A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1400, 1456-1591
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Haly writ(t, n. Also: wryt(t, vryte, wreit, wyrt, halie write, holy writt. [ME. holi writ, early ME. hali writ, OE. háliᵹ (þæt hálᵹe) writ.] Holy writings; chiefly, the Holy Scriptures, the Bible. a1400 Legends of the Saints xviii. 5.
As be ensampile is of it That men fyndis in haly writ a1400 Ib. xxvi. 18.
I wil declare his [sc. Nicholas'] story, In haly wryt as it fand I 1456 Hay I. 15/23.
In haly wrytt God callis the prestis angelis 1456 Ib. 104/10.
How that all bukis of haly wrytt ar … at concorde c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 10/5.
Some personis appruf nocht the translacoun of haly writ in Ynglis toung 1533 Gau 28/16.
The dewil passit fra hime confundit be the halie writ 1542 Acts II. 415/2.
Thair was ane act … red in faice of parliament that the haly write may be vsit in our vulgar toung 1562-3 Winȝet II. 7/17.
That ony sentence in the haly wreit is the voce and mynd of Christe 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 55.
We knaw perfyte the halie writ [v.r. wryte]
Also as plur. 1591 R. Bruce Serm. 232.]
[In the scriptures ... in the holy writts
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"Haly Writ n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/haly_writt>
