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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

MESSENGER, n. Sc. usage in comb.: Messenger-at-arms, †-of-arms, and curtailed form Messenger, an officer appointed by the Lord Lyon King-at-Arms to serve under the Courts of Session and Justiciary, his chief function being to execute summonses and letters of Diligence (Sc. 1946 A. D. Gibb Legal Terms 55). Hence messengery, the office of Messenger-at-arms with attendant duties (Sc. 1753 R. Thomson Office of Messenger 17).Sc. 1708 W. Forbes Decisions (1714) 263:
For 'tis not the party's having the Copy, which might accidentally come to his Hands many Ways, but the Messenger's observing the legal Form, that renders an Execution valid. The Execution bears that the Messenger had left a Copy with Sir James's Servant where he lodg'd in Edinburgh in the Morning, when Sir James was asleep in Bed.Edb. 1734 Caled. Mercury (30 July):
These give Notice to all His Majesty's Lieges, Not to employ any of the following Messengers of Arms in executing any of His Majesty's Letters; they being publickly deprived of their Office of Messengery.Sc. 1747 Ib. (30 April):
That there is a Pursevant's Office to be sold . . . the Office includes in it that of a Messenger at Arms, which the Purchaser may exerce or not as he shall think meet.Sc. 1773 Erskine Institute i. iv. § 32:
The first mention made in our statutes of messengers or officers at arms is in 1587, c.46, which appoints a fixed number to be named by the Lyon for each county . . . They are subservient to the Supreme Courts of Session and Justiciary, and are employed in executing all summonses and letters of diligence, both in civil and criminal matters. At their admission they receive a silver blazon, on which the king's arms are engraved, as a badge of their office, and a wand or rod usually called the wand of peace.Sc. 1800 Edb. Weekly Jnl. (10 Dec.) 393:
John Beddie is gone to Wigton to practice as a Writer and Messenger.Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie vi.:
John Gledd, the messenger, . . . ance promised as muckle.Abd. 1872 J. Michie Deeside Tales 17:
A messenger-at-arms . . . the terror of evil doers far and wide, was despatched from Aberdeen to secure him alive or dead.Arg. 1914 N. Munro New Road iii.:
Ninian . . . took up the beachdair [scout] business, but dignified and cloaked a little by the sounding name of Messenger-at-Arms, though such a thing as a citation never soiled his hands.