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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pere, Peir, n.¹ Also: peire, peyr(e; peer, peeir; pear; pier; Pare. [ME. and e.m.E. per (Cursor M.), pier (c 1290), pere (c 1330), peere (Wyclif), peare (16th c.), also peor (14th c.), OF. per, peer (10th c. in Littré) equal, adj. and noun (mod. F. pair).]

1. One's equal in rank or before the law.In peris, as equals, as one's peers.(1) 1375 Barb. ix. 489.
Tharfor had he [sc. Edward Bruce] Owt ouir his peris renomme c1420 Bute MS. fol. 154.
And thir and al vthir syk aw to be demyt thrw thair peris eftyr the law & the assise of the burowys(b) c1420 Ratis R. 1492.
And realte that suld haf na peire 14.. Acts I. 6/2.
How that a peir aw to be iugit allanerly be his peir [L. par per parem] 1494 Loutfut MS. 109 a.
Ordanit be the hail avis of oure peiris and of al the noble baronis heir beand present that [etc.] c1575 Balfour Pract. 549.
It is statute and ordanit that na persoun sall be judgit nor ressave judgment be ony inferiour persoun bot be his awin peir as ane erle be erlis, ane baron be baronis … and burgessis be burgessis: Bot ane less and inferiour persoun may be judgit be ane superiour a1578 Pitsc. I. 27/11.
For ane licht suspitioun that he tuik of thame but ony decreit or inquisitioun of thair peiris Ib. II. 196/20.
That the Laird of Graunge micht nocht be fallow nor peir to him 1600 Crim. Trials II. 145.
Becaus ane burges may be a peir to ane landit man nocht being ane barroune 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. . 37.
For the King can haue na peir nor companion(c) 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV. ii. 82.
[Bothwell] wes acquite be ane assyse of his peares a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI. (1825) 229.
James Erle of Mortoun … was tryit be his peares upoun treason 1667 Justiciary Ct. Rec. I. 201.
His Majestys leidges having an most speciall confidence in their own pears and equalls in the case of accusations(d) 1657 Balfour Ann. II. 190.
Peeires(2) 1572–3 Crim. Trials I. ii. 39.
James Merser being ane gentilman of the Lard of Aldeis house hes nocht ane sufficient nowmer of assyise in peris and without his peris … aucht nocht to be put to the knawlege thairof

2. a. A person, also an animal, or b. a thing, equal to or comparable with another in respect of natural gifts or other attributes; an equal.Common in neg. or implied neg. constructions.a. (1) 1456 Hay II. 156/10.
Sen God has made us all peris and evin of a mater and creacioun 1513 Doug. xi. iv. 81.
O thou Turnus … Gyf ȝhe of age had beyn equale and perys 1603 Philotus vi.
Ane man, sir, of ȝour ȝeiris, … Ga seik ane partie of ȝour peires For ȝe get nane of mee(2) c1450-2 Howlat 951 (A).
This howlat … Put first fro poverte to pryce and princis awne pere Syne degradit fra grace c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 450.
Worthy men gangand one fut as pagis or seruandis quhilkis for wisdome war worthi to be princis peris a1568 Moffett Bann. MS. 260 a/29.
Or riche as Cryses out of kynd Or princis peir Ipomedone — 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 216.
Thus lauborit thay … That thay become no pagis peris a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS. No. 669.
He thinks himself no pages peir(3) ?1438 Alex. . 1072.
Leuand … this day Is nane thy peir Ib. 2588. c1450-2 Howlat 907 (A).
Thus leit he no man his peire 1456 Hay I. 6/20.
Thocht … he had na pere in hevyn bot God himself it war a1497, 15.. Gray MS. vi. 50.
Quhar is Plato … That of all poetis had no peir? c1500-c1512 Dunb. xli. 20.
Be nocht our prowd thinkand ȝe haif no peir 1535 Stewart 46790.
Ane greit Normond … In all that rout had nother pier no maik: No Inglisman mycht stryve aganis his strak Ib. 41235.
Peir 15.. Clar. v. 2357.
Ȝit fand I never thy peir into no land a1605 Montg. Misc. P. l. 15.
Quhose port [etc.] … Pruiffis hir but peir or peregall Of maidis a1585 Maitl. Q. lxvi. 8.
The phœnix bird hes nather maik nor peir(4) ?1438 Alex. ii. 78.
Gif the King into bounte Had ony peir it micht be he a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 783.
Is nane sa prouit in this part of pyth is his peir 1535 Stewart 6886.
Woyada … Of pulchritude … had no peir Ib. 56537.
Peir 1560 Rolland Seven S. 331.
In cunning he salbe within twa ȝeir That he sall haue na peregall nor peir Ib. 8621.
In manlie actis thair was nane found his peir a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxx. 20.
Off sturtsumnes scho hes no peir c1600 Montg. Suppl. xii. 12. a1578 Pitsc. I. 169/11.
Till that he had no peir nor compariesone … into the Kingis fawour(5) a1400 Leg. S. l. 345.
The wysest of thaim than but pere 1461 Liber Plusc. 382.
A princes but peire a1500 Henr. III. 147/27.
That princes pure withoutyn peir 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 919.
Geffray Chauceir as A per se sans peir In his vulgare c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS. 88 a/5.
Ane lady … Plesand but peir of port 15.. Sym & Bruder 5.
As of thir palmaris twa but peir 1580 Hume Promine 125.
Welcum but peir the maist imperiall kingb. (1) a1500 Rauf C. 468.
His plaitis properlie picht attour with precious stanis And his pulanis full prest of that ilk peir(2) c1420 Wynt. i. 127.
Wythin that propyre place but pere Thare is a welle a1500 Rauf C. 664.
The hall was … paintit but peir a1500 K. Hart 100. 1567 G. Ball. 29.
Eternall hellis paine but peir(3) c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii. 903.
That mance … [In al] this warld I traist it had no peir

