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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Memor(e, -oir(e, -our, n. Also: memoer, meamore. [ME. memore (Rolle, Caxton), -our (north., c 1450), also memoire (Gower), OF. memoire, -ore (mod. mémoire), L. memoria: cf. Memory n. After the 15th c. chiefly Sc. in this form.] Memory.

1. The faculty of memory, capacity for remembering, in general or in an individual.(a) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 398.
Wyt is [etc.] … & memore syne Is that thu laris, thu nocht tyne Ib. xliii. 261.
Memor c1420 Ratis R. 1693. c1420 Wynt. viii. 650.
Be ensawmplis … Gyve thai byd in yhoure memore [: before] 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 49.
He mycht tyne bath memor & resoune 1490 Irland Mir. I. 59/15, etc. 1513 Doug. x. Prol. 68, 70.(b) 1456 Hay II. 155/18.
He suld have gude memoire to halde bathe the rehersis in his hert that parties makis before him Ib. 162/26.
Wele schawand be tong and of gude memoir(c) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 465.
Exempill mak of me in ȝour memour 1494 Loutfut MS. 7 b.
& folkis without clergy memour or wnderstanding

b. The mental faculty, (one's) mind or wits.Cf. OF. memoire in similar use.Out of all memor, out of one's mind, demented. In fresche memor, ? with one's mind or faculties unimpaired.Only early.(1) 1456 Hay I. 250/13.
Quharfore than is he mare virtuous in bataill … and has better mynde and better memore in all his werkis and dedis Ib. II. 117/15.
Of lang lyf and gude hele and memoire Ib. 121/37.
[Blood-letting] confortis the v wittis and the memoir and intelligence of resoun Ib. 136/5. 1513 Doug. vi. i. 7.
Sibilla … Quhais hait memor and resson oft infyrit [L. magnam cui mentem animumque] Delyus Ib. xi. xi. 40.
Ilk chance in haist dyd roll in his memor [L. omnia secum versanti](2) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1140.
When that Eccuba the queyn Saw sleyne Pollycena … Sho worthed out of all memor [: befor](3) a1500 Bernardus 373.
In freche memor befor infirmyte Thow sulde dispone and lefe legasye

2. Remembrance, recollection; also, an act of remembering.To mak or have (gud etc.) memor of, to have, bere in (into, intill) (fresch etc.) memor, to have in mind, remember, also, to be in (fresche) memore, to be remembered. To lede, reduce to memor, to recall, recollect; to bring to memor, to bring to mind, recall. Put furth of one's memor, forgotten. (Cf. L. habere in memoria, in memoriam redigere or reducere, deponere ex memoria, in similar senses.)(1) a1450 Fifteen Ois 85.
Throu thy marcy and this memour Off thy panis and the dollour, Grant at the mynd of thi passioun Be to me full remissioun Ib. 68. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 123/27.
The memore of His luf and cherite sal neuir pas out of my mynd Id. Asl. MS. I. 50/20.
[Images] causis the memour of thaim [Christ, the Virgin and the saints], thaire passioun [etc.](2) 1490 Irland Mir. MS. fol. 334.
That he suld haue memore and recordatioun that he suld nocht commyt sic iniustice(3) a1400 Leg. S. xxviii. 675.
Margaret, That in sic thrang wii nocht forȝet Thame that of thé makis memore here(4) c1420 Wynt. i. 1652.
For tyll have off hym gud memore, All lyk hys fadyr … Ane ymage he mayd Ib. vii. 3512.
Off hys eldrys ony before As mycht be herd or had memore Ib. ix. 2181.
The feird pestilens … Mare ferlifull than memore Wes had off the thre before c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 12/21.
All thir synnis that he has distinct memor of(5) c1420 Wynt. viii. 1158.
The Erle Waltyr (qwham off before Yhe herd, gyve yhe have in memore) Ib. 2630.
There was na man … evyr herd … That evyr thai had in till memore A daywerk to that daywerk lyk 1422 Fam. Rose 124.
It is in fresch memore with you … that … ye ar oblisit [etc.] 1525 Douglas Corr. 106.
Quhilk I sall bere in recent memor to my lyvis end 1559 Cal. Sc. P. I. 276.
[And other lairds … whose names I have not well] in memore 1560 Ib. 557.
[Seeing you bear in] fresch memour [those things … most necessary for both realms](6) a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 904.
Gyf I now to memor lede Of syndry thochtis the parele That has dystrublit me vmquhile c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2973.
Suthly Redusand to his fresche memor [L. reducit ad memoriam] His deidly dreme he saw before 1513 Doug. iv. ix. 53.
To omdo and distroy al maner thyng Quhilk may ȝon wareit man to memor [Sm. memour] bring(7) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6790.
To quhais talking ȝe sall giue sic plesour, That I salbe put furth of ȝour memour

