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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Preso(u)n, n.¹ Also: preso(u)n(e, -onn(e, -own(e, -en, presso(u)n(e, -oyn; preis(s)o(u)n(e, preysone; preas(s)o(u)n(e. [North. ME preso(u)n, -un(e (Cursor M.), late ME (? north.) preson (15th c.), e.m.E. preson (Tindale, Coverdale).The more common Sc. form, perh. repr. several pronunc. types. A type with :, f. early OF preson, L. prensio f. prehendere to seize, might be indicated by the early rhymes with chesone and ressoune, unless these and other rhymes on the final syllable alone merely point to the survival of a type with stressed second rather than first syllable. But the absence of spellings in a, ai in the 16th c. suggests that the type with : (and initial-syllable stress) no longer existed then, if it ever had. Besides these, a type with ę:, by the usual development of this from i (as in Mekil(l, Merour(e, etc.), presumably also existed and may indeed have been the dominant type.]

1. (As a non-count noun): The condition of being imprisoned, confinement in prison; passing into: the place of confinement, prison, jail.(1) 1375 Barb. i 285.
Fra thai in presoune him sleuch Ib. iv 15.
Bath in fetrys and in presoune [: Seytoun] a1400 Leg. S. i 115.
He that wrechit mane Held swa in presone ?1438 Alex. ii 6930.
Ȝe haue lyen our lang in presoun [: Fezoun] c1420 Wynt. iv 1580.
And thewys that he in presowne hade a1500 Henr. Fab. 1635. c1475 Wall. ii 308.
In presoune famyst 1513 Doug. i ii 8.
Eolus … braithly tempestis … in presoun constrenys 1522 Douglas Corr. 86.
Presen 1533 Bell. Livy II 163/3.
Presoun a1568 Bann. MS 44 b/73.
In presone [: ressone] 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 92. 1544 Bk. Carlaverock II 29.
I am heyr this lang tym in pressoyn 1549 Compl. 86/22.
Preson c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1423.
He … remainit in presoun, Ane certane time, in that dungeoun 1567 G. Ball. 46.
In presoun [B. prison] for the veritie Ane faithfull brother maid this sang a1578 Pitsc. I 123/1, Ib. 53/29.
Pressone 1596 Dalr. II 1/16.
Presoun 1622-6 Bisset II 313/2.(b) 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV ii 53.
Hir formare constrainit writingis in preissonne(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxxix 194.
Thire bruthire thre That he in pressone gert done be 1432 Acts II 21/2.
Presone c1475 Wall. ii 228. a1500 Bk. Chess 1228.
That scho but fude suld in to presoun be c1515 Asl. MS I 209/24, 321/20. Ib. 209/24. 1510 Reg. Privy S. I 314/2.
Adam Rutherfurd … wes put in oure castell of Edinburgh in fermance and presoun c1520-c1535 Nisbet Luke xxiii 19.
Presonn 1533 Gau 60/13.
He keist hime in to presone 1564 Perth B. Ct. 85 (17 May).
Pressone 1567 G. Ball. 141.
Presoun a1578 Pitsc. I 59/17.
And cassin in pressone 1579 Acts III 145/2. 1582 St. A. Kirk S. 490.
Decernit to enter in presson Satterday nixttocum 1584 Ib. 536.
Pressoun 1596 Dalr. I 279/9.
Presoun 1693 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 4 March.
For piting the warkmen in preson(b) 1531 Bell. Boece I 36.
The nobillis … kest all his corruppit counsullouris in preisoun 1545 Douglas Corr. 157.
One to siche tyme that I vos put in the castelle off Edinbruchg in preysone and ther kaypit long(c) 1570 Leslie 300.
Preasone(3) a1400 Leg. S. xii 442.
Thai harlyt hyme one to presone [: chesone] c1420 Wynt. v 963.
Domityane Gert hym … be … send to presowne [C. preson, W. And put to presonne] in the yle Off Pathmos a1500 K. Hart 252. a1500 Seven S. 365. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1942.
Gret princis weir to presoun bryngis 1558-66 Knox II 329.
Preasone 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 154.
He was tane to preasone 1582 in Melvill 131.
Preasone(4) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2947.
Out of presoun [: deliberacioun] ?1438 Alex. i 1299.
His eme prayit God sould him saue … fra presone [: fassoun; F. prison] c1420 Wynt. vii 2086.
For rawnsown Off Rychard, or he come off presown Ib. ix 2483.
Frethit he wes nocht off presowne [: Homyldone] 14.. Acts I 350/2.
Of Scotismen that helpis to bring Inglismen oute of presoune c1475 Wall. iii 83.
Ay fra the tyme that he of presoune four c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1185.
Be that maist precious ransoun, Thay wer delyverit of presoun 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV ii 86.
For the delyvering of her majestie furth of preissone 1611 Inverness Rec. II 86.(5) ?1438 Alex. ii 5041.
Cassamus kepis him allane Bot outher presoun or festnine Bot throw … laute fyne 1456 Hay I 87/13.
Than suld he … tak lyf and dede and presoune and othir fortune as it may cum till hand c1590 Fowler I 28/47.
His face wes chaingd and countenance by preasoun or by death(6) 1375 Barb. vi 261 (E).
Then wald he presone hald no mar Bot on thaim ran ?1438 Alex. ii 3946.
He hes suorne … That he sall lelely hald presoun [: fassoun](7) a1400 Leg. S. i 86.
And in harde presone hym thrynde c1420 Wynt. viii 3034.
Scho … gert hym in presowne [C. preson, W. presone] depe be dwne Ib. ii 345. c1475 Wall. ii 157.
In presoune law 1490 Irland Mir. II 13/31.
A litle Cristin child … put in hevy and strait presoune c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5968.
Quhen I lay in presoun strang 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2590.
To deip presoun with him … thay went Ib. 1331. 1558-66 Knox I 383.
And the uthir in vyle preassoun cassin 1571 Misc. Bann. C. III 118.
Charles was put in clois presone in the Marschelsea a1578 Pitsc. I 389/3.
And put in dullful presone 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. in 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 81/18.
Nor the feir of death in maist strait preason c1590 Fowler I 284/70.
As out of preson dark a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 20.
Bothuell was … himself committit to siker preason c1600 Montg. Suppl. i 28. 1611 Reg. Privy C. IX 228.
Where they are detained in miserable presone and captivitie

