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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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Art, Airt, n.¹ Also: arte, arit, hart, harte. [Early ME. art, OF. art, L. art-, ars. The later form airt is common from about 1580.]

1. An art; a branch of learning or skill.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxvi. 56 (His fader … Gert informe hyme … In liberale hartis).a1400 Ib. xxxi. 52.
Of the sewine sciens al the harte1380 Inscr. in Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries XXX. 42 (maystr in arit). c1420 Wynt. i. 240 (the art of musyke). c1420 Ib. viii. 409 (Mayster off Art). 1456 Hay II. 114/4 (the arte of medicyne). 1480 Acta Dom. 48/2 (the faculte of Arte of the vniuersite of Glasgw). 1492 Acts II. 238/1 (to remane thre ȝeris at the sculis of art and Iure).c1515 Asloan MS I. 312/3 (art magik). 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 509 (the plewchmanis art).1513 Doug. ii. iii. 16 (Grekis art and slycht). a1540 Freiris Berw. 334 (science, nigromancy, or art). 1560 Rolland Seven Sages Prol. a ij (to mak in Scottis richt weill he knew that art).(b) 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 115/28 (gude cunning and airt). 1560 Ib. 117/3 (airt or experience). 1567 Satirical Poems vi. 12 (airt poetick). a1578 Pitsc. II. 239/17 (the airt of Igrimancie). 1595 Edinb. B. Rec. 136 (the airt of chirurgie). 1622-6 Bisset I. 29 (the airt of medicene). 1641 Acts V. 456/1 (the airt of artealliarie). 1680 Aberd. B. Rec. 300 (the litster airt and calling).

2. Art and part (later airt and pairt), used to denote participation in crime.c1420 Wynt. vii. 3020 (and 3070).
All thai that had part Of that brynnyn, or ony art c1420 Ib. 3023.
All tha That gert be art, or part, or swike, Bryn that tyme this Erle Patryke 14.. Acts I. 9/2.
Of hym that is challangyt of art and part [L. ars et pars] of thyft 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 242/1.
A respitt to D. M. for arte and parte of the slauchter of umquhile P. M. 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 11.
Accusit for the airt and pairt of the thiftuis steling … of xxij schavis of bere 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 115.
Suspectit for the art and pairt of the slauchter of … the king a1578 Pitsc. I. 218/7.
How he might be satisfieit in his awin conscience of the airt and pairt of the crwell act 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 117 b.
Thou thy selfe full airt had, and parte in harming and skaithing of me 1609 Ib.
I deny. airt & part haueand in the … slaughter 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. 208.
Art and part depends in this, as in other crimes, upon circumstances

b. The person(s) participating in a crime.14.. Acts I. 342/1.
Thai that ar other arte or parte of … thift or slauchter 1442 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 9.
Give thai happyn to doo any scath, thair herbryoures sal be callit and haldyn arte and parte 1461 Liber Pluscardensis 398.
Of his misdeid thou art bath art and part 1558 Melrose R. Rec. III. 164.
That he suld be airt and pairt or counsall gyffer to the said Patrik 1570 Satirical Poems xii. 88.
Sen art and part ar gyltie of his blude 1596 Misc. Spald. C. I. 103.
Except that thay war airt and pairt with Jonet Wischert, … brint for sorcerie 1610 9th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 240/2.
Hee hes accuset na man quhatsomever to be airt or pairt of that deid c1650 Spalding I. 20.
All [of them being] suspectit personis to be either airt and pairt, or on the counsall of this fyre 1685 Procl. in London Gaz. No. 2032.
Under the pain of being repute and esteemed Art and Part with them all in their wicked Deeds and Practices

c. So Art and partaker (also partaking).1515 Acts II. 282/2.
He salbe haldin airt & partakar of his euill deidis & salbe accusit thairfoir 1613 Highland P. III. 140.
Under the pane to be repute … arte and partakares with the rebelles —1581–2 Rec. Privy C. III. 441.
Of the speciall causing, … art-partaking, command, . and ratihabitioun of Martene Ellot 1596 Highland P. I. 154.
By the speciall causing, … art pairtaking, … assistance and ratihabition of the said John Campbell