b. transf. One who (or that which) serves as a reminder of something. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxv. 53.
Memore of sore, stern in Aurore, Lovit with angellis stevyne

3. The state of being remembered or commemorated among men; reputation or fame (esp. posthumous), memorial.Also (= remembrance, commemoration, memorial, record) in phrases as to have, hald, be, put in (gud etc.) memor, in (also to) memor of, out of memor.(1) a1500 Colk. Sow iii. 35.
Manly resoun … Fyndis menis the money to vplift And multeply in moir memor & mycht Than evir it did in erd 1494 Loutfut MS. 8 b.
Of sa gret antiquite that scantly is thair memour of the lignie quhar of he descendit ?c1500 Rathen Manual 28/2.
Cursit be thai … the memor of thaime tynt apoune erde 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 317.
The kyng of poetis … hys fresch memor Ib. vi. iii. 154. Ib. ix. iii. 6.
The deid is auld … Bot the memor remanys perpetualy 1549 Compl. 5/30.
The memor of ane of his actis is recent 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 24.
Some prince or foren potentate who be his countenance will feid the meamore c1590 Fowler II. 82/1.
Be the fresh memoire of the vndiscreit handlings & actions off his predecessour(2) a1400 Leg. S. xl. 1086.
This sa schort tyme gane ves That ȝet it is in memor fresch c1420 Wynt. v. 2608 (W).
Pape Cornile my predecessour. That ȝit is had in gud memour a1500 Lufaris Compl. 31.
And gif that worthy Chaucere wer on lyve, … He wald haue put it rather in memore Than ony othir that he wrate before 1513 Doug. i. v. 38.
[He] The armys of Troy has set vp in memor Ib. vii. 77.
Lo, heir his wirschip is haldin in memor [: befor] 1531 Bell. Boece. I. 48.
On thir sepulturis was ingravin imageris of … beistis … to put the deidis of nobilmen in memore 1535 Stewart 55.
For euerie man desyris laud and gloir, And for till haue his gude name in memor 1558 Waus Corr. I. 13.
And speciallie my silver werk, quhilk suld be in memor to my hous(3) a1400 Leg. S. xiv. 31.
In lofe & memore of thare name c1420 Wynt. iv. 2061.
In memor off that victory The Romanys gert byg … A tempill 1513 Doug. x. Prol. 139.
Thy flesch and blude … Thou hest ws geif in perpetuall memor [: glor] Of Thy passioun 1494 Loutfut MS. 15 b.
Armes quharby may be knawyn … the stait of him & of his dedis to memoir perpetuall(4) c1420 Ratis R. 1554.
Syk men … Sal … be fordone out of memore [: before] 1513 Doug. ix. vii. 172.
Ȝour renown sal owt of memor slyde

b. Of gude (= ‘happy’, ‘blessed’) memor, also with of omitted. 1389 Liber Melros 449.
Of gude memore Dauid kyng qwhilom of Scotland 1397 Douglas Chart. 40.
The quylk [castle] of gude memor my lord and myn eme … geff to my fadir 1399 Acts I. 212/1.
In the tyme of gude memor Kynge Robert that last deit c1420 Wynt. viii. 66.
In the tyme off gud memore Alysandyre lyvand wes the kyng Ib. 306.
The Kyngis eld-fadyr … Ay for till be off gud memore c 1500 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. 259.
Be vmquhill ane gud memore Bischop Thomas Spens 1517 Dunferm. B. Rec. 296.
Be vmquhill of gud memour Williem Stevart lard of Rossitht c 1560 Old Ross-shire I. 13.
Gyffin be King James the thrid of gud memor

