A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Almous-dede, n. Also: almus, almows, almos, etc.; -ded, -deid, dead. [Northern ME. almous dede (c 1340), southern almes-, almessedede, surviving into e.m.E. as almesdeed.] The action or practice of giving alms; an act of alms-giving.a1400 Leg. S. vi. 346.
Fele palace … are in hewine alwayis … That with nane vthir thing ar bocht Bot with the price of … almus ded Ib. xxxvi. 868.
With prayere gret & fastinge, With almus ded & wakyng c1420 Wynt. viii. 5095.
He wes off mekill almows dede; Stowt and hardy off manhede 1456 Hay I. 8/19.
The Apostolis … tuke na rentis na rewardis … bot anerly almous dede Ib. II. 112/37.
Abstinence, … almousedede, cheritee and contricioun c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 33/6.
Allmous deid … is a werteu throw quhilk the pure and misterfull person is helpit c1500-c1512 Dunb. xvi. 1.
To speik of gift or almous deidis 1551 Hamilton Cat. 224.
Thairfor we suld … punis our self in our body be fasting, in our gair be almous deid 1562-3 Winȝet I. 105/10.
To turn to God in murning, fasting, prayar, and almus [MS. almis] deid 1602 Colville Parænese 107.
His almess deadis daylie bestouit … vpon more than ten thousand indigents
