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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.

Farce, Fars, Fairs, n. Also: farshe, frais, ferce, ferse, feirce; phairs, pheirs; phras, phrais. [e.m.E. farce (1530), farse, F. farce.] A stage farce; a play. Also fars play.(a) 1511–2 Treas. Acc. IV. 330.
To Gilleam, tabernar, for ane fars play to the King and Quenis Gracis in the Abbay 1513 Doug. iv. viii. 128.
Lyke Orestes, … On theatreis, in farcis mony one, Rowpyt and sung how he his moder fled 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 41.
Quho can say more than schir James Inglis says, In ballatts, farses, and in plesand playis 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 206.
That the litill farsche and play maid be William Lauder be playit afoir the Quenis grace 1580 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 37.
To receive and glaid the Kyngis Maiestie with farceis, playis, historeis [etc.]transf. 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 151.
The procuraris, disponaris, and upsteraris of sick monsterus farssis(b) 1528 Lynd. Dreme 13.
Sumtyme, playand fairsis on the flure 1533 Boece x. iii. 351 b.
Florentynes … institute public playis and fairsis ȝerelie Ib. xii. xvi. 485.
Nowder banket, fairs, nor play fra his mynde mycht expell the doloure 1558 Maitland Maitl. F. xvi. 20.
All burrowis townis euerilk man ȝow prayis To mak bainfyris, fairseis, and clerk playis 1561 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 121.
Tymmer, canves, and all vther necessaris convenient for the triumphis and fairssis [at] the over trone a1578 Pitsc. I. 244/12.
In the said bancat … betuix everie seruice thair was ane phairs or ane play(c) 1558-66 Knox II. 288.
In ferses, masking and in other prodigalities, faine wold fooles have counterfooted France 1570 Leslie 102.
Sindre ferses and gude playis [were] maide be the burgessis of the toun to his honour and prayse a1585 Maitl. Q. vi. 20.
To mak baine fyris, fercis, & clerk playis a1578 Pitsc. II. 125/4.
Than was thair gret singing, playing, dansing and pheirsis(d) a1578 Pitsc. I. 240/7.
Evirie ane ... maid hir sic bankattin, feirceis, and playes (e) a1578 Pitsc. I. 379/1.
The kingis grace and the haill lordis … ressawit the quens grace … witht great treumph and blythnes of phrassis and playis Ib. 381/18.
[There was] greit triumph, phraissis maid and playis wnto the queins grace Ib. 379/4.
Thair was maid to hir ane trieumphant frais [MSS. pheirs] be Schir Dawid Lyndsay of the Mont