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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.

Boist, Boyst, n. Also: bost, bouste, booste. [ME. boiste, boyste, OF. boiste (F. boîte) . See also Buist.]

1. A small box, used for containing ointment, spices, confects, etc.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 294.
Scho has brocht A boyst of oyle 1490 Irland Mir. I. 145/26.
As the balme or precius wnȝement, als lang as it is includit in the boist makis na gret sauour, but eftir the boist be opynnit [etc.] Ib. MS. 167 b.
The sacramentis are the boistis contenand the hevinly liquor 1493 Acta Conc. 284/1.
A spise boist of siluer 1506 Treas. Acc. III. 342.
Ane boyst of confectis a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 7.
Haill, boist of balme c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matt. xxvi. 7.
A woman that had a boist [Wycl. box] of alabastre of precious onyement 1539 Treas. Acc. VII. 184.
Ane boist of annet comfeit 1581 Misc. Spald. C. V. 53.
Four boistis of confectiounis succur 1590 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 331.
xij boistis scrochertis and confectis 1608 Wedderburn Compt Bk. 115.
I propynit the Laird of Kynnard ... with my tren trunscheouris and boyst(b) a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 111.
A bouste of precius vngument Ib. xxxi. 290.
He … gert bryng oyle … & in a bost it gef hyr sone 1629 Boyd Last B. 195.
What is it that hath his stomacke into a booste, and his eyes into his pocket? It is ... an olde man fedde with booste confections a1651 Calderwood II. 33.
Keeping of bread in boxes or boostes

2. A box or receptacle for other uses, e.g. a cuppingbox, an alms box, a burial urn. (See quots.) c 1420 Liber Calchou 450.
Be thu ventosyd on the thé with a boyst Ib. 451.
Be ventosyt betwex the schulderis with boystis 1451 Acts II. 40/2.
That the master of the moné sal ansuere for al gold and siluer that salbe strikyn … & put it in his boist 1525 Treas. Acc. V. 254.
Item, to the blak freris boyst, gevin xiiij s. 1531 M. Works Acc. II. 5.
Ane grete bund plait & boist to ane of the forsaid lychtis 1533 Boece III. xx. 121.
Romanis placit the powder of his body in ane vrne or boist within the tempill 1540 Treas. Acc. VII. 397.
Ane boist to keip hoistis in 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 356.
Ane boist … to keip the lettres that wes producit befoir the lords 1616 Wedderburn Compt Bk. 105.
My boyst of ben [= bone] for tobacco