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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.

Professour(e, -or, n. Also: proffessour, professouer. [ME and e.m.E. professour(e (Wyclif, Trevisa), -or (1538), OF professeur (1337 in Godef.), L. professor a public teacher, med. L. one who professes a faith (c 1195), a teacher (1265), agent-n. f. profess- Profes v.]

1. a. One fully qualified to expound (in a specific branch of lerning or academic subject) or a fully qualified teacher (of such a subject). Passing into: b. A teacher of the highest rank in a university or college, esp. one holding a salaried office to teach a particular subject (as professor of that subject), a professor in a university or college. c. fig.a., b. (1) 1490 Irland Mir. II 80/21.
Bot a maister and professour in theologie may expone the haly writt and declar the artiklis of the faith to the pepil doctrinaliter Ib. 130/8.
Tretand of the natur of the saule … gret clerkis masteris and professouris in theologie has writtin [etc.] a1538 Abell 107a.
That sam ȝere beguth the Wniuersite of Sanct Andros. Thare come to it Lawrence of Lundoris & Richard Corwell professouris in iure 1579 Acts III 180/2.
That the principall of Sanctsaluatouris College salbe professour in medicine 1588–9 Acts Sederunt in Sc. Hist. Rev. XXIII 205.
To furneis yeirlie ane hundreth pundis of annuell for the intertenement of ane teacher and professour in the lawis in the said college [of Edinburgh] ? a 1594 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXIII 209.(2) 1274 Reg. Dunferm. 121.
[Hiis testibus domino Abraham legum professore magistro Johanne de Muskylburg [etc.] 1529 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 394.
Hectore Boetio sacrarum litterarum professore collegij Aberdonensis primario 1532 Reg. Episc. Morav. 374.]
Hectore Boecio sacre theologie professore a1538 Abell 111a.
He wes confessit before with maistir Johne Yrland proffessour of theologe 1579 Acts III 181/2.
And that aither of the tua principall maisteris professouris of theologie in the said new college [of St. Andrews] salhaue for thair fie [etc.] … [£100] and thrie chalderis victuall … euerie ane of the vther thrie maisteris and professouris of theologie in the same college [£100] … and ane chalder victuall 1579 Comm. Univ. III (St. A.) 191.
To Mr. James Wilkie principall professour of philosophie of Plato 1581 Burne Disput. Title. 1613 Marischal Coll. Rec. 132.
For mantenance of ane learned professor of mathematickes Ib. 133.
To place the professour of mathematicks above the regents and give him ane ordinarie houre to teiche c1646 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. fol. 13.
For the ordinary stipend of an private professor of humanity Ib. fol. 40.
Mr. Andrew Yong was created publik professor of the mathematiks 1685 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 140.(3) 1579 Acts III 178/2.
To redres the forme of studyis and teacheing be ma or fewar professouris Ib. 180/1.
Thair salbe besydis the principall foure ordiner professouris or regentis euerie ane continewing in his awin professioun Ib. 182/1.
The principall maister and the laweir and the mathematiciane euerie ane … [£100] … Euerie ane of the vther foure ordiner professouris or regentis … ane hundreth merkis 1588 Comm. Univ. III (St. A.) 194.
The twa extraordinar professouris affirmis … they ar not subject to live collegialiter to eat and ly within the college ? a 1594 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXIII 209.
For it is demandit quha salbe auditouris of this new professour 1640 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 533. 1641 Marischal Coll. Rec. 263 n.
The principall professors and remanent masters of the said tua colledgis c1650 Spalding II 18.
He mortefeit the lodging quhairin he duellis, efter his deceas to the professouris efter him 1680 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 334.
The professors place in the King's Colledge … is now vacant thorow the translation of Mr. John Menzies to the professor of divinitie in New Aberdeine 1704 Edinb. Univ. Chart. 155.c. 1540 in Knox I 73.
The down thringars of God his glore, Professouris of hipocrisie, And doctouris in idolatrie

2. A qualified practitioner of a craft, skill or profession. 1581 Burne Disput. in 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. 171/5.
Tailyeouris, glaisin vrichtis, and professoris of mechanick artis 1593 Reg. Privy C. V 78.
Quhen thay sall see professouris of the law to begyn to ly at await as briganis for [etc.]

