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

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

Targ(e, Tairge, n. Also: tayrge, tairdge, terge, tearge. [ME and e.m.E. targe (1297), terge (1569), OF targe, late OE targe, targa, ON targa.] A targe, a light round shield or buckler. 1265 Exch. R. I 28.]
[In xiiij targis bene munitis, scilicet, targa pro v s.(a) ?1438 Alex. i 3215.
Smot him … Vpone the birnie … Befoir the targe that he couth beir 1460 Montrose Baillie Ct. 13b (26 Jan.).
It is akyt that ylke man sal hawe a targ c1475 Wall. viii 799.
Feill Inglismen … With schot was slayn, for all thar targis strang 1481 Acts II 132/2.
That euery aixman that has nowther spere nor bow sal hafe a targe of tree or leder efter the fassoun of the example that salbe send to ilk schiref 1503 Treas. Acc. II 408.
For ij elne blak gray quhilk covirit the kingis targe c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 183.
Than come Resoun with schelde of gold so clere … scho [sc. Venus] bad go mak persute At all powere to perse the goldyn targe [B. terge] 1508 Treas. Acc. IV 137.
For making of tua batall axes, … tua suordis, tua targis of gold 1508 Treas. Acc. IV 129.
For v rede skinnis to targeis 1513 Treas. Acc. IV 476.
To Johne Watson, smyth, for the banding of thre skor of targis … and to ane sadlair for the handing of thaim 1513 Doug. iii ix 90.
Hys mekil e … Als braid as is a Gregioun scheild or targe 1533 Bell. Livy I 34/1.
To fulfil thare promis thai kest at hir al thare targis quhilkis thai bure on thare left armes c1590 Fowler I 73/162.
Sche had … in hir hand that cristall targe that wrought Medusa spyte c1590 J. Stewart 31/61.
As bruckill glass he did aschunder bring His targe of steil 1595–6 Elgin Rec. I 221.
With bow, schraif, knaipskais, swordis and targis, according to the hiland custowme(b) 1549 Compl. 42/4.
Tairgis a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 341.
Tayrgis 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 26 Sept.
2 heidpeices of pruff, a tairge of pruf 1637 Justiciary Cases II 346.
Tairdges(c) 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 173.
The Albianis … schott … arrowis and ganȝeis, bot the Romanis … eschewit the samyn with thair tergis(d) 1636 Edinb. Test. LVII 323b.
Tearge

b. A representation of a targe. a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 559.
Anno 776 two fiery targes appear against the Saxons, when they are to fight against Charles the Great at Herburgh

c. Braid targis (translating L. testudines), large portable wooden constructions under which besiegers could shelter from attack from above. 1533 Bell. Livy II 147/33.
Quhat sal I speik of [the] towris, sowis, braid targis, and other sindri ingynis that thai maid to wyn the toun? 1533 Bell. Livy II 214/17.
Eftir that thai had made thare sowis & braid targis to assailȝe the wallis

d. fig. 1456 Hay II 5/28.
The glorious passioun of Crist, the quhilk he traistit suld be a targe betuix him and the inymy of mankynde 1513 Doug. xi Prol. 101.
Rays hie the targe of faith vp in thy hand 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 390.
I se Dame Force mak assistance, Berand thy targe of assurance 1531 Bell. Boece I 182.
To renew the wall of Adrian [sc. Hadrian], that the samin micht be ane targe … aganis the violence of Scottis and Pichtis 1531 Bell. Boece II 481.
To ressave him under thair targe, protectioun, and benevolence 1567 G. Ball. 95.
God … Our strength and targe to saif vs fra mischeif 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 31.
Als the samyn [sc. powder] inclusit in purpoure taffaties, may be maid and applictit as ane tairge defensiue for the hart a1578 Pitsc. I 66/11.
To theif and reiver he was ane sicker targe, and … ane plaine enemie to good men 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 19/18.
I haue no targe to oppone but plainnesse