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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.

Moyen(n)-, Moyan(n)ar, -er, n. Also: moyenour. [Moyen v. Only Sc.] a. An agent or intermediary, one who acts on behalf of another. b. One who acts in the interests of another, as by way of intercession, exertion of influence, etc.; a backer. 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 345.
Be thair meanis thir headis … were proponit, devysed, or dicted, … and presentit to eather partie be a moyaner 1586 Cal. Sc. P. IX. 29.
Praying your lordship to be my addres, moyener and gud lord in all my affares 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 56.
Quhilk are the moyeners of this conjunction upon the part of God and quhilk are the moyeners upon the part of man to … make Christ Jesus ane with me? Ib. 170.
Seeing he hath made death to us a farther step to joy, and a moyener of a straiter conjunction Ib. 58. 1592 Reg. Privy C. V. 37.
Albeit the said umquhile James wes evir single and allane, he had espyis and moyenaris lying at await for him aboute his ludgeing and uthiris pairtis quhair he repaired 1587-99 Hume 169/30.
Byschopes … quha sould … be moyanners and mediatoris betweene the Kirk and the prince 1596 Bk. Univ. Kirk III. 864.
That the presbitrie repell all such of thair number from votting in the electioun … as salbe found moyeners for the solister 1600 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 108/2.
They salbe repute … as assistaris and moyaneris for the said tressonable tratouris 1602 Reg. Privy C. VI. 341.
Moyannaris 1610 Lett. Eccl. Affairs I. 256.
The purchaser of this letter, and his moyaneris, hes procurit ane act of counsall 1614 Highland P. III. 172.
The gentilman quha has bein my moyenner and doar of this seruice is ane Ross man called George Grahame 1614 Melrose P. 175.
One quho … I haue hard was ane moyenour and ane greit freind to the traitouris a1651 Calderwood VI. 126.
Mr. Davidsone wrote a letter to the King, at the desire of his moyeners, alledging it was the King's minde