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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.

Roup, Rowp(e, Rope, Roip, v. Also: roupe; rolp; rawp; raop; roop; roap(e. [ME roupe (once, 14th c.), later only Sc. until 19th c. (rare), ON raupa to boast, brag, appar. falling together or confused with ME rope(n (Ancr. R.) obs. after c1400, OE hrópan (p.t. hréop), ON hrópa to utter a cry or shout.]

I. 1. intr. To shout, roar; to cry out loudly. c1420 Wynt. iii 872.
Thai rowpyd [C. rawppit, W. raopit] wytht a rare at anys c1450-2 Howlat 45 (A).
Ane pure mane … Rolpit [B. Rowpit] reuthfully roth in a rude rane c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 142.
How thow come in grit neid … Ramand and rolpand, beggand koy and ox Ib. (O.U.P.) 153/117.
Thae tarmegantis … rowp lyk revin and ruke 1513 Doug. ix viii 44.
Takand … na maner schame, Swa amangis men to ryn, and rowp or raym 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8475.
Thay rowp thay rair, and euer schouts on me 1558-66 Knox I 256.
The freiris rowping lyik reavins upoun the bischoppes

b. To roup for or eftir (something), to clamour for. 1513 Doug. vii ix 88.
Gret rowtis … rowpyt eftir batale ernystfully 1571 Sempill Sat. P. xxviii 89.
Rowpand for riches … As houngrie lyon … Sum benefice I bocht or euer it vaikit

c. Of a bird, chiefly the raven: To croak or caw. c1450-2 Howlat 215 (B).
The ravin rowpand [A. rolpand] rudely in a roch rane a1500 Seven S. 2679.
Than rolpit the ravinnis all with thair micht 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 661.
The reuin come rolpand 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8471.
About this place resorts rauins thre … Rowpand in ane a1603 Anc. Prophecies 30.
Three rauens and a rooke shal on thy rock sit And rolp rudely shal they

d. To rolp on (a person), to croak at, call upon raucously. a1500 Seven S. 2615.
Thre ravynnis ar euer on me rolpand

2. tr. To utter, cry or proclaim in a hoarse, raucous or croaking voice; to bawl. 1513 Doug. iii i 129.
The lattir hailsyng syne lowd [we] schowtit thrys, Rowpand atanys, ‘Adew!’ Ib. iv viii 129.
Orestes … Rowpyt and sung how he his moder fled 1558-66 Knox I 96.
These slaves of Sathan … rowped as thei had bein ravinis … , ‘Heresy!’

3. Only in Doug.: To invoke loudly (a god or spirit). 1513 Doug. iv ix 75.
Thre hundreth goddis with hir mouth rowpyt sche Ib. xi 51.
Thou Proserpyne, quhilk … Art rowpit hie Ib. v ii 109.
Rowpand the sawle of gret Anchyses gone

