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

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Regio(u)n(e, n. Also: -iown, -youn, -yown(e, -eo(u)n(e. [ME and e.m.E. region (Manning), -ioun(e, -yon, AF regiun (mod. F. région), L. regiōn- direction, line, district, etc., f. regere to direct."The earliest English uses show association with regere in the sense of ‘to rule’" (OED).]There is some ambiguity between senses 2 and 3, and also between 1 and 3 b.

1. A realm or kingdom; a country; a particular ‘part of the world’.(1) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxvi 766.
Smarag is a faire ton & chefe of the regione c1420 Wynt. iv 2503.
All kynrykys and all regyownys [C. regiownys], Cyteys, castellys, and all townys c1420 Ib. ix 1355.
Off all the warld the regyounys … he gert … rollyd be c1420 Ib. iv 2524.
Regyown c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i 424.
Lord, abide, your men ar martyrit doun … her in this fals regioun c1500 Crying of Play 134.
Edinburgh … Quhilk is the … A per se Of this regioun c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 99/51.
Regeone 1531 Bell. Boece I xxvi.
This regioun … wes namit Deere 1531 Ib. 71.
This regioun, throw the cauld humouris thairof, ingeneris wolffis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 652.
I wald sum prince … In vulgare language planelye gart translait The neidfull lawis of this regioun a1578 Pitsc. I 6/23.
The fyve kingis of the Stewarttis How long thay rang in this regioun 1583 Sempill Warning vi.
Mak nevir ane Romen rewiller in this region(2) c1420 Wynt. iii 901.
Agrigent wes a regyowne … of gud renowne 1456 Hay I 103/17.
God … gevis thame realmes and regiounis ducheryis and erldomys [etc.] 1456 Ib. 11/19. c1515 Asloan MS I 305/8.
Egipt, a mast riall regioun c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 110/53.
In every … regioune, Proclamit is thi name of excellence 1531 Bell. Boece I 139.
Fiffe, quhilk is ane plenteous regioun a1538 Abell 50b.
Tha ar ma ydill men in Scotland as I trow na in ony regioun Christnit 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 6930.
Throw royall realmes, & … riche regiounis, and semelie seir cieteis c1550-c1580 Art of Music 11.
In the iyll of Bretane tua regionis ar contenit … Ingland & Scotland(3) 1460 Hay Alex. (S.T.S.) 2372.
Philip … Haid na mistraisting of na fals tresoun Off his leige men that war of his regioun a1500 Lancelot of the Laik 1645. a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 2688.
He was maid king … And wyslie governit his regioun c1510 Prester John 310.
That ȝe dysyre gretlie to … knaw ws and our regionis our landis and quhat god we wyrscip 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 98.
Ȝoure regeouns c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2010.
This Nynus … wes nocht satifyit … Of his awin regione, nor his rent c1552 Ib. 3065.
Greter realmes … Nor Dauidis lytill regioun 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 383.
Ȝour haill regioun and ryng That ȝe haue in ȝour gouernyng(4) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 103/1.
Gladethe thoue, queyne of Scottis regioun

b. A portion of the earth distinguished by common natural features. 1513 Doug. iv i 87.
Ȝondir [is] the desert region … , Ay ful of thyrst, in barrand Libya c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4205.
All erthly regionis, Alsweill maine land as ylis in the sey

c. An administrative division; a region or district; a part of a larger geographical or political unit. 1531 Bell. Boece I xxviii.
Sum men haldis that Brigance wes the samin regioun of Ingland that is now callit Walis 1533 Boece 335.
In certane of Pichtis regiouns … cheis in ane mas and lump of blude was changeit 1533 Ib. 372.
In euery Scottis regioun salbe men … [who] sall kepe the law bukis

2. A part of the universe. a1400 Legends of the Saints iii 1062.
The erde in his [sc. Christ's] persone Is in the hyeste regione a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 1370 (Harl.).
Off hevin so hie the riall regioun 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 47/21, 23, 30.
The varld is diuidit in tua partis … the regione elementair quhilk is subiect til … corruptione … [and] the regione celest [which] … is diuidit in ten speris … the regione elementair is inclosit vitht in the spere of the mune

3. A part of the heavens, ? originally one corresponding to or influenced by a particular planet or other heavenly body. b. A climate; a season of the year.[Cf. MF region ‘espace de ciel correspondant à chacun de signes du zodiaque’ (Wartburg), etc., also ME climat ‘the region of the earth dominated by a particular planet’, etc. (MED).] 1375 Barb. iv 701 (E).
And off the hewyn all halyly How that the dispositioun Suld apon thingis wyrk her doun On regiones or on climatis a1400 Legends of the Saints vii 286.
Thare wes sene in that regione … syndry Cartys … In-to the ayre pase to & fra 1456 Hay II 113/26.
The ferme hevynnis fra the regioun of the mone upwart a1500 Henr. Orph. 191 (A).
Throw that cald regioun To Jubiter … can he wend c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 160/31.
Undir Saturnus fyrie regioun 1513 Doug. viii iii 2.
The fyry son … ascendit … The myddill ward and regioun of the hevyn 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 58/25.
Rane … is … generit … abufe the vattirs on the eird and syne ascendis in the sycond regione of the ayr c1552 Lynd. Mon. 148.
Phebus … [his] vestiment … lefte in tyll his regioun aurorall a1568 Bannatyne MS 37b/36.
Glaidith ȝe sterris and hevinly spheiris Signis and plenneitis … For He … Throw ȝour bricht regionis maid his blist veyageb. 1456 Hay II 131/3.
[In] autumpne … quhen the sonne enteris in a signe callit the balance … the foulis … sekis till hate landis and warmare regionis c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace v 1.
The dyrk regioun apperand wondyr fast In Nouember … The day faillit a1500 Prestis of Peblis 534.
Midge and fle … war monie fleand vp and doun Throw kynd of ȝeir and hait of that regioun 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 12.
The frosty regioun ryngis of the ȝer

4. A part of the human body. 1687 Cromarty Corr. 51.
But abow all, yow must keep the first region of your bodie cleane