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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
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Pillar, -er, n. Also: pyll-; pell- and -are, -or; -air, -ere; (pler). [ME. (chiefly, late ME.) and e.m.E. pillyre (a 1400), pyller (c 1400), pillere (c 1420), -our (a 1450), pyllare (Cath. Angl.), pillar (1535), also peller (15th c.), f. as Pilar n.] A pillar, in various senses and applications.

1. A pillar, column, pier or upright of stone, wood or other solid material.Also comb., and attrib. (= pillar-shaped) with salt-fatt, and transf. in pillere … of licht.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 779.
In myddis wes a pillare That the charge of the kirk suld bere c1420 Wynt. i. 246.
In to the Surry lande The pyllare of marbyll is standand c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 11220.
Syne satt thare on ane pillare … ane pelligane c 1500 Coll. St. Salvator 160.
Tua other haly vattir fattis … ane in the quer and ane at the litill pillar Ib. 163.
Four gret pillaris with four angelis with takynnys of the passioun befor the he alter of bras fessynnyt with gret gaddis of yrne 1507 Edinb. B. Ct. Bk. 40.
The pillar that buire the bak galry of the ester land and tennement 1510 Rentale Dunkeld. 6.
Ane pistillair … with a pillair on the bak risand with thre chandeleris 1513 Doug. i. vii. 21. 1535–6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 140.
Pilleris 1539 Treas. Acc. VII. 342.
vj treis to be lofting and pillaris to the munitioun hous 1542 Inv. Wardrobe 69.
Ane bonet of clayth with ane tergat and fourtie fyve settis lyk pillaris 1547 Edinb. Hammermen 172.
Ane anent the pyllar of the bak of Sanct Sebastinis alter 1582 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 122.
The saittis about the tua pillaris for the barnis that answer to the cathecheis 1598 Cart. S. Giles cxiii (see Gang n. 3 b). 1616 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 338 (see Pend n.¹ 1). 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II. 120. 1682 Cullen Kirk S. II. 3 Dec.
For making a pillar to the seamens loft 1685 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 23 May.
For two new extrees to the piller and mending the clogs(b) 1582 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 122.
xvj stanes … to sait the pelleris on(2) 1456 Hay I. 64/24.
The pillare Julien c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 18602.
The pilleris of Hercules c1515 Asl. MS. I. 163/16.
Of Hercules pilleris 1700 Misc. Spald. C. III. 180.
The saids lawes are … as ane Hercules pillor beyond which none can goe(3) 1529 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 395.
Ane substantious brig … contenand sax pillaris [etc.] 1535 Stewart 33556.
Ane brig of tre But pend or piller vpone trestis hie 1591 Misc. Spald. C. III. 165.
The water bushing … throw the hewin work of the pillars [of the bridge] 1598 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 1 Dec.
That na maner of persoun sett ony fyre to ony of the pilleris of the brig 1609 Edgar Hist. Dumfries 153. 1618 Glasgow Chart. I. ii. 300.
The pilleris, pend and [ed. pendand] vnder propis of the brig being so schaikin … by the … violence of the watter of Clydecomb. 1647 Elgin Rec. II. 257.
They are ordained to stand fyue dayes at the pillar foot 1650 Cramond Ch. Speymouth 9.
Allexr. Milne maid his repentance at the pillar fitt for his drunkenness 1651 Rothiemay Kirk S. in J. Gordon Hist. I. App. lvii.
To stand at the piller foote in the sacklothe 1674 Cullen Kirk S. II. 20 Sept. 1681 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XI. 530.
For the stone bridge of Innernes … flags for the fundation and pillar feit 1694 Boharm Kirk S. 9 Sept.
She was ordained to appear at the pillar foot three Lord's days Ib. 27 Sept. — 1635 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 31.
To … keep clein the … pillar heidis abone the counsall saitattrib. 1643 Edinb. Test. LX. 280 b.
