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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Assay, n. Also: assaye, -ey, -y. [ME. assay, assaie (14th c.), OF. assai, assay, var. of essai, essay: cf. Essay n.]

1. Trial of courage or endurance.1375 Barb. viii. 516 (mony hard assay); x. 37 (in all assayis); etc. a1400 Leg. S. xxix. 553 (set in herd assay). c1420 Wynt. iii. 328 (sa hard assay); viii. 4738 (at assay). c1450-2 Howlat 394 (bald in assay). 1513 Doug. iii. vi. 144 (into sa hard assay). 1570 Sat. P. xiii. 113 (but manheid at assay).

2. An attack or assault.1375 Barb. ix. 604 (the fors of that first assay); xiv. 34 (but bargane or assay). c1420 Wynt. iv. 726 (made hard assay); viii. 2654 (agane this ane assay). c1450-2 Howlat 596 (sad signe of assay). c1475 Wall. iv. 628 (a sar assay). c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 170 (thair scharp assayes). 1513 Doug. ii. viii. 193 (to batale and assay). c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3159 (gaif so gret assaye). 1571 Sat. P. xxvi. 43 (for feir of weir assay).

3. Trial of fact or of worth; experiment, proof.a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 384 (quhat sal fal be assay); xxxii. 657 (provit be assay). c1420 Wynt. i. 79 (set in lyk assay); viii. 6666 (at assay). 1492 Myll Spect. 288 (of euery man to haif assay). 1513 Doug. ii. ii. 12 (to bryng to gude assay). 1560 Rolland Seven S. 202/9 (at sic assay).

b. Assay of metals. 1453 Exch. R. V. 556.
Thar was deliverit … vij assais of gold Ib.
The assais of silvir and gold 1487 Acts II. 182/2.
The wardane to present his assayis in the chekker 1526 Acta Conc. MS. XXXVI. 58.
Thre keis of the box of assais 1554 Treas. Acc. X. 263.
To … ane unce of silver to mak certane peces of money to be an assay of his cuinȝie 1614 Conv. Burghs II. 457.
To delyver to ilk burgh ane assay of tyne markit with the towns mark of Edinburghattrib. 1526 Acta Conc. MS. XXXVI. 58 (the assay box). 1581 Reg. Privy C. III. 375 (the assey box). 1609 Hilderstoun Mines I. 191 b (the assay hous). 1669 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. III. 637.
Mr Henry Aldcorne, assy master of the Mint

c. Demonstration of ability or capacity, spec. of one who has learned a trade. 1564 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 188.
That thay mak thair assay of colouris [in dyeing] Ib.
The wordynes of the said assay gevar 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 124.
I haivand knowledge … tuik on hand to give ane assay 1573 Bk. Old Edinb. Club VI. 60.
The samyn prenteis … gevand his assay quhen pleissis him 1587 Dundee B. Laws 474.
He salbe astrictit … to gif in to the said dekin ane assey and maister stik off that craft 1599 Edinb. B. Rec. 241.
Ane of the maisters of thair grammer schole … [to have] ane assay to teache his clas quhill Witsonday 1607 Dundee B. Laws 411.
The forme of the assey of every intrant maister to be produceit to the Dekyn [of the skinners]

4. Proved or tried value.a1400 Leg. S. vi. 281 (saphir of assay). c1450-2 Howlat 762 (the schalme of assay).