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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.

Fessin, v. Also: fessyn(e, fesyn, fessing; fessn-, fesn-; fessan, fessen, fesson(e; feschon; feschyn, feschn-. [Common var. of Festin v.]

1. tr. To fasten, make fast.(a) 1439 Edinb. Chart. 65.
To thir present lettres we hafe to fessenyt the common seile of oure chapater a toure said abbay 1498 Acta Conc. II. 246.
That the sadis bailyeis … of Cowper aucht … til haf dokkis to the sadis schippis and fredome to lay and fessin thare ankeris within the fludemark a1500 Seven S. 1529.
Hir keye scho fessynnit as is forsaid 1510 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 345.
It sall pas ȝour power to fessyn my feyt; … ye dow nocht to fessyn a scheip hede 1513 Doug. ii. iv. 55.
For he the haly hors … presumyt for to deir And thairintil to fessyn his cursit speir Ib. xii. xii. 65 (R).
Thay twa bullis … fessynnys fast thare hornes 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 137.
For making of ane chenȝe of irne with ane loke and ane key … to fessin the weychts with 1558–9 Ib. 280.
For twa rauchters to fessing the stoupe 1594 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 93.
To mak a pair of joggis, and fessin the same to the jebat 1611–2 Misc. Spald. C. V. 87.
For ane daill to fessin the hoill of the loft 1622-6 Bisset II. 317/15.
Mark … had ane roip fesynnet about his nek(b) ?1438 Alex. i. 888.
Thai … to thair speris fesnit senȝeis 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. li.
This fische, quhen scho beginnis to sleip, fesnis hir teith fast on ane crag 1567 Acts III. 25/2.
Baith he and scho salbe … presentit to the mercat place, … and thair stand fesnit 1585 Rep. Elphinstone Mun. 22.
Tua schort buirdis, ane sait fesnit in the wall 1616 Edinb. Test. XLIX. 108 b.
The haill standand timber wark and irne werk fesnit in the wallis 1622-6 Bisset II. 289/3.
Peter … [was] flayne alyve as he wes fesned to the croce(c) 1554 Duncan Laideus Test. 154.
This wyis man … gart cast me into ane dungeoun deip Fast into fetteris fessonit 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 159.
xxxj faddome of cords to fessan the cowpillis togidder of the greit pannell 1628 Peebles B. Rec. 415.
For fywe foddome of cordis to fessone the ledderis(d) 1571 Bann. Memor. 107.
We … feschoned the said coirdis at the trie 1581 Burne Disput. 144.
His bendis of taffetie feschnit vith goldin ringis 1609 Crim. Trials III. 42.
[He] feschynnit the samin dure with the catbande

b. In figurative use or context. a1500 Seven S. 2307.
Syne to burde him fessynnit he With a burges of that cite 1533 Gau 28/24.
Al chrysyne man suld grund and fessyne thir xii artikils of faith … witht the halie writ 1551 Hamilton Cat. 77.
Samekil is the lufe of God and our nychbour fessinit and linkit togiddir 1627 Misc. Hist. Soc. I. 101.
I haif fesant that naill be his acquittance

2. intr. To become fastened. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 82.
In his fleing his hair fessinit about a stark brance of ane aik tree