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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.

Redem(e, Radem(e, v. Also: -deim(e, -deym(e, -deem(e, -deam; -dim(e. P.p. also (redeeme). [Late ME (1432–50) and e.m.E. redeme, -deem(e, rare till after 1500, F. rédimer (14th c. in Larousse), L. redimere.]

1. tr. To repurchase (a former possession, office, etc.); to buy back. c1420 Wynt. ii 365.
Off Egypte all the tennandrys He redemyt Ib. vii 2038.
The Kyng Willame tretyd sua Wytht Rychard, that he redemyd fra Hym all hys dignyteis [etc.] Ib. iv 1996 (C).
Redeyme 1596 Dalr. I 153/3.
Sa pernicious lawes war … abrogat … of sik a maner that for a certane soume of money that licence soulde be ȝeirlie redeimed Ib. 339/31.
Thair was the peace maid, and with a smal soume redeimet the hail Iles 1640 Kirkcudbr. Min. Bk. 22.
Quha hes any silver or gold worke quhich they crave raither to keip for thair ane use than delyver the samyn to be coinȝed, shall have power to redeime the samyn at the prycess efter following

b. To recover or regain by force. a1578 Pitsc. II 34 h. of ch.
The gowernor … disolvit the seasing and redemit all the landis that war conquerit be Ingland in winning of the feild 1596 Dalr. II 12/17.
The hail cuntrie with the sworde he redeimit

2. To free (land or other heritable property, or annual rent from property) from a bond of wadset by payment of the sum due; to recover a pledge from pawn.For further instances, see Lows v.¹ 12 a and Outquite v.In early use, appar. chiefly or only Sc.(a) c1475 Wall. vi 86.
Thow sall loss a gage Quhilk neuir in erd sall be redemyt agayne 1482–3 Acta Conc. II cxiv.
The said Thomas sall remain with the said land … quhil it be redemit efter the form of the said reversion 1499–1500 Ib. 401.
The sade Georg … may redeme and lowis his sade landis quhat tyme it plesis him 1506 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II 162.
And neuer to lous nor redeme be my self, … nor nane wtheris throw ws, … the forsaid land … fra the said Johne 1538–9 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 93.
To gyf to the said Jhonne heritable stait and sesing … of Robert Adamsonis buth … ay and quhill thay redeme the samyn be payment of j^c merkis 1543 Misc. Spald. C. II 270.
Rademe 1545 Glasgow Chart. II 509. 1552 Lochwinnoch Par. 35.
And na part of the saidis landis rademit fra the saidis personis 1555 Acts II 491/1.
It salbe lesum to the annuellaris … to by in agane and redeme fra the said awnar of the samin land samekill of the said annuell as thay sall happin to want 1562 Reg. Privy S. V i 280/2. 1567 Crail B. Ct. MS 18 July.
Quill it be redemit vpoun ane reversioun of ane hunderit merkis geld and syluer all blaik mony secludit 1581 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II 407.
I … sall grant the foresaid pleuche land … to be lauchfullie redemit 1589 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 17 May.
Johne Gordone & George Ogiluie … grantit the saidis landis of Dunnamad lauchfull redemitt 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 353.
First he redemes the morgage and wadset of the toun of Mwy a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 128.
Redem(b) 1474 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 527.
To … frie and redeim all and sundry my landis 1491 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 30.
Giff ony man will redeym thir landis … cum wytht xl days and redeym thaim or ellis dome of possessione wyll be giffyn 1516 Wigtown B. Ct. 54a.
To pay the byrvne annuellis and to radeyme the place 1521 Maxwell Mem. I 247.
Gyff it happynnis me … to redeyme and lows the saidis landis eftir the tennor of the lettir of reuersion … , I … sal pay … the sowm abwffe expremyt 1630 Misc. Hist. Soc. II 255.
To redeime sum of thair very viticillis and domiseillis quhilk thay had pandit(c) 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Reversion.
In the quhilke caise it is necessare to him, quha firste annalied the landes, and there after redeemed them to tacke newe saisinge Id. Reg. Maj. (Latin) ii 114b.
Vt vadium seu pignus luat & acquietet, to redeeme and lowse the wadd a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 325.
Minors may redeem lands comprysed from them at any tyme [etc.] 1657 Strathblane Par. 15.
[The lands] are now redeeme and loozat of forefalture

b. To release (movable goods) from pawn. See also quot. 1630 under (b) above. 1498 Acta Conc. II 154.
For the wrangus postponyng … til lowis and redeme … of a cop and covir of silver … laid in wed 1650 Glasgow Wrights Acts 10.
And if poyndis be not redeamed within fourtie dayes … they ar heirby declaired irredimable

c. To recover by payment of the debt (a bond constituting a debt). See to lowse owt, Lows v.¹ 12 d.