b. ? Confinement, captivity, more generally. ?1438 Alex. ii 4565.
Betys … That Marciane led to presoun Hame richt to his pauillone a1500 Henr. Fab. 1541 (Bann.).
Quha sall me put fra pane of this presoun [: croun, lamentatioun] Ib. 1554.
Lo … this is the same lyone Quhilk gave me grace … And now is fast heir bundin in presone

2. (As a count noun): A place of incarceration; a prison, jail. a1400 Leg. S. iii 513.
To the presone quhare he was … gadderit mony mane Ib. xlv 174.
& in a myrk pressone hire flyng c1420 Wynt. iii 441.
Presowne [: dungeowne] Ib. i 590. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1138 (Ch. & M.).
Presonne c1475 Wall. ii 153. a1500 K. Hart 269. 1513 Doug. i iii 80.
Byd Eolus … cloys the presoun of wyndis 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II 286. Id. Livy II 25/3.
The hous … sall now be ane presoun to him self Ib. I 78/32. 1537–8 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 219.
Irne werk … in the presonis and closattis of the said tour 1549 Compl. 116/9.
That thai presoneris hed … brokyn the preson contrar his vil c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1412. 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 7. 1558-66 Knox I 233.
The gentilmen that remaned in preasonis 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV ii 87.
At her furth cuming of the said preisone 1575 Reg. Privy S. VII 29/2. 1576 Prot. Bk. W. Cumming MS 178 b.
The entres to the gilte preson with ane dur a1578 Pitsc. I 31/30. 1579–80 Misc. Spald. C. II 216.
All our tolbuithis presonis and warding houssis within our saidis burrowis 1603 Black Bk. Taymouth 338.
Off lang chenyeis in the presoun heich and lach

b. Attrib. in presoun-dure. — 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 105.
To the presoun dure xxiiii nalis 1600 Black Bk. Taymouth 337.
Of hingand loks at the yet and presone dur

3. a. With a (subjective) possessive: Imprisonment or a prison, by or of the person.(1) sing. 1375 Barb. i 430.
Hys fadyr … deyt tharfor in my presoun [: feloune] a1400 Leg. S. i 45.
And als of Herrod presowne The angel brocht hym but ransone ?1438 Alex. i 1251.
In Daurus presoun haue I bene Weill xiiij ȝeir Ib. ii 5181, 5182.
I wald nocht all ȝour oist war tane In my presone in the manere As ȝe ar in our presone heir c1475 Wall. iii 233.(2) 1502 Perth Guildry MS p. 151 (26 July).
Gif the said hieland his [sic] man brekis the kingis presone and ward 1515 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 156.
Airt and pairt for … brekin of the kings presoun(3) plur. a1400 Leg. S. xxxii 532.
Al that in oure pressonnis ware 1540–1 Reg. Privy S. II 581/2.
And to that effect len to him ȝoure presonis, stokis, fetteris, [etc.] 1591 Misc. Spald. C. II 217.
That all our tolbuithis preasones and wairding places … be maid patent … to our said constabill

b. The commoun (= public) presoun. 1574 Acts III 87/1.
All … vagaboundis … tobe committit in ward in the commoun presoun stokkis or irnis a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 391.
He subornit the keapers of the commoun preasoun of Edinburgh

4. transf. and fig. a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 1512.
I … sall be mad sowne … Of fleschlyk presone quyt & fre ?1438 Alex. ii 6377.
Ȝe ar baith in luffis presoun [: ressoun] 1461 Liber Plusc. 386.
Oure saule … Is haldyn in ws as it war in presoun [: sesoun] a1500 Henr. Fab. 1630. c1475 Wall. ii 185.
[Thou] that … Fra hellis presoune with thi blud ws bocht a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1195 (Harl.).
Perpetuall pressoun to fendis furious 1490 Irland Mir. I 116/1.
Haue piete, and deliuer thi auld seruand fra hevy presoune, distres, seruitut & captiuite Ib. 121/5, II 41/10. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxviii 34. c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 3.
Vt of the presonn of synn and deith 1531 Bell. Boece II 305.
Out of this corporall preson 1551 Hamilton Cat. 159. a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 269 (W).
Within my cairfull corpis me incluissit, And pressone [L. preissoun, Wr. prison] of my breist Id. Misc. P. lii 3.
For in the presone of dispair I ly c1590 Fowler I 65/205.
Preasoun Ib. 88/50. 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas iii 359.