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.
Quotation dates: 1375-1672
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Spanȝe, Spane, n. Also: Spanȝie, -ȝee, -ȝhe, -yhe, -y(i)e, Spangȝe, -yie, Spaneȝe, Spainȝ(i)e, -y(i)e, Spaing(ȝ)e, Spaynȝe, -yhe, Spayngȝie, Spaigneȝe, Spenȝ(e, Spenȝie, -ȝei, Speneȝee, (Sponiȝie), Spain(e, Spayne, Spaigne. [ME and e.m.E. Spaine (c1205), Spayne (1297), Spaigne (Mannyng), Spayne (1486), AF Espayne, Espaigne, late L. Spānia. Cf. OE Ispania and Hispanȝee adj.]
A. noun. Spain.Also proverb.(a) 1375 Barb. iii 688.
Gret stremys … als peralous and mar … As … The … strait off Marrok into Spanȝe a1400 Legends of the Saints iv 256. 1434–5 Reg. St. A. 419.
Domino David de Spanyhe 1488 Treasurer's Accounts I 97.
To Lyon harrot and Snawdon to pas in France and Spaneȝe 1492 Myll Spectakle of Luf 295/13.
It is wyrttyn in the corniklis of Spanȝe that [etc.] c1515 Asloan MS I 323/25.
Julius Cesar subdewit to Rome Fraunce Spanȝe Brettane and the west partis 1506 Treasurer's Accounts III 50.
Ane cote of the fasoun of Spanȝee 1531 Bell. Boece I 5.
Fornens Spanye, to the north, wes ane ile [etc.] 1536 Treasurer's Accounts VIII 156.
Coft fra the purs of Spanȝe iij tiers quhit wyne 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4575.
The princis of Allmanȝie, Spanȝie [Ch. Spainȝe], Flanderis, and Italie This present ȝeir ar all on flocht 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 15/15.
I hef beene excersit in the veyris baytht in Ytalie ande in Spangȝe 1561 Reg. Privy C. I 177.
Clerkis billis and utheris writingis … all writtin in the language of Spangȝie; and being schippit for the maist part in name of Spangȝeartis and indwellaris of Spanȝe 1566 Sel. MSS Q. Mary 172.
Spangȝe 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 8.
[In 1450] enterit sic pestilence in Asia & occupeit Illirica … and Spanȝe mony ȝeris(b) 1456 Hay I 16/13.
Spaynȝe 1456 Hay I 107/27.
Ȝit is thare sindry othir realmes that obeyis nocht to the emperoure, as France, Spaigneȝe [etc.] 1456 Hay I 139/3.
The King of Spaynȝeis men c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 193/14 (M) (see b below).
Spainȝe 1610 Hist. Carnegies 345.
Spainge(c) c1420 Wynt. iii 1050.
The kynryk off Spayne [C. Spanȝhe] c1420 Wynt. iii 1042.
Thare wes regnand a mychty kyng, That had all Spayne in governyng 1456 Hay I 138/17.
The King of Spaigne a1500 Tale of the Colkelbie Sow i 325.
Than all assemblit with a gamyn … Sum countirfutit the gyis of Spane a1500 Prestis of Peblis 53.
Spane 1531 Bell. Boece I viii.
Thoucht thow had France and Italie also, Spane, Inglande, Pole, with othir realmes mo, … Thy pissant kingdome is nocht worth ane stro 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 291.
He [sc. the Lord] shewed them … that he would not remove neither for the Pope nor Spain's pleasure 1594 Reg. Privy C. VI 195.
[A ship … was] directit toward Spayne, laidnit … with knappald [etc.] 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Asturco, a jennat of Spaine 1596 Dalr. II 13/23.
He returnis now to Scotland frome Hierusalem be Spane 1639 Baillie I 217.
Nothing what England, Spaine, France, Holland, could afford, was there laicking on their fieldsproverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 635.
He bigs castels in Spaine
b. Fleis of Spenȝie, appar. a venereal disease, ? = Spanȝe pockis. Cf. Spanȝe fle, 6 b below. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 193/14.
He that … is forfairn with the fleis of Spenȝie [M. Spainȝe]
B. attrib. 1. = Spanis adj. and n. 1.(a) 1465–6 Aberd. B. Rec. MS V i p. 572 (29 Jan.).
The mayster of the Spanȝe barge c1500 Crying of Play 69.
Scho fischit all the Spanȝe seis With hir sark lape befor hir theis 1518 Treasurer's Accounts V 163. 1533 Boece 9.
How the Spanȝe prestis inducit Scottis to adoracioun of ane god(b) c1420 Wynt. ii 817.
Syne in to [the] Spaynyhe [C. Spanȝhe] se He hapnyd to cum wytht his menyhe a1500 Bk. Chess 743.
Spaingȝe 15.. Clariodus i 1459 (see Spanis adj. and n. 1 (c)).
Spainȝie 1588 Cal. Sc. P. IX 624.
Personis … of the Spayngȝie navie … haif maid schipwrak upoun the coist of Ireland
2. = Spanis adj. and n. 2. a. Of things in general.(1) 1496 Treasurer's Accounts I 282.
Spanȝe irne 1529 Treasurer's Accounts V 372.
Spanȝe irne to mak pikkis and mattokis 1532 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) I 112.
Spanye irne 1540 Treasurer's Accounts VII 352, etc.
Spanȝe irne … to be slottis, bandis, ringis [etc.] … for the artalȝery 1571 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 452.
For ane stane of Spanȝe yrin to the towng of the gryt bell c1575 Balfour Pract. 88.
