Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Reply, -pley, n. Also: -plie; -play. [Reply v.¹. Cf. e.m.E. reply (1560), -plie.] The reply given by the pursuer in a law-suit to an exception raised by the defender; a counter-answer (in a formal argument).(a) 1565 Instit. Ct. Sess. in Edinb. Univ. MS La. iii 388a fol. 5a.
And siclyk thre peremptouris or replyis being anes proponit be toung or gevin in be writ … sall nocht be lesum to the pairteis to mend a1568 Bann. MS I p. 3/58.
Thir ladyes faire contending besely With argument and mony strang replyis Befoir the blissit fader 1569 Canongate Ct. Bk. 105.
To heir probatioun led of the said Maister Johnne libell and fift reply proponit in the actioun persewit be the said Maister Johnne 1596 Melvill 344.
The right, disposition, or uther deid … salbe reducit and annullit, as weill be way of exceptioun, reply, or duply, as be way of actioun 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 115, 115b.
As ane exception may take away the libell: swa the persewer may fortifie his libell, be ane replie: and thereby elide, and take away the exception. And therfore the reply is called pars libelli, ane part of the libell 1622-6 Bisset I 183/8.
The defender, quha propones the exception, for fortificatioun thairof may propone ane duply aganis the lybell and reply c1630 Hope Minor Practicks (1734) 30.
The answer that the pursuer makes to the exception, is called a reply … and so forward, the pursuer and defender mutually answers replies, duplies, triplies, quadruplies, etc. 1645 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 45.
The Schireff Deput haveing … considderit the persewares lybellit sumonds executioune thairof defenders defenssis and eik and reply maid thairto for the said persewares [etc.] 1664 Inventory 7 in Decr. Dalr. XI.
Reply, duply, and triply being considered be the saids lords 1681 Stair Inst. iv xl § 15.
But though in other ordinary disputes, any answer is called an exception, and any answer to that answer is called a reply, … yet legal disputes require another accuracy; and therefore nothing should be called an exception, but what is a positive allegeance eliding a libel; nor should any thing be called a reply, but a positive allegeance eliding the exception(b) 1578 Acts III 103/1.
Bot the first confirmatioun of the last infeftment sall prevaill to the last confirmatioun of the first infeftment be way of exceptioun or replay(c) a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 112.
Quhilk repley wes repelled, and the exception sustained 16.. Admir. Ct. Form 55b.
The judge … causes the persevers … make severall answers or repleyes to ilk defence or deception Ib. 56b.
Incaice the persewar produce ane wrytt for proveing of his lybell or repley

b. A letter written in reply to an earlier letter or saying. 1657 Balfour Ann. IV 89.
He had sent … a replay to the Committee of Estaits anssuer to his foolishe declaratione