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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.

Blis, Blys, n. Also: blise, blyse, blyis; blesse. [ME. blis(se, blysse, (blesse), OE. blis(s, earlier blíps, f. blíðe Blith a.]

1. Bliss, happiness.a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 701 (of blythnes & of blyse). ?1438 Alex. ii. 128 (tell me thy blis, thy bale). c1450-2 Howlat 721 (haile, beld of our blis). c1475 Wall. ii. 440 (in myrth blys and plesance). a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 32 (withoutin beilding of blis); 171 (boidword of blis). c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 51 (it is bair of blis and bailfull); Ib. 205 (of blise may thai sing). 1513 Doug. i. viii. 16 (reiosyng and secrete hartis blys); viii. Prol. 72 (all hir blys gane is). 1535 Stewart 51325 (of blis that war full bair). c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1037 (they past the tyme with ioy and blis). 1572 Sat. P. xxxii. 91 (the curse thé wareis, but blis). 1611-57 Mure Dido ii. 520 (what froward fate hath turn'd thy blesse to baill?).

b. Applied to persons.a1400 Leg. S. i. 103 (Petir, my ioy, my blys); xxiv. 494 (my blyse, my beld, my lef-mane dere). a1500 Prestis of Peblis 85 (welcome, my burges, beld & blis). Ib. 127 (my blis & all my beld).

2. spec. The joy of heaven.a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 145 (the blis of hewin); iii. 1154 (to bruk that blyse with dere Ihesu). c1420 Wynt. v. 1223 (this brocht his saule to blys); viii. 1861. a1500 Henr. Fab. 787 (to blis withoutin end). a1500 Bk. Chess 2190 (to bring ws to his blys). a1500 Doug. K. Hart 680 (demit outher to baill or blis). Id. Æn. i. Prol. 456 (thy moder, queyn of blys); ix. Prol. 8 (the perfyte gait to blys). 1567 G. Ball. 59 (we sall ring with him in blis). a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxxiv. 14 (in blis or bale to wyne). 1611-57 Mure Doomsd. 464 (adjudg't in blesse to byde).