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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Soverance, n. Also: souerans(e, sowerance, sowarns, suuirance, sufferans, -ance. [North. e.m.E. soveraunce (1527-8 in Armstrong Hist. Liddesdale 112). Cf. Assoverance n. and Surance n.] Guarantee of safety or immunity, safe-conduct, truce, or an instance of this. Also const. of (another). Also attrib.The Dalr. quots. may properly belong in Assoverance n. 1309 Dundee Chart. 3.]
[Per treugam seu sufferentiam nec non et aliis viis et modis(1) 1429–30 Acts Jas. I in Ayr B. Ct. 6 March.
Gyf ony of the kyngis legis hais ony dout of hys lyfe owthir be dede or manance or violent presumpcioun and he ask souerance of the party … that he plenȝyt apon [etc.] a1500 Rauf C. 880.
Thy self maid me neuer sa affraid That I for souerance wald haue praid c1475 Wall. viii 498.
Sotheroun marueld giff it suld be Wallace With out souerance come to persew that place c1475 Wall. xi 881.
Bot all her for souerance he wald nocht grant c1475 Wall. viii 534. a1538 Abell 125a.
Ten in the kirtown of Kirkway at he resauit ondir sowerance bot he and his brodir cruellie slew thame 1535 Stewart 56460.
For souerance than to the Douglas tha send 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 15.
Thai gar the word gange heyr that ye haif begylit thaim … and now hes gadderit oder souerance(2) c1475 Wall. viii 544.
Off his souerance I kep nocht for to craiff 1525 St. P. Henry VIII IV 378.
The soverance takin in Parliament betuix hir grace and me … I have observit and kepit 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 107.
Plesit your grace to advertes me of my lord Ergiles souerans, gif it be cumin to my lord of Cowpar or nocht 1547–8 Corr. M. Lorraine 217.
Without thai change purpoys and cum upone me and my frendis because nayne wder off thir partis ar withowt ther souerance c1575 Annandale Corr. 272.
Ye haf na theng of owris … bot … ye haf it vnder ane bwnd trast and sowarns 1596 Dalr. I 192/14.
Angusian … sente legatis agane to treit for a soueranse 1596 Dalr. II 13/1.
The Bruse … leiues to his nobilitie … this counsell … that with Ingland thay take nocht a souerans abone four ȝeiris 1596 Dalr. II 83/15.
Ingland … was in sik calamitie … that Henrie … humblie besocht the Scotis for a suuirance certane ȝeiris 1596 Dalr. II 27/27. 1700 Conv. Burghs IV 304.
That the transgressors doe collour thair delinquencies by obtaining transiers or sufferances to transport the said wool from one port to ane other — c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 1026.
Sine ȝe haifand of vs the souerance [pr. souenance] With hand we may not make hir resistanceattrib. 1663–6 Household Bks. Archb. Sharp 54.
For sufferrance money at Leith

b. The condition or state of immunity secured by such a guarantee. c1475 Wall. vi 898.
Out off souerance gyff that I had him now c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 455.
I pray thé God … [to] gouerne me to sum gude souerance [pr. souenance]

c. To be off sufferans, ? to be in a condition of assured safety; ? to be forbearing, long-suffering (Sufferance n. 1). c1475 Wall. viii 701.
Thocht north be brynt, bettir off sufferans be, Than set all Ingland on a jeperte