II. 4. To proclaim abroad that an object is for sale or to let, and subsequently to sell or let it to the highest bidder; to sell or let by auction (rarely, to a person) (to, for or at a certain price.Chiefly on the responsibility of a public body or a corporation.Freq. coupled with to sett (only in passive) or to sell.Chiefly in passive.Also fig.active (1) 1517 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 171.
That nane … send any lads [etc.] … oppinlie vpoun the hie gaitt with ony candill to rowpe or to sell in playne streitts [etc.] Ib.
It sall be lefull … to haif ane seruand … with … stufe to furneis his callands with bot nochte to rowpe thame oppinly to sell 1579 Edinb. Test. VII 46b.
xviij pund of gros stoking silk to roupe & sell 1591 Edinb. B. Rec. V 47.
Alexander Strabrik, officer, … to roupe and sell all the said William and his spous guids 1615 Crim. Trials III 111.(b) 1674 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. IV 148.
The collectour … to roap and sell the vessell to the best availl(2) 1536–7 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 83.
The president baillies and counsall … ordanis to roupe the vacand commoun aikeris of the mvre … and quha willis geve maist penny thairfor salbe hard, etc. 1561 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 24.
Officers or any uther who sall roup any geir within this brugh 1574 Reg. Privy C. II 391.
To caus rowp the said croft and myre 1665 Inverness Rec. II 222.
The Counsell being resolwed this day to roup the croft commonly called the hard croft 1681 Stair Inst. i xvi §4.
Either to take his part at such a rate … or roup his own part when he pleases(b) 1532 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 82.
Richert Waluot mayr and officer of the said Regalite of Dunfermlen … passit to the towbotht … and thair roppit and proclamat the saidis annualis 1541–2 Linlithgow B. Ct. 23 Feb.
And incontinent ropit the sammyn at the tolbuth stair gyf ony man wald gyf mar for the said tawarne 1590 Glasgow B. Rec. I 152.
That vpoun Witsontwyisday yeirlie … they sall all convene … and thair rope all thingis that suld and aucht to be ropit yeirlie, in presence of the haill commounaltie(c) 1636 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 542.
The burgh of Kirkcudbricht to roap thair landis of Over and Nather Bordlandis 1693 Stirling B. Rec. II 341.
To the officers for a proclamatione to roape the hearth moneypassive (1) 1496 J. Smith Edinb. Hammermen (1906) 10. 1503 Edinb. Hammermen MS 43b.
Sanct Eloyis brod was roupit amang the craft quha wald gif mast 1522 Stirling Ant. IV 217.
It was roupit opinlie … gif na man wad give mair nor aucht merkis of mail in the ȝeir for the land 1536–7 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 84.
The saidis xij partis of thair commoun mvre being roupit opinlie throw the tovne dyueris tymes and nane comperand that offerit samekill … as the saidis Robert and James offerit in hand [etc.] 1553 Ib. 212.
The Mercat Croce and rowme thairof beand rowpit … to se quha wald big the samyn in buith or buithis 1574 Glasgow B. Rec. I 10.
The baillies ordanis ane coit of mailye and ane hatt laid in wod … to be rowpit 1581 Elgin Rec. I 162.
That all guidis and geir poyndit and distrenȝeit … be prysit and rowpit at the mercat croce 1583 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 304.
Rowpet 1589 Conv. Burghs I 303.
Thatt the saidis commoun revenues … be rowpitt thre seuerall dayis 1597 Edinb. B. Rec. V 202.
That … thair be rowppet the dok sylver, golden penneis and other dewteis of the water baillery 1622-6 Bisset II 272/20.
That the commoun guid and patrymonie of all his maiesties burrowes be rowped ȝeirlie [and] … imployed to the … effairis of the burgh 1638 Cramond Cullen Ann. 39. 1643 Banff Ann. I 90.
[The small customs … and the ferryboat … are] roupit at the maist patent window [of the tolbooth] 1670 Dumbarton B. Rec. 87.
That the hogshead wyne bocht be this burgh … be roupit at the Croce 1678 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS 23 Dec.
Appoynts the hous in Dynekeir to be rovped … and proclamation to be maid tharof and placatts put out accordinglie 1681 Inverness Rec. II 292. 1702 Banff Ann. I 173.
Whither … the comone grass should be rouped or ane commone hird sett therone(b) 1547 Stirling Ant. IV 217.
Black lam skins ropit to be sauld and offerit thairfoir £3 quhilkis war ropit quha would more gevin thrie sundrie mercat dayis and thereaftir offerit to Patrik Croney owner thereof upon the prices abovewritten and keipit to him after the roping … becaus he wad not lous the same of the said prices the bailies [etc.] 1555 Peebles B. Rec. I 221.
Gif ony landis … fallis done waist … that the saidis landis be ropit at the mercat croce thre courtis, and thai till haif thame that will gif maist thairfore 1561–2 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II 375.
The haill toun beand lauthfully warnit … to heir and se the … ornamentis of thair parroche kirk ropit 1562 Inverness Rec. I 76.
It [sc. the mill] wont to be ropit fray thre yeiris to thre yeiris 1573 Peebles B. Rec. I 355.