Ane littell pillar saltfatttransf. a1400 Leg. S. ii. 1060.
Till ȝou … can pere Of full gret licht a gret pillere

b. In references to the scourging of Christ.Stane of pillar, ? a fragment of stone supposed to come from the pillar at which Christ was scourged.(1) a1450 Fifteen Ois 42.
Scurgit at ane pillar a1500 Rois Garlandis 117. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5574.
The … croun of thorne, Pillar, nalis [etc.] 1562-3 Winȝet I. 78/12.
The … pillar quhareat oure Saluiour sufferit(2) 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 82.
In ane vthir coffre … ane emmorant a stane of pillare and ane vthir ring

c. With reference to a pillar in a church, or a post set up in the streets, viewed as a place of public repentance, punishment, or the like. d. transf. A more or less elevated platform, appar. variously appointed in different localities (orig., ? one set up in the neighbourhood of a pillar in a church), on which wrong-doers or penitents might be ordered to appear publicly at specified times.See also pillar-foot, comb. above, and Pillorie n. 1. 1636 Brereton in Hume-Brown Early Travels in Scotland 144.]
[This stool is a public and eminent seat erected towards the lower end of the church about two yards from the ground either about some pillar or in some conspicuous place. The seat is capable of accommodating six or eight persons(1) a1500 Seven S. 1015.
That thai suld … in presone … be done Syne … On a pillar be done of bras And thar thole schame for thair trespas 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2597.
The prouest … To ane piller stude in middis of the streit Gart set him vp fast bundin hands and feit 1600 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 264.
Ane piller to be sett at the mercait croce for placeing of the dyvers thairupoun 1600-1610 Melvill 58.
A witche in St. Androis against the quhilk Mr Knox delt from pulpit, sche being set upe at a pillar befor him(2) a1500 Seven S. 1150.
He was … on the morne on pillar picht(3) 1566–7 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 236.
To paynt upoun the pillar of repentence thir wourdis, This is the place appoyntit for publick repentence 1571–2 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII. 63.
For biggin of the pillar of repentans 1594 Elgin Rec. II. 36.
Becaus the ledder that stuid at the pillar of repentance was tane awaye 1598 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 670.
For thre dry wanscot to the tua pilleris of repentance 1599 Ib. 712.
To the piller of repentance … ane aikin corbell 1615 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 23 Aug.
Efter xxvj sabbothis wpone the piller off repentance for hir confessit adultery … [she] is ordanit … to continow wpone the stuill till farther sicht off repentance be found into hir 1631 Banff Ann. I. 67.
That [they] go publictlie to the piller of repentence … and thair sall resaive ane repruiff 1631 Orkney Rentals App. 53.
The west end of the quire where the pillar of repentance stands 1680 Craven Argyll Diocese 121.
That the space betwixt the north door and the aisle be for a pillar of public repentance 1684 Dunferm. Kirk S. 75.
That seat under the pillar of repentance(4) 1664 Banff Ann. II. 44.
It being found that the pillar and persons therein standing is not conspicuous enough, the highting of it was referred to the treasurer 1691 Old Ross-shire I. 237.
Thrie treadsmen of the same town are ordered to be brought to the tron piller and to have thair eares nailed thairto a 1700 Lorimer St. Cuthbert's 119.
[The fact that there are degrees of moral turpitude was plainly recognised because there was] the laicher piller the mid gre and the heicher piller(5) 1619 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 6 Jan.
Ordanit to satisfie the magistrat & piller according to the ordynance Ib.
According to the ordynance to satisfie piller & magistratt(6) 1598 Duncan Glasg. Physic. & Surg. 26.
The presbeteri orderis Mr Peter Lowe doctor of chirurgerie to be convenit before the sessioun thair to ansser for his entrie on the piller 1600 S. Leith Rec. 3.
George Kar warkman for blasphemie maid his repentence at the kirk dure and on the piller 1616 Ritchie Ch. S. Baldred 145.