4. The length of time over which human memory extends.Chiefly in the phrase past (passit) (also beyond) memor of man (also, men) (once, leving), from time immemorial. Also in memor of man, within living memory.(1) a 1460 Swintons App. xlii.
The qwhilk said landis … passit memor of mene has bene … a tenandry 1500 Acta Conc. II. 431.
Thai haf bene in peceable possessione of ane burne rinnand to thair mylne … past memore of man 1508 Aberd. Trades 58. 1536 Yester Writs 159. 1538–9 Irvine Mun. I. 43. 1552 Banff Ann. II. 412. 1565–6 Reg. Privy C. I. 432. 1576 Ib. II. 578.
Past memor of man leving 1577 Reg. Soltre 233.
Past memor of man it was ordanit that [etc.] 1579 Reg. Privy C. III. 175.
They and their predicessouris past memor of man(b) 1518 Fife Sheriff Ct. 107.
Past memour of man 1540 Edinb. Chart. I. 211. 1540 Wigtownshire Chart. 69. 1542 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 181. 1575 Glasgow Chart. I. ii. 166. 1588 Lanark B. Rec. 93. 1594 Conv. Burghs I. 435.(2) 1459 Liber Aberbr. 105.
Quhilkis landis and possessionis has been brukyt … beyownd al memor of man(3) 1564 Crim. Trials I. i. 446.
Lyke as thai haif bene in wse … past memor(4) 1458 Liber Aberbr. II. 106.
Quhill now in thir dais in memor of man com thar ane officeman

5. Commemorating or recording in writing, esp. to ma(ke) memor (= commemoration, record, mention) of.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxv. 31.
Of wthyre Julyanis sere Mencione I sal mak ȝou here & als sume memor sal I ma Of Julyane apostata c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2360.
Of Pirrus … The story ȝit maid no memore(2) c1420 Wynt. ix. Prol. 23.
Casuale thingis … As I decerne can worth memore

6. A brief note as a reminder, a memorandum, a (brief) record; a (brief) written statement or report; a (brief) testimonial or warrant. Also plur. 1494 Loutfut MS. 42 a.
And giff ȝe wil wit mair hereof demand [etc.] … for it that is here writtin is bot a memour for to demand & for to lere. That he be forgewin that has maid this memoir 1565 Reg. Privy C. I. 395.
Hir majestie … wes willing to haif gevin to him sum memor of reward 1567 Sel. MSS. Q. Mary 171.
We wrait sumthing of our mynd heranent and thairupoun gaif sum memoire of our mynd with monsieur Du Crocq at his returne 1567 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 643/2.
Memoyr off the silwer veschell delyverit be me c1575 Balfour Pract. 646.
Quhairupon thair is a memoire, or a note, commounlie callit a responde, in a buke beiring the dait of ilk precept 1580 Reg. Privy C. III. 335.
To deliver the said Johnne sum memor in write, quhiik gif he find different from his awin speking that then he pen and put in write the same his speking 1612 Acts IV. 516/2.
That buik callit the blak buik … quhilk is onlye ane memore and record of the infeftmentis … maid 1639 Johnston Diary Ia. 66.
Generall Sir Edmond Vermar delivered his commission by word and thereafter shewed his memoer and warrant in wryte as followesplur. a1538 Abell 118 a.
Our commissar generall brodir Mathy Vincent come in Scotland & did gret gude anens our halie obseruance quhar of his memoris beris witnes 1592 Mining Rec. 84.
What the counsale intendit to have said to them bayth befor thaj gaif thair iast memoires

7. a. A memorial tomb or other edifice, a monument. b. fig. Applied to a son as the ‘memorial’ of his deceased father.a. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1170.
One alter put in-to that place Inne Eccuba as memor was c1420 Wynt. v. 1047.
Off Saynt Petyr than made he A memoreb. c1420 Ratis R. (S.T.S.) 5.
Think thow art growin of hyme memor As he of his fathir before