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

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

Reuth, n. Also: reuthe, reutht(e, rewth(e, rewtht; rewith(e; ruth, rwth, routh, rueth; royth. [ME and e.m.E. rowthe (c1175), reuhđ (c1200), reođe, ræuđe (c1205), reouþe (a1225), rewđe (c1250), ruthe (c1300), also rawþe (14th c.), etc.; Rew v. Cf. OE hreow Rew n.³ and ON hryggđ.]

1. Compassion, pity. Also personified.(1) 1375 Barb. iii 534.
Ane opynnyng Off hart, that schawis the tendernys Off rewth that in it closyt is c1420 Wynt. iv 1945.
Fra reuth [W. routh, C. rewithe] thai sall thare erys dyt … Mare deffe than ony awsk 1456 Hay II 112/37.
As he seis men change thayr … inclynaciounis be … reuth, abstinence, fasting [etc.] a1500 Henr. Fab. 1468.
In euerie iuge mercy and reuth suld be As assessouris a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 282.
Behald thi Maker … Off reuth [the] rute c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 39/33.
Rewthe, luif, is nocht, helpe ȝe not in this case c1500 Makc. MS iv 1.
Rewtht 1513 Doug. vi v 78.
Anchises son … of this hard forton kauch rewth in hart Ib. ix viii 94.
The Troiane myndis all War smyte with reuth Ib. x xiii 151.
He sychit … And drew abak his hand, and rewth has hynt 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10525.
Richt and ressoun and reuth quyte fra me ran c1568 Lauder Minor P. ii 83.
Sen reuth is none, nor ȝit pitie: How lang, Lord, wyll this warld indure? a1585 Maitl. Q. 117/118.
ȝour reuthe sall rew on me a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxiii 9.
If rigour reiv not reuth(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 316 (Ch. & M.).
Nevir bot in a gentill hert is generit ony ruth(c) a1568 Bann. MS 293a/149.
Callis thow that rewith quhilk of thair self na rakkis(d) 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas i 780.
If Jove doth rueth or equity regarde 1604-31 Craig v 9.
Rueth(2) 1461 Liber Plusc. 383.
Quhilk Deed has reft but reuth or rapentance a1500 Henr. Prayer 39.
Thow that, but rewth, vpoun the rud wes rent a1500 Seven S. 2082.
Scho gart him sla withoutin reuth c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 19/124.
I have synnit … In prodigall spending but reuth of pure folkis neding 1535 Stewart 2732.
Tha did thame all to deid But ony rewth 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 8 (M).
The king of farie … band me … Without routh in ane lang raip of sand a1578 Pitsc. I 79/29.
Murtheraris … that … oppressit the poor commons but rwth or pettie a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xx 39.
Thoght love suld rage but reuth(3) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 966.
Knichtis ramyt for reuth, Schir Gawyne thai rew 1513 Doug. x viii 67.
Hydand his smart for rewth of Pallas ȝyng 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece I vi.
Morpheus, … For very reuth did on my curis weip 15.. Clar. iii 670.
Lady, for rewth we will apply To save ȝour lyfe a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1143 (Wr.).
For neither rigour nor for rueth Id. Sonn. lvi 14.
Except for ruth the hevins suld thame ressave(4) 1513 Doug. vi xv 78.
Thy hand onvenquyst in batale, O quhat reuth!(5) personified a1500 K. Hart 116.
Servit this quene Dame Plesance … Reuth and Gud Fame [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 10/101.
Reuth in to my eir ay rounde [etc.]

b. Freq. in the phr. to have reuth (of or on (upon) a person or community, also a condition). Also without const.(1) a1400 Leg. S. iv 104.
James, Goddis apostole dere, Haf reutht of ws Ib. xxxv 158.
Of me haf reutht, fore Thi pyte ?1438 Alex. i 2116.
Thairfoir, shir, … Haif of thir folk reuth and pitie c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 193/19.
Ane maister … That nevir of him will haif no rewth 1513 Doug. ix xiii 18.
Of ȝour onsilly cuntre haue ȝhe na rewth? c1540 Lynd. Kitteis Conf. 127.
And he sall of thy saule haue reuth a1568 Bann. MS 222a/12.
Quhairfoir sweit hairt of me haif rewth and rew a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 37/24.
And of the pure haue reuth(b) 1538 Crim. Trials I i 205.
To haf royth and piete of my sad spous(c) a1578 Pitsc. I 109/20.
To haue ruth and pettie of him quhome he hes owercome(2) a1500 Henr. Orph. 286.
Orpheus had reuth of his grete nede a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1141 (Asl.). 1513 Doug. v vi 111.
It moste be to me leful, rewth to haue Of my frendis myschance(3) 1490 Irland Mir. I 109/3.
Haue piete Lord and reuthe now on mankind 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8432.
On him thay had reuth and compassioun 1567 G. Ball. 170.
O Lord, … Haif reuth on me thy creature c1568 Lauder Minor P. ii 47.
Upon trew preacheouris few hes reuth c1600 Montg. Suppl. ix 36.
Sueit hert haif reuthe on me — 1513 Doug. ii ii 155. Ib. i ix 30.
Haue rewth and piete on sa feil harmys smart a1568 Bann. MS 249a/11.
Scho hes no rewth On my daly distres(4) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 911.
He that reutht ay in hert had Ib. x 519.
Reuthte 1460 Hay Alex. (S.T.S.) 3464.
Sen that ȝe se ws vexit thus Ȝe wald haue reuth and take this ambassade a1500 Quare Jel. 211.
Compassioun haue and reuth vpoun the nede 1535 Stewart 22844.
Grit reuth and petie in his hart he hed a1568 Scott xxvi 31.
Thay wald be rewit, and hes no rewth a1578 Pitsc. I 39/24.
Thair was no man bot he wald have ruth and petie 1616 Inverness Rec. II 145.
The judges, haiving reuthe and compassione in mercie

c. Reuth was, it was (wer) reuth, it was an occasion of sorrow or compassion; it was pitiful. a1400 Leg. S. xxi 96.
That rewth was to se hyre stat a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1129.
The roy ramand ful raith, that reuth wes to se a1500 Henr. Fab. 2705.
Wes not this reuth … To gar this selie lamb but gilt thus de? c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 180/91.
Gret reuth it wer that so suld be 1513 Doug. v ix 38. Ib. xiii v 22.
Bot it was reuth, the fowle, for al hys wark, Ne mycht he twich

2. a. Remorse, repentance. b. Expression of grief, lamentation.a. c1420 Wynt. v 5327.
Yhe wald noucht Wyth rewth off hart for-thynk youre synb. 1460 Hay Alex. (S.T.S.) 3919.
Bot pitie was to here Emenedus The reuth and the regrett that he of him made And the grete sorrow that he for him hade