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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.

Musik(e, -ick(e, Musique, n. Also: music, -yk(e, -eik, -ilk, mussik, mws(s)i(c)k, muisik. [ME. (c 1250) and e.m.E. musik(e, -ick, -ique, F. musique (12th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), L. mūsica.]

1. Music. a. Music as a science or a skill. b. Music as performed or listened to, melody.c. Also art, science of music, man, maister of music, instrument, lute and consort, of music.a. c1420 Wynt. i. 226.
He wes the fyrst at musyke fande c1460 Regim. Princ. 297 (M).
Thow hes the harp … As gud menstrall to rewle it be musik a1500 Henr. Orph. 44 (Ch. & M.).
Of all musilk maistresse a1500 Bk. Chess 1678.
The richt mesur of musik for to haf 1531 Bell. Boece I. 233.
Honorabill service to God, with hevinly and delitious sang in maist crafty music 1535 Stewart 3148. 1552–3 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 176.
To the effect that he may … get better eruditioun in musik and playing nor he hes 15.. Clar. iv. 1828.
Musike a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 34.
Cunnyng in dyuers sciences, as in astrologie, museik, and theologie 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8068.
Euerie ane was maister in musick 1578–9 Perth Kirk S. MS. 12 Jan.
In teaching of the ȝoutheid of this toun in musik and in taking wp of the psalmes c1615 Chron. Kings 101.
Weill brocht up in leirning and speciallie in mwssick 16.. Wode's Psalter (ed.) 239.
Fill the cup and wee sall sing Lyk merry men of musick fyne 1626 Edgar Old Ch. Life II. 119. 1629 Orkney Antiq. Soc. IV. 33.
[At Newbattle] everie scholar to pay 10s. for lairning to reid and write Scottis, and for musicke to pay 6s. 8d. 1646 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 96.
And both vocall and instrumentall musick for fourtie schillings ilk quarter 1700 Beale Fife Schools 256.
Some elders complained he had not musickb. a1500 Henr. Orph. 237 (Asl.).
This mery musik & mellifluat Complete & full with novmeris od & evyn Is causit be the moving of the hevin Ib. 134. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 119/10.
In armony standis all the wertu of musik, sueit notis and sangis 1513 Doug. ix. xii. 113.
Sangis and gestis, musyk and harpyng 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 1103.
I laif the goik … My musyke with my voce angelycall 1548 Fraser P. 223.
For the decoir of our queir in musik and playing 1549 Compl. 37/23.
That hauynly ermonyie aperit to be artificial music c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1174. a1605 Montg. Flyt. 528 (T).
Sick ane mirthles music thes menstrallis did mak 1587-99 Hume 58/203. 1596 Dalr. II. 381/4.
The hail eftirnune is put off in musik 1606 Acts IV. 298/2.
That commendable provisioun of ordinar musick for recreatioun and honour of thair princisc. c1420 Wynt. i. 240.
And in the twa he gart … All the art of musyke wryte c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 943.
The men of music sang 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 276.
Maisteris of museik, to recreat thy spreit With dantit voce and plesande instrument 1558-66 Knox II. 270.
With instrumentis of musick a1578 Pitsc. I. 233/15.
The kingis maiestie gart … leir them to pley and singe wpoun the instrumentis of musick quho war become in schort tyme werie ingeneous and cunning in the art of musick 1579 Acts III. 174/2.
The art of musik … with ane maister … able for instructioun of the ȝowth in the said science of musik 1597 Bk. Rates MS. 7.
Luttis of musik the peice … v li. 1615 Lanark B. Rec. 123.
Thais that leirnis the airt of mussik Ib.
Muisik 1629 Beale Fife Schools 119. 1621-40 Melville Commonpl. Bk. 27.
Ane litle book of the airt of musick 1649 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II. 856.
And … teach the saidis scolleris in the … airtis of musik and arethmetik 16.. Wode's Psalter (ed.) 239.
This arte of musick is right dry 1663–9 Sel. Biog. I. 192.
Singing in ane consort of music

d. Attrib. or comb. with master, note, song and in music-scule.(1) 1587-99 Hume 26/39.
For ioy the birds … Takes vp their kindelie musicke nots 1650 Lamont Diary 20.
To giue him a musicke songe or two whille he was att tabell 1679 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 382.
James Smith musick master(2) 1597 (1650) Dundee B. Laws 146.
Mr. of the musick schoole 1610 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 31 Dec.
To be maistre of ane musik scole, for teiching bayth men & bairnis to sing & play [etc.] 1618 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 184. 1621 Misc. New Spald. C. I. 129.
Doctor of the music school of this burgh 1627 Edgar Old Church Life II. 119. 1629 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 310.
The music scule 1633 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 54. 1638 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 388. 1643 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 6.
Inhibits all inhabitantis to desyre the master or doctour of the musick schoole, and reidars foirsaid, to sing or reid heirafter at the said lykewakes 1644–5 Misc. Spald. C. V. 163. 1646 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 96. 1675 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 220.
He being resolved … to keep ane publict musick schoall Ib. 236.
The priviledge of keepeing a vulgar and musick scooll

2. transf.Applied a. to the ‘music’ or rhythm of verse, b. to the sound of streams. a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 86 (L).
To heir the stertlie streameis cleir Me thocht it mwsick to the eir 1585 James VI Ess. (S.T.S.) 72/22.
The cause quhy … is for the musique … Gif ȝour sectioun be nocht [as prescribed] … the musique … sall cut the ane half of the word fra the vther