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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.

Closter, Cloister, n. Also: clostyr, -ir, clostre; cloystyr, -ir, -er, cloistir; cloastear. [ME. closter (c 1330), clostyre, OF. clostre, and cloyster, cloistre (c 1300), OF. cloistre. The forms with oi, oy in Sc. are merely graphic for closter.]

1. A cloister, monastery. Also fig.(a) c1420 Wynt. vii. 876.
The Kyng yhede to the clostyr swn; Swylk a clostyr as than wes Ib. 883.
The kyng in to the clostyr thare And lordys … Conferryd a qwhill a1500 Henr. Fab. 661 (B).
Freir Wolf Waitskath … was new cum of clostir, With beidis on hand, sayand his paternoster c1515 Asl. MS. II. 272/2.
Closter of Crist, riche recent flour delys, Aue Maria 1513 Doug. ii. xii. 3.
At the porchis or clostir of Juno, Than al bot waist 1535 Stewart 28502.
He … tuke his rest … Into the closter quhill his latter da c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2315.
In kirk, in queir, and in the closter, Prayand to thame our pater noster 1558 Haddington Corr. 264.
Turweand the leid of thair closter … and spulȝeing thair dedicate place 1587 Acts III. 437/1.
The place quhair the abbay kirk and closter … stude … , quhilk is now rwinous 1596 Dalr. I. 34/5.
Nocht far frome thir walis was a noble clostre and large of the Cartusianis Ib. 266/21.
The Scotis Clostiris, in quhilkes … Scotis, ȝe in this age, haue beine Abbatis 1622-6 Bisset II. 390/30.
Gulliame … caused build many abbayis and closteris of religious men(b) c1420 Wynt. vii. 876 (C).
The kynge ȝheide to the cloystir son; Swylk a cloystyr as than was 1567 G. Ball. 205.
The sisteris gray, befoir this day, Did crune within thair cloister [: foster] (a1570-86 Dunb.) Maitl. F. lxx. 1.
Amang thir freiris, within ane cloister [: pater noster] I enterit in ane oritorie(c) 1558-66 Knox I. 62.
The trewth … entered evin in the cloastearis alsweall of frearis, as of monkis and channounes

2. Attrib. with dure, logic, threid, woll. 1498 Halyb. 71.
Rasauit ii seks woyll, an closter woyll and the tother broun woyll 1576 Prot. Bk. W. Cumming 161.
The closter dur with bandis and lok Ib.
The ester clostyr dur 1581 Edinb. Test. IX. 184 b.
Tua pund of closter threid … Item xxiiij pund of small birge threid 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xi.
Beware of this closter logick