A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1400, 1461-1651
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Ceptre, Ceptour, n. Also: cepter, ceptir, ceptyr, chepter; ceptur(e. [e.m.E. cepter, ME. ceptire, -ur(e, ceptre (c 1300), OF. ceptre, var. of sceptre: see S(c)epter.] A sceptre.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints i. 766.
He gert … seit hym done, With ceptre in hand 1461 Liber Pluscardensis 393.
Think quhi thi crown was giffin thé til, Thi swerd, thi ceptir 1513 Doug. viii. viii. 115.
Offerand to me the ceptre and the crovn 1513 Ib. xiii. vi. 124; etc.
Thou … worthiar To bair the riall ceptyr 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 61.
The captane of the castle was desyred to delyuer the honouris, to wit, the sword, the chepter [v.r. cepter], and the crown a1578 Pitsc. II. 67/1.
The prophesies taikin all in, and the cepter of Iuda 1651 Nicoll Diary 46.
The Erle of Crawfurde tuk the chepter, and put it into the Kinges hand, saying; ‘Sir, resave this chepter’ [etc.](b) 1503 Treasurer's Accounts II. 385.
To gilt the kingis ceptur, ij Hary nobles 1513 Doug. i. ii. 44.
Thou the ceptour gevis me in hand Of all this realme 1513 Ib. vii. iii. 52; etc.
The kyngis suld ressaue ceptur and crovn 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 475.
Your crown, sworde, ceptour, and your wand 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 89.
James, erle of Bothwill [bore] the ceptour, and … the sword of honour a1578 Pitsc. II. 187/1.
Crowne, cepture and sword, borne be the erle of Huntlie a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS xxxix. 44.
Thy ceptour [was given] in taikning of iustice 1607 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 70.
Thy ceptur dois mentein the Gospellis fridome
2. Attrib. with wand. 1513 Doug. i. ix. 131.
He bad hym bryng with hym the ceptre wand 1513 Ib. xii. iv. 117.
Lyke as this ilk ceptour wand … , Sall nevir burgioun
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"Ceptre n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 11 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/ceptre>
