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

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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.

Hert, n.¹ Also: herte. [ME. hert, herte, OE. heorte, ONhn. hearta. Cf. hairt Hart n.¹ Also Heart. As hert is normally an earlier form than hart, it may be assumed that it is original in the Cambridge MS. of the Brus (although the Edinburgh has regularly hart), and in the few other early texts in which it occurs.]

1. The heart as part of the body. 1375 Barb. xx. 191.
On goddis fayis myne hert to bere Ib. 599.
The Erll of Murreff … has gert bery the kyngis hert at … Melros c1450-2 Howlat 469.
The hert costlye he couth clos in a cler cace 1456 Hay II. 119/36.
Felloun passioun in thair wame … as gryndingis, brynnyng of herte and ventositeis 1661 Black Sc. Witches 39.
You hett my hert ill one dayattrib. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 224.
A hache is happinit hastely at my hert rut 1607 Crim. Trials II. 536.
I charme the … for elf-schot, for tung-schote, … for hert-schot

b. A representation of a heart; a jewel or trinket in the form of a heart. c1450-2 Howlat 411.
Part of the feld Was siluer set with ane hert … of gowlis 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 80.
In the same box, a stomok and on it set a hert all of precious stanis Ib. 81.
A hert of gold anamelit 1503 Ib. II. 217.

2. The heart regarded as the seat of feeling or of various emotions.Common both in poetry and prose down to the late 16th cent. in a great variety of contexts and phrases. 1375 Barb. v. 298.
Douglas in hert gret blithnes had Ib. xi. 571.
A knycht hardy of hert and hand Ib. xv. 198.
Thai that saw thair lord slayne Tynt hert c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1460.
Ageynes Anthenore Eneas Full odyous ine hys hert he was 1456 Hay I. 68/15.
Sum faderis … coud nocht fynd in thair hertis to … chasty thair barnis Ib. 124/14.
He wald ger him [sc. the king] tyne the hertis of his peple a1500 Henr. Orph. 128.
His hert ner birst for werray dule & wo 1490 Irland Mir. I. 12/28.
Dreid God, serue him with hert and mynd c1515 Asl. MS. I. 177/15.
It apperis that gredy hert followis gret scaith c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 316.
Neuer bot in a gentill hert is generit ony ruth 1533 Bell. Livy II. 213/33.
Thocht … the sam had analyit thair hertis and myndis fra all respect … to thare awne gudis 1562-3 Winȝet I. 52/31.
Fra the botum of thair hert, as thai vse to speik a1568 Scott xxv. 28.
My hert, be mirry lait and air 1611-57 Mure Sonn. ii. 9.
Let Cupid wreck him on my martyred hert 1658 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 170.
The … counsell, tacking to hert the gret lowsnes and profanitie that is among … all ranks