They war ordainit to satisfie according to the order, to wit thre sabbothes several on the pillar 1628 Dundonald Par. Rec. 238.
Helene Armour … to stand … on the pillar the tyme of sermon 1628 Falkirk Par. Rec. I. 68.
[To] mak thair public repentance in linninges upone the piller 1640 Kinghorn Kirk S. 37.
Ordanit … to sit upon the pyllar for the space of twentie sex sabbathis 1657 Boharm Kirk S. 4 Jan.
Ordained to stand 3 days upon the pillar 1680 Cramond Kirk S. II. 20 June.
Katharin Doe … compeired this day on the pillar 1682 Cullen Kirk S. 20 Feb.
Persons on the pillar 1684 Ellon Par. 137.
Ordained to enter … ther repentance befor the pulpit by reason of ther inabilitie to go on the pillar they being both cripl(7) 1596–7 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 142.
That he sall … stand at the piller fornent the pulpyt … with ane myter vpon his heid 1628 Elgin Rec. II. 205.
John Reid and his vyffe ar ordeant to stand at the piller for being … in ane hostadge drinking 1654 Robertson Cullen Ch. Ann. 90.
[As she stood] in the jougs at the pillar she seemed to slight repentance 1670 Soc. Ant. X. 655.
Thomas Edward … to testify … repentance by standing at the pillar 1695 Dingwall Kirk S. 324. — 1666 Cranna Fraserburgh 195.
In the publict profession of hir repentance … in the joggis and at the pillar(8) 1608 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 62.
That hir playdis be takin from hir … befoir hir vpganging to the piller 1608 Kinghorn Kirk S. ii.
Ordanit to present hirselfe … at the kirk door … & thairefter to enter to the pyllar 1630 Ib. 33.
As for his cumminge to the pyllar [etc.] 1667 Lanark Presb. 108. — 1657 Dumfries Kirk S. 6 Aug.
The magistrats … have sent her to the pillaris(9) 1613 S. Leith Rec. ii.
And to make their public repentance in the pillar 1640 Mouswald Kirk S. 1 July.
And to stand on day in the pillar with sheitis 1643 Lanark Presb. 32.
My Lord Carnath hes sitten in the pillar and satisfied the session for his fornicatioun 1648 Dumfries Kirk S. 22 Dec.
To sit 6 dayes in the pillar in respect this is her second fault(10) 1636 Elgin Rec. II. 230.
Receavit fra the piller for clinking of basens through the toun on Uphaly even — 1649 Dumfries Kirk S. 26 Jan.
Ordained to acknowledge his offence from the pillar this ensuing saboth — 1679 Cramond Kirk S. II.
Robert Kneelands adulterer … was absolved from the pillar(11) 1674 Cramond Kirk S. II.
James Aikin entered the pillar to give signes of his repentance 1690 Ib. III. 16 Jan.
Ordained to enter the pillar to satisfie

2. More generally, A supporting post or prop; a support. b. Chiefly, fig.See also Rance-pillar n. 1559 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 298.
For vi gret pece hwing wark for the pellarris for the alter winnyng 1589–1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 52 b.
For saueing the pelleris of our coye Ib.
For torneing of vi pleris x ss.b. c1420 Wynt. vii. 1824.
He wes … Off the kyrk a stark pillere 1456 Hay II. 57/24.
For defaut of forse that suld be his pillare of worschip till halde him ferme 1490 Irland Mir. I. 116/10.
The humane nature is ane of the gret wallis and pillaris of thi hevinly palice 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 177/26 (G).
Deirly belowit kyrk … quhilk is the pillair … off trewtht 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (S.T.S.) 401.
Of the memberis of Antichrist the pilleris of the malignant kirk 1596 Dalr. II. 45/25.
O cruel creatures quha dang doune sa strang a stay, piller and vphald of the realme — c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 1209.
In that reirgard he ordand battellis thre And threttie thousand … That ordand he for pillar at his bak