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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Dispens, Dispence, n. Also: dyspens, -pence, dispense. [ME. dispens (Wyclif), -ense, -ence, and despense, -spens (c 1320), OF. despens(e, L. dispensa, -sum.]

1. Spending, expenditure; pl. expenses.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxix. 563.
The emperoure … send thame furth on thare way With gret dispens til assay 1398 Acts I. 211/1.
That the lieutenande sal tak his dispens & costages in his traualys richt as it wes ordanyt for the duc of Albany 1416 Red Bk. Menteith I. 287.
Help us with some pairt of dispens at this tyme c1420 Wynt. vii. 1344.
The Archebyschape off Yhork … Recoveryd the benevolens Wyth trawayle, and wyth gret dyspens 1439 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 6.
That thai sall nocht bye mair than may suffice to the dispenssis of thair househald c1420 Ratis R. 994.
Quhat thing thow byis, se to the price, And to the disspens maid thar by(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxxix. 22.
For tha had na herytage To mak dispence gret ore large 14.. Acts I. 30/2.
Gif that a burges be attachyt … for det … his nychtburis sall pas to borow hym on thair aune propir dyspence 1461 Lib. Plusc. 394.
Thai ger thé trow thou may nocht mak dispence On thin housald a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxii. 18.
Thocht fortoun, fraude, or force Detein thé in dispence

b. Means to spend; supplies. 1424 Acts II. 8.
Gif thar be ony pur creatur that for defalte of cunnyng or dispens can nocht … folow his caus a1500 Doug. K. Hart 867.
Quhill at the last thai wantit thame dispence, Ewill purvayit folk for weir

2. A dispensation. 1558 Waus Corr. I. 10.
I haif resauit all your vritings … in the quhilkis ye onlye requeyr me for ane dispense for yow … to eit flesche on your awin expensis 1567 G. Ball. 175.
He neuer ceist … Under dispens to get our penneis [v.r. pence], Our saulis to deuoir