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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Handsenȝe, -senȝie, n. Also: hande senȝe, handseinȝe, -seingȝe, -seyngyie, -seigne, handsenye, -seinye, seynie, etc.; hansenȝie, -seinȝe, (-zenȝe, -zenȝie); handsignyie, -signeie; handsanȝe; handschenȝe, -schenȝie, -chinȝe; handsing. [Common later var. of Ansenȝe n., taken as a comb. of Hand n. and Senȝe n.]

1. An ensign or standard; a banner or flag.(a) 1545 Treas. Acc. VIII. 399.
Ane elne of taffate … to be ane hande senȝe for my lord governoris carage 1550 Edinb. Hammermen 185.
For the makin of ane hand senȝe for the communiteis of the craftis 1576 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 50.
Patrik Sandelandis, tailyeour, being chargit … to delyuer the handsenyie quhilk he had in keping, … dissassented, saying, ‘Nane sall beir that hansenyie with my kyndnes’ 1590 Elgin Rec. I. 218.
Shippis … furnist with hand senyeis, flaggis, streameris of weir, [etc.] 1622-6 Bisset II. 220/8.
Schipis in tyme of wear … salbe haldin to beir the baneris, standartis and handsenȝeis of the admirall 1634 Stirling B. Rec. II. 388.
Ane handsenȝie … to the wse of the gildrie, of the … cullours of rid and yallow(b) 1561 Digest Justiciary Proc. D. 11.
[A] number of persones bodin in feir with ane displayit handseinȝie 1587-99 Hume 158/51.
To see … their plumages, standarts and displaied handseignes 1629 Edinb. B. Rec. VII. 53.
Sex auld hanseinȝies(c) 1567 Reg. Privy C. I. 578.
Eftir the sound of ane drum, ringing of thair commoun bell, and spreding of ane handsanȝe(d) 1626 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 5.
For buying taffetie to be ane hand signyie(e) 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 130.
Allowit to the thesaurer self for ane handschenȝe 1595–6 Dundee Treas. Acc. MS.
The handschenȝie for the wapinschawin 1600 Acts IV. 244/1.
[The] heretable richt of the beiring of all his hienes banneris, … pinsaillis, handschenȝies [etc.] 1610–11 Ayr B. Acc. 248.
For dressing two handchinȝeis(f) 1580-1 Perth Guildry MS. 400 (19 Jan.).
The gild buke drummys and handsingis

b. An emblem; a sign or token. 1590-1 Bruce Serm. P viij a (J).
He gaue them handseinyeis of his visible presence, as was the tabernacle, the ark a1605 Montg. Sonn. lix. 8.
In murning blak he cled this beutie bricht As funerall mark and handsenȝie to be

c. A battle-cry. = Ansenȝe 1 c, Ensenȝe 1. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 1675.
Ane Philot and ane callit Lucrides And als ane prince Ferrand ... cryit loud thair handsenȝe

2. a. An ensign- or standard-bearer.(a) 1547 Treas. Acc. IX. 138.
To the saidis tua capitanis … , thair handseinȝe, lieutenant, … and officiares of band 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 256.
Dawling, hansenȝie to capitane Bruce 1581 Treas. Acc. MS. 54 (2) b.
Charlis Geddes, handsenȝe of his hienes garde(b) 1562–7 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 27.
Robert Stewart, handseingȝe 1588 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 528.
To rayse ane hunder of the said men and to haif ane handseyngyie … bot na lieutennentis 1627 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 17.
Thair shall be four capitanes chosin, with leiutenentes, hand signeies, and serjandis 1632 Sutherland Corr. 156.
Thair is twa liftennantis, … and thre handseynies … prisoneris

b. A company of foot-soldiers under an ensign. 1557–8 Treas. Acc. X. 340.
To the lieutennent of the saidis 1 horsmen … xl li. Item to the capitane of the handsenȝe … xx li. a1578 Pitsc. II. 259/9.
The regent was within the same [New Work of Holyrood] and ane hansenȝie of men for to keip it Ib. 268/20.
The regent with his men of veir to the nomber of sevin hanseinȝeis