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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Ley, Le, Lie, n.⁴ Also: lee, ly(e, lyie, (loy). [North. and north midl. ME. legh(e (a 1300), leye (Havelok), lei (Cursor M.), lee (15th c.), f. Leyv.: ME. also had lighe, lyȝe, lye, lie, OE. lyᵹe n.]The plural leis is sometimes difficult to distinguish from leis Les n.

1. A lie.The father of leyis, the Devil: see also Lesing n. 2(1) plur.(1), (a) sing. a1500 Henr. Fab. 466.
This was na le 1513 Doug. vi. Prol. 163.
To name thé God, that war a manifest le 1547 Cal. Sc. P. I. 6.
I war rycht wa for till mak ane lee 1644 in Knox II. 550.
The contriver of the late Historie of Queen Marie wanted policie here to convoy a leeplur. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lix. 13.
[He] in my name all leis recordis 1513 Doug. vi. Prol. 9.
Quhat wenys fulys this saxt buke be bot japis, Al ful of leys or ald ydolatryis? 1562-3 Winȝet I. 54/30.
We mot knaw his … religioun be his fidelitie (I will nocht say be his leis) a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxviii. 28.
In thame that takis delyt To hinder with thair leis [: vneis] a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 776.
Gif wilfull Will delytis in leis [: seis] 1600 Calderwood VI. 48.
Incace yee will not hold your peace from speeking lees of me, I will make you hold your peace by speeking sooth of you 1609 Black Bk. Taymouth 36.
Throch the occasione of certane fals leis and forged inventis of ane Donald Monteith 1638 Fugitive Poetry II. x. 5.
The one tell strew, the other tells bot leeis(b) sing. 1547 Compl. 224.]
[He that should tell a lye, had nede to haue good memory 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8191.
Than let the law correct hir for hir lie 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 216.
Giff this had bene thair first inventit lie, I wald neuer haue bleckit paper for it 1649 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 569.
To this they add a ridiculouslie palpable ly, that the Marques of Huntly was strong 1687 Rothesay Par. Rec. 71.
A ly and an invention of her ownplur. c1500 Makc. MS. xiii. 94.
Derogo, as to mak lys 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 58.
I am besy with our story of Scotland to purge it of sum Inglis lyis and Scottish vanitie 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 507.
For forging and devysing lyes betwixt the King and his subjects ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. III. 53.
They … challendged it of so many lowde lyes, … yet to this day, thes lyes are not instanced(c) sing. 1558-66 Knox II. 384.
Your selfis shalbe witnesse, yf that I shall maik any ley in thingis that ar bypastplur. 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 52.
Beleving that leyis maid in Scotland could not be tryit in Loundoun a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxxviii. 13.
Gif thair leyis ȝe lychtlie and necglect [etc.] 1631 Justiciary Cases I. 196.
That inforces nocht forgeing of leyis againes the pannell a1605 Montg. Sonn. lx. 10.
The vgly looks of old Medusas eyi[s], Compaird to hirs, ar not bot poets leyis 1655 Nicoll Diary 151.
That he haid gevin out fals calumnies and leyis aganes Collonell Daniell(d) c1600 Montg. Suppl. v. 35.
Thay [= thy] schortt delytt in constantt loyis [: annoyis](2) 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 14.
The devile, the father of leyis, wes the cheif inventer of that letter 1581 Sat. P. xliv. 38.
Father of leyis, stryf and iniquitie … Sik childrene hes he procreat 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 23 b.
Thay denying the same … becumis mair incredule nor the father of leyis

b. But le, leys: cf. Les n. b.sing. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2521.
He was of Grece but le [: se] Ib. 2666.
Bot Mereone richt sone but le Deit eftir his fadere couth de 1513 Doug. xiii. vii. 94.
I … That ȝou … sall hald … As verray fader that me bigat, but le 1535 Stewart 22982.
Tha had bene loissit euerilkane but leplur. 1513 Doug. viii. vi. 9.
Ane kynd of men yborne, but leys, Furth of … hard runtis of treis

2. To give the (also ane, a) ley (lie) to another, once to charge with the lie, to accuse of lying.Also e.m.E. (1593– ).(1) 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 158.
Thairwithall did [he] gif the lie in his throt to him that wald auow the quarrel 1579–80 Inverness Rec. I. 274; Pitsc. II. 48/4.
The said Johnne Reid opprobriouslie … gaif to Johne Gollan the mantie and lye 1584 Gowrie P. 29. 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 295.
Thay say, gevvin him a lie, Thow lies 1610 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II. 76.
Thomas Gledstanis in a vnlaw … for gewing a lyie to the boitmen in the bailȝeis presens 1660 Honours Scotl. (S.H.S.) 138.
Therby giving the ly … to his majesties patents 1675 St. A. Baxter Bks. 138.
By givin the said decan the lie and wther wordis not worthie to be putt in wreit(b) 1575 Edinb. Hammermen I. 9.
That na maner of persoun sall gif the ley to ane vther nor call ane vther theif 1588 Reg. Privy C. IV. 271. 1599 Crim. Trials II. 92. 1601 Reg. Privy C. VI. 264.
Efter some hot languag … [he] gaif the said Dundas ane ley(2) 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 19.
As the ane semit to charge the uther with the lie, at last thay wer … cum … to blawis