3. In the two prec. senses, in special constructions.

a. quasi-adj. Equal to (till, unto) another person or thing. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 622.
Johnne wes mare than man but were & til angelis he mycht be pere c1420 Wynt. v. 419.
In Ytaly pere till it [sc. Ravenna] wes nane 1456 Hay II. 60/26.
Orgueille … thinkis na man pere till him Ib. 60/30.
He … had lever be him allane na in ony company that him thocht na pere till him 1461 Liber Plusc. 385.
Thare is na ryches peire to gud ranoun a1500 Henr. Fab. 142 (Makc.).
This cok disyryng mare the sampill corne Than ony ia[s]p may till a fuyll be peir c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 314.
That page wes neuer of sic price … Wnto my persone to be peir a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 772.
Bot to this pane is na pane tobe peir 1567 Sat. P. vi. 36. 1570 Ib. xxiii. 56.
Thow micht to lordis be perigall and peir

b. Pere and pere, as equal(s) or associate(s). a1400 Leg. S. vi. 634.
Thane sad the Kynge ‘Me think that thu As pere & peyre sais to me now’ ?1438 Alex. ii. 6771.
In middes of Jupiteris hie palais … Was Cassamus set and Gaudefere With thame Lyoun pere and pere Ib. 10212.
Efter thir tua I tell of heir That war togidder peir and peir The battell was full cruell

c. See also Hedy-pere a.

4. a. A companion, play-mate. b. A spouse or consort.a. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 224.
Thai hald euir faloschip with thar feris And plays thaim nocht bot with thar peris 1535 Stewart 59525.
James Stewart … Quhilk playand that wes with his peiris all Than at the catche a1605 Montg. Flyt. 89 (T).
Ga pley with thy peir I sall pay thé lyk a paipb. a1400 Leg. S. xxiv. 114.
A maydine that mycht be his pere Thai socht a1500 Sir Eger 643.
Lady … Have ye not chosen him to your peer? 1535 Stewart 24902.
Ane Cristin king … Agane his faith had done so grit offence To tak ane pagane for to be his peir, His lauchfull wyfe … For to expell 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4520.
[He] is of aige fourscoir of ȝeir And takkis a lass to be his peir Quhilk is not fourtene ȝeiris of aige

5. A member of the nobility of a country; in Scotland, a member of the titled nobility.See also Douzeperis n. pl.(1) c1420 Wynt. viii. 536 (W).
With other gret men presidentis And peris [R. lordis] of the parliamentis c1475 Wall. viii. 15.
Thai … Besocht him [Earl Patrick] fair, as a peyr off the land To [etc.] Ib. x. 911.
The perys off France was still at thair parlement 1564 Crim. Trials I. i. 454.
And becaus sufficient nowmer of barronys and pearis compeirit nocht to pas vpoun the assyise of the saidis lairdis of Geycht, elder and ȝounger 1558-66 Knox II. 561.
Yet Bothwell refused him [the Laird of Tullibardine] saying that he was not a peer of the kingdom as he was 1570 Leslie 109.
Apperand ayre to ane noble peir Alexander Erll of Huntley 1576 Crim. Trials I. ii. 47.
Allegit the said commendater … that he suld haif perise to pas vpoun his assyis in respect that he is ane lord of parliament a1578 Pitsc. II. 156/13.
The Earle of Argyle ane of the peirs and princes of Scottland 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xvi.
Jerusalem … memorable for the manyfold monuments of peeres and people both 1638 T. Hope Diary v.
Peer 1657 Nicoll Diary 207.
The pearis wer the Erle of Cassillis my Lord Ley secretar my Lord Warystoun 1663 Lamont Diary 162.
Peire 1665 Lauder Jrnl. 57.
He sells vin, which heir is thought no disparadgement to no peir of France(2) ?1438 Alex. ii. 7932.
Before the King … The peiris of Grece war gadderit all 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 606.
Alexander with his twelf prudent peris