekle worschip as he has done him lake a1500 Seven S. 2457.
The worschip ȝe to strangearis do Is ȝour honour and tharis tob. (1) a1400 Leg. S. iii 1135.
Of Sancte Androw in the lowynge, To quham wyrschipe and honour be Of alkyne men in al degre! a1400 Leg. S. vii 73.
Eftyre the ascencione … Sic worschipe thai did till hym ay, That he wes fyrste that mese can say 1461 Liber Plusc. I 383.
Herbe, fluris and flouris … all the frechnes of thaire faire figouris Yeildis thaim, and wourschip to thair Creatoure 1475 Edinb. B. Rec. I 31.
Certane statutis and reullis maid amangis tham self for the honour and worschip of Sanct Jhone in augmentatioun of devyne seruice c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xiii 57.
A prophete is nocht without wirschip [L. honore], bot in his awn cuntre 1535 Stewart 39069 heading.
How king Malcolme foundit ane kirk in wirschip of Sanct Moloc c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2466.
Thay suld nocht mak none caruit ymagrye … Nor gyf worschip tyll ony simlytude a1561 Norvell Meroure 18b.
Rendring dewe wirshepe, reuerence laude & gloire, To that most migthie king, for euer moire 1567 G. Ball. 12.
Lord, thow will haif allanerlie, Wirschip in spirite and veritie, And till nane vther geue thy gloir 1638 Nat. Covenant in Facs. Nat. MSS III xcvii.
That they shall be carefull to roote out of their empire all hereticks and enemies to the true worship of God(2) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts xxviii 10.
All that in the ile had seeknessis, com, and war helit. Quhilkis alsa honorit vs in mony wirschipis [W., P. worschipis; L. honoribus]c. c1500 Fyve Bestes 246.
Wp he gat & saw that it was day Said kirk and worschipe fastly war away 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 31/6.
For the first point then of mannis seruice to his God quhilke is religion that is the uorshippe of God according to His reueiled uill, it is quhollie groundit upon the scripture 1645 Sc. N. & Q. XII 60.
This day the practice of the directorie of the publick vorship beganne a1658 Durham Commandments (1675) 133.
We call that family-worship, which is performed, by such and such relations; or by all the constituent members of the family jointly: And so it differeth 1. From secret or solitary worship, which one performeth alone to, and before God. 2. From publick worship, which one performeth by joyning in a congregation of many families together 1662 Acts VII 379/2.
The publict worship of God in the churches 1682 Cullen Kirk S. 6 Aug.
After divin wirship was ended … befor the removal of the people a proclamation … was red

6. With possessive pronoun, as a title of honour or respect. 1583 Cal. Sc. P. VI 634.
And thinkith ȝour wirschippis advise waray gud 1584 Douglas Corr. 182.
Presentinge our hairtlie dewtie to your worshippe 1616 Sutherland Bk. II 121.
The prowd, presumteows and miskurtes forme of deling … wsit aganis yowr worscipe c1630 Tailor's Acc. Bk. B 3b.
The laird of Callderwoid his wor[schippis] compt 1635 Innes Sketches 521.
I receawed your worships letter Urquhart Rabelais iii ii 26.
His worship the new laird