The counsale … ordanis the Vanelaw to be ropit … and in the meyn tyme that it be cryit waist and hanyng 1575 Dumfries B. Ct. MS 20 March.
The movabill gudis of vmquhile Thomas Newall ropit in presens of Harbert Ranyng ballie [etc.] 1590 Edinb. Test. XXI 182.
All the moueabill insycht within the hous except tymmer wark to be ropit and put to awaill 1604 Paisley B. Rec. 262.
The garss neirest the Craig of Ferguslie wes ropit and offerit to onie burges that wald give maist thairfoir 1627 Dumbarton B. Rec. 11. 1645–6 Dumfries Treas. Acc. MS 17.
The day the mylnes and townes goodes were ropit 1663–4 Irvine Mun. II 267. 1682 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 124. 1687 Ayr Chart. 205.
Ordained the forsaids impositiones to be roped accordingly(c) 1570 Dumfries B. Ct. 25 Jan.
The guds & gers … comprisit & roippit in foro 1631 Glasgow Hammermen 43.
The vnsufficient irne wark roippit 1654 Rothesay B. Rec. 3.
The customis of this brughe being roippit thrie … dayis(d) 1622 Mar & Kellie MSS Suppl. 117.
[He] wold not compeir before the Lords since he did find the matter [sc. Orkney] to be ropped c1633 Events Q. Mary & Jas. VI 125.
Leaving to my wife such as shall be needful for her in estat of widdowhead … & the rest to be ropped 1674 Rothesay B. Rec. 330.
The sea wrecks betwixt the burne and south march of Ardbeg being ropped 1680 Cullen B. Rec. 19b (26 March).(e) 1654–5 Glasgow B. Rec. II 529.
The tynd fische … was rooppit at Lames(f) 1682 New Mills Manuf. 37.
The clothes thatt are … comed in to be roaped on Wednesday(g) 1513 Dundee Lockit Bk. 1.
The last tyme thai wer rolpit thai wer sett for [110] merks 1696 Brechin Test. VIII 108b.
Goods gear and others belonging to him the tyme of his decease as they were rolped … Contained in the bill of rolpfig. c1568 Lauder Minor P. ii 37.
Justice is rowpit, as vtheris waris; This is most plane, and nocht obscure 1692 Presb. Eloq. (1694) 62.
[Christ] will have his Gospel once again rouped in Scotland(2) 1552 Edinb. B. Rec. II 168.
The samyn … [to be] rowpit to the vtir availl 1560 Admir. Ct. Bk. 173.
[£750] money of this realme quhairto the said pryis was rowpit 1563 Dumfries B. Ct. fol. 189.
Ane pair of clepis ropit to xx d. ane pynt ropit to vj s. ix d. Ib. fol. 189b.
Roppit 1574 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 20.
That the haill place … be rowpite to the maist availe — 1649 Elgin Rec. I 185.
The pitie customes rowped for 173 pounds 6 s. 8 d. for ane year 1685 Brechin Test. VII 131.
The twenty part of the ship … quhairoff John Milnar is master rolped at lxxx lib.(3) 1691 Newton Community Bk. 9.
The millne is formally roped … to Thomas Mortoune … and because he is to repair the samyne he is to have her rentfree while Witsonday(4) 1540 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 99.
Thair buithis salbe rowpit and set … to thame that will gyf maist male be yeir thairfor 1540 Perth Guildry p. 512 (12 June).
In that cas thair takkis to vaik and tobe rowpit and sett to vtheris incontinent 1562 Stirling Chart. 210.
The counsall has condiscendet and ordinit that the waist … be rowpit and sett in few to tham that will gif maist thairfor 1628 Linlithgow B. Rec. 4 April.
The pasturage of the commoun mwre and commoun killis to be rowpit and sett for the graittest awaill 1654 Rothesay B. Rec. 3.
The thrie buithes under the tolbuith being roippit and sett for a yeir 1661 Ure Rutherglen 48.
And orders the said ladle to be roiped and sett out to these wha shall offer to pay most(5) 1588–9 Glasgow B. Rec. I 127.
That the cruikis of the mylnedame be ropit and sauld 1606 Edinb. Test. XLI 209.
The said Jonet ordaines hir best claythis to be sauld & roupit to hir bairnes behuif 1611 Brechin Test. II 146b.
The haill extending to the sum off ij^c xxiij lib. … as the samyne was rolpit and sauld 1645 Misc. Bann. C. II 267.
His haill librarie and books … being sold and roupeit, ar estimat to the sowme of [etc.] 1655 Glasgow Trades House 319.
Quhilks ar now roupped and sauld for ten punds(6) 1615 Peebles Gleanings 37.
That portioun [of land] to be rowpit to him quha will give maist

5. With personal object: To put up, or to proclaim, as a. For hire. b. fig. For sale.a. 1628 Glasgow Bonnetmakers 14.
That no frieman heireftir sall roup ane servand under the paine of fyve punds & giff the feyar frieman of the servand have na work to give the servand in that caice the parte sall come to the deikin & distribute the samyn to theis that hes maist (wyrk)b. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1671) 132.
I will think it no bondage to be rooped, comprised and possessed by Christ as his bond-man Ib. (1894) 185.
If men and angels were rouped, and sold at the dearest price Ib. 296.
My soul's desire is that He would comprise my person [etc.] … and drive the poind and let me be rouped and sold to Christ

6. To lease (a thing) advertised for sale by roup. 1677 Rothesay B. Rec. 351.
Robert Stewart of Lochly hes rouped the loneing above Knockenreoch … and the same is sett to him 1683 Ib. 395.
The particulars following … is rouped be the persones after named att particular pryces after specifeit, to witt … the Croftheids … the same is sett to him for ane yeir [etc.]