3. One who makes open profession (of his faith or beliefs); a ‘believer’. (Profes v. 3.)Usu. applied to one of the same faith as oneself. Also plur. = ‘the faithful’, applied by Protestant or Covenanting writers to members of their own faith collectively.(1) 1558-66 Knox (title).]
[A faythfull admonition … vnto the professours of Gods truthe in England 1562-3 Winȝet II 7/29.
The mony … sectis, raigeing at this præsent amangis the professouris of Christis name 1558-66 Knox II 311.
The good Laird of Pittarro was ane earnest professor of Christ 1569 Cal. Sc. P. III 25.
Professouers 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 273.
All professouris of Christis evangle, whome thei terme Lutherianes, Hugonotes, and Calvenistis, salbe routed vp 1572 Reg. Privy C. II 168. 1572–3 Acts III 73/1. 1573 Reg. Privy C. II 257. 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xl Pref. p. 277.
Ane zelous professour of Goddis word … and lufer of his seruandis 1574 Reg. Privy S. VI App. 506/2.
[The said David is] a professoure and avowar of the Christiane and trew religioun 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 320.
All professouris of the religioun having benefices and able to preitch a1578 Pitsc. II 136/30.
The ministeris that prechit the vord and also thame that war professouris of the religioun 1580 Reg. Privy C. III 277.
Bot alsua ar mantineris and professouris of papistrie and opinioun contrary to the said trew religioun reformit and publictlie profest within this realme 1584 Misc. Bann. C. I 111.
Enemies to the trewth and to the prechours and professours thairoff Ib. 113. 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (S.T.S.) 5/24.
That there are more sortes nor one that are directlie professors of his [the Devil's] service 1609–10 Ayr B. Acc. 245.
[Alms to support some poor Greeks,] professouris of the word 1621 Misc. Hist. Soc. III 183. 1638 Nat. Covenant in Facs. Nat. MSS III xcvii. — 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 217.
Your husband (my friend and this kirk's faithful professor) — a1568 Scott i 130.
Auld folkis ar flemit fra ȝung fayth professouris(2) c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 410.
O fie on ȝow that callis ȝour selffs professours, Syne notit ar for manifest transgressours 1608 Dundas Fam. P. Royal letter No. 36.
A protectour of all true professoris 1640 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 613.
I see many professors for the fashion, professors of glass a1658 Durham Blessedness Death (1682) 35.
[The temptation of self-righteousness] prevaills much with formal professours (such as the Pharisees were) 1658 Dumfries Kirk S. 23 Sept.
The formality and wnfruitfulnes of many professors 1663–9 J. Livingstone in Sel. Biog. I 143.
Among all these ministers there was never any … jealousie, yea, nor among the professors, the greatest part of them being Scotts 1672 M. Bruce Rattling Dry Bones 26.
Till bone be keeped by bone among you, ye will never be able professors for biding a blast [for Christ] 1682 Peden Lords Trumpet 19.
A great thick back of ministers and professors in Scotland 1687 Faithful Contendings 300. 1697 Sermon on Witchcraft in Sc. Hist. Rev. VII 398.
The safety of professors is concerned in it [witchcraft](3) 1622 Scot Course of Conformity 150.
Knowledge in the professours is most necessary c1646 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. fol. 17.
The unhappie tumult … did exceedingly irritate King James against the godly professors, … the ministers of Edinburgh were banished, the most eminent professors fined & confined a1651 Calderwood II 126.
The Papists … resorted … to the toun. … The professours heereupon assembled ?1661-5 M. Bruce Soul-Confirmation 10.
The devil has learned the professors in Scotland a brave trick of it now 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 259.

b. Also applied to one duly acknowledging the King's authority. 1593 in Montg. Suppl. 320.
That the samyn [pacification] suld be extendit to … these onlie quha ar professoris of the kingis maiesteis authoritie and religioun

4. Appar., one who has made profession of religion (as med. L. professor (c 1170), late ME professoure (c 1420), id., and cf. Profes v. 2), but ? erron. for Possesso(u)r(e n. — 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3402 (Ch.).
Scribe: My lords how haue ȝe keipt ȝour thrie vows? Abbot: Indeid richt weill till I gat hame my bows. In my abbay quhen I was sure professour Then did I leife as did my predecessour