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: 1471-1586
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Cors-present, -presand, n. Also: corse present, corsse precend; cors pressand, presant; corps present; croce present; crospresand; cross-present. Pl. corps presence. [Northern ME. cors present (1393), presand (1497), e.m.E. corse present, etc., f. Cors n.1 2, Corps n. 2.] A gift due to the clergy from the goods of a householder on his death and burial. Also attrib. with cow.(a) 1471 Acts Lords Auditors 23/1.
In the actioun … for the … withhaldin of … v corspresandis of the teyndis of the kirk of Stow 1489 Acts Lords of Council 115/2.
Robert Stewat … spulȝeit and tuk a corspressand kow worth ij merkis … of the froitis of the said kirk 1552 Glasgow Test. I. 94 b.
For … cost makyng of the deid, lyke walking, furth bryngyng & cors presand x lib. 1557 Acts II. 502/1.
Without payment of ony gressume, enteres siluer, hereȝeld, corspressand, or ony vther maner of dewtie(b) 1484 Acts Lords of Council *85/2.
Withhalding of the lam tendis, cheisse, corsse precendis and vther diuersse froits of the said kirk 1529 Rep. Milne Home MSS. 36.
Gif ony deis in Crammecruk … at ar tennandis, the corse present and heriald to be partit betuix me, … and the said Alexander ewinly 1531–2 Reg. Soltre 196.
Cors presentis and vmest clathis … nocht put in this comput 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3900.
From this day furth, thay salbe cleane denudit Baith of corspresent cow, and vmest claith c1552 Id. Mon. 4479.
He did nocht bid thame seik nor craif Cors presentis nor offerandis 1560 Misc. Spald. C. IV. 121.
The saidis … prouentis and emolumentis of the said vicarage, except the cors present and vmest clayth(c) 1560 Buke of Discipline 222.
Thir … exactionis to be clene discharged, … as the uppermost claith, the corps-present, the clerk-maill [etc.] 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 187.
At corps presence [= presents] thay wald sing 1570 Reg. Episc. Morav. 419.
Payand … yeirlie 460 merkis to the bischop … in consideratioun of the inlaik of corps presentis, pasche fynes, … and utheris profeittis of the said vicarage 1586 Bk. Univ. Kirk II. 660.
Thair benefices being lang syne decayit throw the want of corps presents, vpmost claithes, pasch fynes, offerands, and such lyke things(d) 1484 Acts Lords Auditors 138/1.
The wrangwis withhalding fra him of a croce present cow, quhilk he deliuerit him in keping 1536 Douglas Corr. 144.
The Kingis charge … bydand the clarge gyff owr the crospresandis and the owmest claytht a1578 Pitsc. I. 348/20.
Thow sayis it is nocht lesum to kirkmen to tak their teindis, offringis, and croce presentis a1578 Pitsc. (1728) 151.
Thou sayst it is not leisome to kirk-men to take their tithes, offerings and cross-presents [pr. -puts]
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"Cors-present n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 9 Jul 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/cors_present>
