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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.

Rice, Rise, n.¹ Also: rys(e, ryis, rysse, ryce; reys. [ME and e.m.E. rise, ris, OE -hrís (in comb. geléafhrís), ON hrís.]

1. a. A small branch or twig of a growing tree or bush. b. Such small branches or twigs, collectively, a bush; dense, twiggy wood-growth, brushwood, freq. along the banks of a river.Cf. later Orkney dial. rice = brushwood; ‘chiefly of dwarf willow growing along burns’ (Marwick).a. (1) ?1438 Alex. ii 3755.
Her visage … Vox ridder weill than rose on rys a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 854.
As roise ragit on rise(2) 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 237.
The cowschet crowdis and pirkis on the rys 15.. Christis Kirk 151 (M).
Heich huchoun with ane hissill rys a1568 Scott i 4.
Welcum, oure rubent rois vpoun the ryce!b. (1) a1500 Henr. Fab.1335 (Bann.).
The roisis reid arreyit rone [Ch. on rone] and rys 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 35.
Baith foulis, flouris and rice Recomfort was throw Phebus' gudlyheid a1550 Tayis Bank 109.
Quhair ron & rys rais in aray(b) c1475 Wall. vi 716.
That bog … Growyn our with reys(2) c1450-2 Howlat 89 (A).
The Howlet … Raikit vnder the rys a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1344.
Also rachis can ryn vndir the wod rise c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 190/31.
For quhilk thair tennents … leivis on rutis undir the ryce 1535 Stewart 16864.
And mony ratche ta ryn vnder the rys a1550 Tayis Bank 37.
Vndir the rise the ra did ryn(3) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1335 (Ch.) (see b (1) above).
(4) c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 28.
Doune throu the ryce a ryvir ran a1550 Tayis Bank 113.
The rever throw the ryse cowth rowt 1580 Hume Promine 110.
The kiddis skippand with rais throw the riceb. attrib. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 524.
Thir ryall rosis … rakit hame to ther rest throgh the rise blumys

2. Small branches, twigs, brushwood, etc., cut down and put to a variety of uses; wattles.Also attrib. with worke and dyk.(a) 1457 Acts II 51/2.
That na man mak ȝardis nor heggis of dry staikis na rys or stykis … bot allanerly of lyffand wode c1475 Wall. ix 910.
A maner dyk in to that wod wes maid, Off thuortour rys 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 22.
For iiij draucht of rys fra the wod of Newbottill, … to the fostar … for the cutting of the said rys 1533 Boece 81b.
Apon ane hard flaik or ryse without coddis thai suld [lay] thame to rest Ib. 266.
Be the lowe that was … spred amang the stray and ryis of the palȝeouns 1535 Stewart 49949.
Trynchis [he] gart mak … And stoibbit thame with ryce 1536–7 Ayr B. Acc. 19.
Gevin for setting of twa pernellis and wyndling of the rys to the bulwark, … to the fostar … for cutting of the rys, … to twa men for setting of stakis and rys 1548 Treas. Acc. IX 215.
For the making of certane ledderres and gabyonnes, cutting of rys in Colstoun Wod 1549–50 Ib. 364.
To xvj warkmen quhilk wroucht certane wod and rys to be gabyounes and mandes to beir sande Ib. 374.
For bering of staikis and rys fra my lordis logeing to the schoir of Dunde 1573 Ib. XII 343.
The rys and brume to be gabionis 1645 Falkirk Baron Ct. 13 May.
That William Kynros … sell no ryse nor vther tymber quhilk growethe within my lordis woodis 1678 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 13 Nov.
Ane considerabill quantatie of ryse and mollandis for the said fish yeard(b) 1573 Reg. Privy C. II 211.
For making of gabionis, and uther necessar preparatioun to the placeing … of the … artaillierie … thair is certane rysse cuttit within the Sherefdome of Edinburgh 1627 Ib. 2 Ser. II 128.
Thair is na groundes … whilk will afford sufficiencie of faill or divvett or rysseattrib. 1640 Bk. Carlaverock II 502.
In [? for iij] rise worke stules 1677 Galloway P. 13 Feb.
With a single stone or ryse dyk

b. Stake and rice, see Stak(e n.¹ 5 b, c.