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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.

Armis, Armes, n. Also: armys, armez, armeis; airmes. [Early ME. armes (armis, armys), OF. armes, L. arma pl.]

1. Arms of offence or defence; armour; weapons. Also in phrases, as in armis, to tak up armis, etc.(a) 1375 Barb. iii. 223.
Scipio … has off the templis tane The armys Ib. xi. 189.
Armys, that new burnyst wer a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii. 919.
In armys dicht, In al thing as it war a knycht c1420 Wynt. ii. 1526.
Hyr douchtyre. Tuke wpe armys in hyr stede Ib. 1536.
Mony schyppys gret gert he Wytht men and armys stuffyde be 1456 Hay I. 82/21.
He has all his plesaunce in armys and in weris Ib. 121/12.
That he gert do be law of armes c1475 Wall. i. 158.
He … In armys syne did mony hie waslage 1513 Doug. ii. vi. 82.
Valiant in armys Ephitus followit soyn Ib. iii. i. 68.
The god of armys, Mars a1578 Pitsc. I. 182/4.
Tua harrottis of armes was commandit to pase with them(b) 1611-57 Mure Misc. P. i. 9.
The Citherean boy in airmes appeird then 1639 Peebles B. Rec. 375.
That thairfoir the fourt man of the kingdome behovit to ryse in airmes 1648 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 142.
Commanding all men … to repaire to the Greene … with fixit airmes

b. Men of armis, fighting men. a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii. 16.
Men of armys ofte se I In til his helpe mykil affy c1420 Wynt. v. 2779.
Men off armys … Thare fays ourcummys in to fycht 1456 Hay I. 57/12.
The Romaynis tynt … mony of thair worthy men of armes c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 381.
With him ane hundreth men of armes

2. Armorial bearings. c1420 Wynt. iii. 727.
For to blasowne in to were … Armys off thaire awncestry Ib. iv. 322.
The kyng off Lidis bare … Thre creyhsceandis in his armys dycht 1455 Edinb. Chart. 79.
Thare sal be made … a table of bras … with his armis c1450-2 Howlat 591.
He bure quarterly maid … The armes of the Dowglas 1474 Treas. Acc. I. 61.
iiij cotis of armez for the heraldis 1506 Chart. (Reg. H.) No. 693.
The said Huchone has affixit to his seill of armys 1509 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 275.
The armys of the Symsonis. The feilde is of asure [etc.] 1549 Compl. 148/2.
The armys that ȝe bair in ȝour scheildis and in ȝour seylis 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. 292.
For xij … schenne scheildis with the townis armis in thame a1578 Pitsc. II. 184/1.
His airmes [were] put in agane in the buik of airmes 1594 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 532.
To ane painter for decoring the king and quenes airmes that hingis in the kirk 1662 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 483.
The baillies … ordaines ilk ane of them to carie ane staff … having the tounes airmes therwpon 1701 Ann. Banff II. 176.
[That Provost Leslie] affix his name and airmes one the schooll house as … donor

b. A coat of arms. 1489 Treas. Acc. I. 106.
To Bwte purcyfant to mak him ane armis 1615-6 M. Works Acc. XI. 50.
To the quarieris ... for ane grit stane for ane grit armes