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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.

Commodité, -itie, n. Also: comodité, -ithé, -itie; commodyté, -ytie, -yty, -eté, -ety, -atie. [ME. commodité (c 1400), -itee, -yté, etc., OF. commodité, L. commoditas.]

1. pl. Advantages or benefits which may be derived from the possession or use of landed property, etc.Usually coupled with synonymous terms, esp. aisiamentis or esementis, fredomis, or profittis. 1396 Wemyss Chart. II. 23.
Wyd al pertenans, commoditeis, fredomys and esementys 1402 Reg. Panmure II. 184.
Al fredomys, comoditeis, esementis and richtwyse pertenens to the forsayd lande … pertenand 1422 Stirlings of Keir 208.
With al and syndry othyr fredomys, comoditheis, hesementis, and thair rychtwyse pertenence qwhatsumeuer thai be 1469 Peebles B. Rec. 160.
Oure forsayd landis … with all fredomeis, commoditeis, and esiementis to the sayd land pertenand 1480 Orkn. & Shet. Rec. I. 53.
With all and sindry fredomis, commoditeis, asyamentis, and rychtwyse pertinentis 1531 Bell. Boece II. 250.
To rejose the commoditeis and proffettis of thair said landis 1568 Peebles B. Rec. 74.
The rentis, prouentis, emolimentis, commoditeis, dewiteis, and vtheris proffittis of the samin pertenand to the said prebendarie 1587 Melrose R. Rec. III. 333.
With all uther aisiamentis, profeitis and commoditeis perteining … thairto 1607 Acts IV. 399/2.
The haill temporall landis … with the abbay places, closteris, ȝairdis, orchardis, and all aismentis and commoditeis within the samin

2. Advantage, benefit, convenience, use. c1420 Wynt. i. 922.
Thare now is bot a Dede Se, Wytht-owt ony commodyte 1531 Bell. Boece I. 13.
Be quhilkis doingis, thay micht have incredibill commodite Ib. 105.
He thocht the same to be desirit, gif it micht do him ony commodite 1549 Compl. 131/28.
Ve can hef na comodite of the necessair thingis that ar requirit 1558 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 151.
That thair parentis may get the proffect of the benefice to thare awin singulare commoditie 1575 Conv. Burghs I. 38.
We pray ȝow be with us, nocht onlie for ȝour awin commoditie, bot for ȝour counsall 1597 Skene Verb. S. To Reader.
The proffite and commoditie redoundis to thee

b. An advantage or benefit; a useful thing. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2989.
Scho hard tell Quhow that the Ynde Orientell Preceld in gret commoditeis 1568 Pref. Lyndsay 9.
He that tuke lytill laubouris on it man inioy the frutes and commoditeis of it 1584 Reg. Privy C. III. 681.
A … meane quhairby his Majestie … may import a greit proffeit and commoditie

3. Occasion, opportunity. 1549 Compl. 131/12.
Ane Spangȝard … strak Ferrand kyng of Spangȝe vitht ane knyf on the crag, … heffand commodite and tyme opportune 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 8.
Al other thyngis … to be doin as commodite and tyme occurris 1578 Bk. Univ. Kirk II. 411.
They had not commoditie to meit with them, and now are both off the toun 1596 Highland P. I. 181.
What comoditie gave ȝe for doeing the deed?