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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rach(e, Ratch(e, n. Also: racch, raich, raych; rech(e. [ME racch(e (Orm), rachch, ME and e.m.E. ratche (Prompt. Parv.), OE ræcc, ON rakki a dog. ‘After c1530 only in Sc. use’ (OED).] A rache, a hunting dog which pursues its prey by scent.(a) 14.. Acts I 327/2.
That fre man may folow the rach in the kingis forest alsfer as he may cast his horn or his lesch 1438 Reg. St. A. 430.
A brais of grevhundis and a coppil of rachis a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1344. a1500 Henr. Fab. 555. a1500 Lanc. 531.
The rachis gon wn-copelit for the deire 1505 Treas. Acc. III 172.
Passand with raches in the cuntree to drif the deir to the park 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 241/1.
Divers oure liegis … distroys and frays our deir with stalking rachis 1531 Bell. Boece I xli.
The secound kind is ane rache, that sekis thair pray, baith of fowlis, beistis and fische, be sent 1535 Stewart 16864.
Small houndis to bring thame [sc. deer] to the burne … And mony ratche ta ryn vnder the rys Ib. 16432.
Racchis 1552 Reg. Cupar A. II 107.
Thai sall … nwrice ane leiche of gud howndis, with ane cuppill of rachis for tod and wolf a1568 Scott v 40. c1475 Wall. (1570) v 96.
[This] sluth ratche [ … On Wallace fute folowit] c1575 Balfour Pract. 139 (see Mastif(f n.). 15.. Konrad Gesner Historia Animalium I App. 13.
Canis Scoticus sagax, uulgo dictus ane rache. Germanice dici potest, ein Schottischer wasserhund a1603 Anc. Prophecies 16.
There shal come an hound out of the south, With him an ragment of ratches rewled right 1611 Reg. Panmure I xxxv.
The marquis vsit to hwnt withe ratches, and the lard with greyhundis 1628 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II 372. a1700 Hay Geneal. Sainteclaires 14.(b) 1398–1400 Aberd. B. Rec. (S.H.S.) 63.
Quibusdam curris et le raychis eiusdem c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 159.
Raichis(c) 1518 Glenartney Doc.
As for huntaris that may be apprehendit huntand within our saide forest, that thar houndis and rechis be takin fra thame 1622-6 Bisset I 29/2.
Ilk nobill suld caus nurische twa reches and ane hund to his huntting

b. As the type of a relentless and cruel pursuer. Hence c. fig. 1561 Q. Kennedy Oratioune 20.
Thar pestilent precheouris … circumuenande the simple peple, cersande thair pray like the deuillis rachis 1570 Sat. P. xviii 23.
Throw out this realme lyke ratches se ȝe range And seik thair blude 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 33 (see also Calderwood III 129).
And not content of it that thame selffis may still reif and brybe thay set out thair ratches on euery side 1597 Melvill 428.
Craftie men … Wha houndit furthe these ratches under night

d. Attrib. with Cuppill n. 3, q.v. for further examples. 1541 Treas. Acc. VII 459.
xij pair of rache cuppillis 1542 Ib. VIII 89.
To Patrik Sklater for dog lesches, brasis, collarris, … rache cuppellis 1542 Acts & Decr. I 141.
Rach cuppillis of siluer and silk colleris