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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Discens, Discence, n. Also: dyscens, dissens. [ME. dissence, e.m.E. discence (1513), variant of Descens(e.]

1. A downward course or movement. 1434 Reg. Aberbr. 66.
As the Denburne gais to the discens of the Sclaitwel falland in the furde [etc.] c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 76/14.
Nocht trowand trastlye in … the discence to hell of his saull 1513 Doug. i. v. 122, comm.
The planet Mercur was at discens, and Iove ascendent Ib. iv. v. 46.
Mercur … Vnto the sey fludis maid hys discens 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xxxiii.
The see tide … may nocht resist the violent discens and streme of this watter 1535 Stewart 12990.
The hiear ay men clym in til ane tre, … In his discence far sarar is the fall Ib. 18958.
Doun castand craigis, the quhilk in thair discens Richt mony hurt c1550 Rolland C. Venus i. 287.
That hir honour distres thoill nor ruine, Nor suffer it in na way haif discence 1591 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 435.
For making ane passage for discens of the fylth … frome the ȝaird

b. A downward slope. 1513 Doug. xii. xi. 161.
Like as the gret roch crag … Is maid to fall … , Halding his fard the discens of the bra 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xxxiii.
The land crukis in with ane gret discens and vale Id. Livy I. 269/3.
The pepill … followit Valerius … to the capitoll, and in the law discence thareof rasit thare ensenȝeis 1552 Ann. Banff I. 29.
Fra thyin furthe dovn the tovne to the Droppand Craig ay as the discens of the hill passis

2. Descent by lineage. c1420 Wynt. vi. 2318.
Fra this Malcolme … Be dyscens lynealle ewyn down Wes Robert the secund a1500 Henr. Orph. 3 (A).
His gret ancestry and lyneall discence [he] Suld first extoll 1513 Doug. iii. ii. 68.
My fader … , revoluyng in his mynd The discens of forfaderis of our strynd Ib. iii. 39.
From that ilk prince … Is the discens of our genealogy a1568 Scott i. 199.
So be discence the same sowld spring of thé