Of the Custumis … Sax score endis of Spanȝie irne is ane last(b) 1494 Treasurer's Accounts I 250.
Spenȝe(2) 1512 Treasurer's Accounts IV 420.
For ane bred of fyne Spanȝe buche ix li. 1535–6 Treasurer's Accounts VI 277.
To be ane coit … ane ȝallow Spanȝe skyn … xx s. 1539 Treasurer's Accounts VII 173.
Twa pair of butis in Spanȝe skynnis 1551 Treasurer's Accounts X 29.
Spanȝe skynnis … to cover ane sadill 1566 Treasurer's Accounts XI 510.
x Spanȝe skynnis of marikyn to be … cottis witht slevis 1580 Edinburgh Testaments VIII 364.
Tua dossoun of blak Spanȝe cat skynnis — 1565 Hay Fleming The Reformation in Scotland (1910) 611.
Speneȝee 1565 Hay Fleming The Reformation in Scotland (1910) 611.
Spenȝie(3) 1533 Treasurer's Accounts VI 87.
Ane quarter Spanȝe freis 1538–9 Treasurer's Accounts VII 134, etc.
Spenȝe 1566 Treasurer's Accounts XI 500.
iij elnis of Spanȝe taffeteis to lyne … the samyn 1566 Treasurer's Accounts XI 503.
Ane elne … of reid Spanȝe taffeteis to lyne the said collet 1570 Treasurer's Accounts XII 230.
Thre quarteris and ane half of Spainyie taiffitieis(4) 1515 Yester Wr. 119.
Spanȝe ducet 1562 Dumfries B. Ct. fol. 120.
i Spanȝe riale 1574 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 21.
Siluer … of the fynnes of the Spanye ryall 1582–3 Reg. Privy C. III 559.
Spainȝie 1583 Crail B. Ct. MS 23 April.
Spenȝei(5) 1583 Edinburgh Testaments XII 55b.
Thrie Spanȝe bowheis of gold 1582–3 Elgin Rec. I 169.
Tua Spainȝe beidis(b) 1618 Bk. Dunvegan I 117.
Twa paperis full of Sponiȝie neidelis
b. As part of a plant, etc. name. Also absol. ? Spanish cane. 1535 Stewart 58487.
In at the windo with ane spanȝe reid Of hir pap scho leit the milk in pas, Quhairwith ane lang tyme he sustenit was 1541 Treasurer's Accounts VII 498.
For the baring and carting of iiijcxlviij pikkis of Spanȝe esche 1597 Criminal Trials II 29.
Scho leirnit of Janet Stewart to tak rawff Spainȝie seid, and steip it amang quyte wyne, and gif it to drink, for the fawing-evillabsol. 1672 Aberd. Trades 300.
That no freeman presume in any tyme hereafter to buy any spanȝie privately or publicly … but they sall acquant the deacon of the calling therewith 1672 Aberd. Trades 300.
It being lawfully provided that ilk reedmaker is to have as much spanȝie as serves to mak reeds for the use of the calling and no more
c. = Spanis adj. and n. 2 a, chiefly of a cloak.(1) 1527 Treasurer's Accounts V 303.
iij ellis iij quarteris paryis blak to be the king ane Spanȝe cloik 1537 Treasurer's Accounts VI 344.
For making of ane Spaneȝe cloik begaryit with velvet iiij s. 1565 Treasurer's Accounts XI 443.
Foure elnis of serge of Florence to be ane Spanȝe cloke(b) 1539 Treasurer's Accounts VII 193.
Frenche blak, to be him ane Spenȝe cloik to his mariage 1567 Nugae Scoticae 13.
Spenȝ(c) c1550 Rolland Court of Venus i 88.
His Spainȝe cloik was of the holine hew: Betakinnit ȝouth(2) 1552–3 Treasurer's Accounts X 164.
Taffateis … to lyne ane Spanȝe felt hat
3. Spanish in style. 1511 Treasurer's Accounts IV 197.
v½ elnis skerlet to be the King ane cloik of the Spanȝee fassone 1562 Treasurer's Accounts XI 230.
Ane elne ij quarteris of blak welvet to be ane bodie to ane goune in the Spanȝe fassone
4. Spanȝie pockis, appar. a venereal disease, ? syphilis. Cf. Spanis adj. 3 and Spanȝe fle below. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 105/30.
Sum fra the bordell wald nocht byd Quhill that thai gatt the Spanȝie [R. Spaneȝe] pockis
5. Spanȝe fle. a. Cantharides, a rubefacient and diuretic; appar. used as an aphrodisiac or love potion. Also personified. 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 2693.
Quhat thay [sc. women] wald haue, that thing thay will not want, … giue thame the Spanȝe fleis That may serue weill sic ane vnsonsie sanct 1601 Trial David Roy 2.
He maid ane drink of Spenȝie fleis, callit … cantarides 1601 Dalyell Darker Superst. 206.
He wald gif thé sum Spanyie fleis, callit cantarides, quhilk gif thow suld move the said Elizabeth to drynk of, it vald mak hir out of all questione to grene after thépersonified 15.. Lord Fergus' Gaist 87.
Quha coniurit the littill gaste, sa ȝe Nane bot the littill Spenȝie fle, That with hir wit and ingyne Gart the gaist leif agane And syne mareid the gaist the fle
b. A disease of some sort, = Spanȝe pockis. a1605 Montg. Flyt. 308 (T).
The feveris, the totteris with the Spenȝie fleis, The doyt, and the dysmell, indifferentlie delt
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