d. To pay for; to meet (a charge) by payment. 1510 Reg. Privy S. I 317/1.
The said abbot has pait to him certane soumez of money to redeme the tedious and costly pleyis that has bene maid 1618 Laing MSS I 149.
It is verie hard that I suld give my own geir to redeme a rent to the musitians

e. Of an object: To bring money in return, to sell at (a certain amount). 1565 Cal. Sc. P. II 205.
[The furniture … ] is hable to redeme twyis als much cost

3. To ransom (a prisoner) from captivity; to liberate by making a payment or arranging an exchange. c1515 Asl. MS I 231/16.
The erll … redemit his cosing and restorit him to his lordschip c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 12/37.
The weir is gon, … The ransoun maid, the presoneris redemit 1513 Doug. vi ii 87.
Pollux redemyt his broder Castor, … Partyng with him his immortalite a1538 Abell 97 (bis) b.
King Robertis wife wes redemit with permutatioun of a gret nobill of Ingland 1558 Admir. Ct. Bk. 92.
Flemyngis … takin presonaris be Franchemen and redemit be the said Johnne 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 10.
The King of France … was redemit, and his tua sones laid for him 1596 Dalr. I 276 marg.
Redimet Ib. II 37/10.
Tha leiue him nocht behind thame for ony ransoun, bot redeim him with how mekle tha desyre a1605 Montg. Sonn. liii 14.
Go, sonet … unto my soveran say, Redeme ȝour man, or dam him but delay 1643 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 4.
To be put in waird … or then to redeim himselff furth thairof be payment of fyue pundis

4. Of God or Christ: To free (man) from sin and its consequences. Also absol. c1420 Wynt. v 5458.
Trajanys saule redemyd he Fra the lestand pyne off hell c1450 Cr. Deyng (S.T.S.) 212.
Al man is … redemyt thar-to [sc. heaven] agane by … the passione of Cryst 1456 Hay I 111/30.
Bot he wald as than tak his passioun in pacience for mannis saule to redeme a1500 Henr. Prayer 43.
Now to redeme that Thow hes maid of nocht 1490 Irland Mir. II 29/32.
He tholit passioun & deid horrible and merwalus to redeme ws fra dampnacioun eternall c1515 Asl. MS I 329/6.
Grace quhilk redemit mannis saull fra the originale syn of Adam ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 323.
To redeme mankind out of the handis of the enemy c1500-c1512 Dunb. (S.T.S.) lxx 25.
Thow, that on rude ws ransomit and redemit 1513 Doug. x Prol. 133.
A drop had bene sufficient of thy blude A thousand warldis to have redemyt 1525 St. A. Formulare I 268.
Men … bocht and redemit be the precios blude of our salvatour Jhesu Criste 1567 G. Ball. 17.
Our Sauiour Christ … Hes vs redemit from the hell 1567 Tyrie in Cath. Tr. 11/12.
That end to the quhilk God has creatit and redemit yowabsol. c1475 Wall. ii 183.
Bot Thow rademe, na liff thai ordand me

b. Of a human being: To save, rescue or deliver. c1475 Wall. ix 231.
Wallace, that has rademyt Scotland 15.. Clar. v 852.
This knight … Into ane lyoun long was deformat, Quhill King Clariodus … Redeimit him

5. a. To make amends or atonement for (a fault or error). b. ? To make good (a deficiency or shortage).a. c1450 Cr. Deyng (S.T.S.) 66.
To radem the trespas that Adam … commytyt a1500 Bk. Chess 300.
Throw that word the lak of that virgyne Redemit wasb. c1420 Wynt. iv 1970.
He may symply wyth that prys Redeme but mare his landis wys And fayre lordschip tyl hym wyn

6. intr. To return to (grace). c1475 Wall. x 1054.
Our gudly gyd … radeym [1570 redeme vs] anys to grace And tak the croun