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.
Beseke, Beseik, v. Also: besek, beseike, beseak, beseek, besik, besyk, besick; p.t. besocht, besoucht (besowth), besoght; p.p. besocht. [ME. beseke (biseke), beseyk, besike, var. of beseche, early bisechen, bisecen, f. sechen Seke v.]
1. intr. To make entreaty or supplication.a1400 Leg. S. ix. 32.
Thai speryt Quhy Astarothe, thare god, wald nocht Answere thame as thai besocht c1475 Wall. v. 699.
Her I beseik … Yhe charge me nocht with no wngudly harmys a1500 Bk. Chess 1554.
For his deid I besocht 1513 Doug. iii. ix. 26.
I beseik, tak me with you Ib. xi. xiii. 107.
As he besocht for grace with gret request, Scho dowblit on hir dyntis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 34/20.
Schaw me of lufe sum takin, I beseik
2. tr. To beg or ask earnestly for (something). Also with double object.c1420 Wynt. i. Prol. 126 (C).
The helpe besek I of that rois 1483 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 47.
Beseikand reformatioun and remeid of the greitt iniuris … done to thame 1504 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 90.
Jhonne Kintor … complenit to the Schireff … besekand justice c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxiv. 20.
Beseikand grace, on kneis ȝow befoir 1513 Doug. xiii. ii. 90.
A thing … I ȝou besekyng, and I ȝou requer; Bair ȝour myndis equale 1532 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 231.
Your Lordischippis ansuer I humelie besekis 1596 Dalr. I. 199/6.
Thay begin … to beseik and craue the succour … baith of God and man 1608 Crim. Trials II. 561.
Your lordschipis ansuer humlie I beseik 1644 Acts VI. i. 226/1.
Your Lordships ansuer humbly we beseike
3. To beg or entreat (a person) to do something.(a) c1450-2 Howlat 862.
Thai wald Nature beseike … To discend 1492 Myll Spect. 277/13.
I desyr & besekis ȝow … to opyn & schaw [etc.] 1533 Gau 98/11.
Ve beseik thé to help vs 15.. Clar. v. 1940.
Scho … Did them beseik to go 1562-3 Winȝet I. 13/24.
We … ernestlie beseikis thy Maiestie … to luke [etc.] 1585 Misc. Spald. C. II. 193.
I besyk yow to schaw yow [etc.] 1622-6 Bisset II. 355/3.
I beseik thé … to cum unto me(b) c1515 Asl. MS. I. 326/4.
Beseking the redaris to pardon me 1533 Bell. Livy I. 41/23.
Besekand him to stand … propitiant c1552 Lynd. Mon. 43.
Beseikand thame all lawis to suppresse 1560 Rolland Seven S. 21/31.
Beseikin ȝow to fulfill my desire 1570 Sat. P. xii. 147.
Beseikand ȝou to short it 1606 Highland P. III. 88.
Beseiking ȝour Ma'tie … to respect my aige 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 49.
Beseikand … the counsell to tak to their consideratioun … (c) c1420 Wynt. ii. 786.
Partoloym … besoucht the kyng … Tyll tak thame tyll hym c1475 Wall. v. 667.
Wallace scho besocht To dyne with hyr 1513 Doug. ii. x. 161.
We … Besowth my fader to salue his wery banys a1578 Pitsc. II. 50/25.
Thay besocht the governouris grace … to continew the erle of Angus
b. Followed by that (or at) and clause.1444 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 10.
We … beseikis humeli yhour lordschip … that [etc.] 1462 Peebles B. Rec. 145.
Schyr John … humely besocht the balyeis … at thai wald [etc.] c1475 Wall. viii. 1452.
Besekand thaim hyr frend at thai wald be 1513 Doug. iii. ii. 35.
We thé beseik that schaw alsso thou wald [etc.] 1562-3 Winȝet II. 71/16.
I beseik ȝow … that ȝe al say the samin self thing 1607 Highland P. III. 105.
I will beseik your grace … thatt your grace will gett me thatt fawor
c. Followed by independent clause.1513 Doug. i. xi. 75.
We thé beseik, this day be fortunabill To ws 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1246.
I ȝow beseik … Gif me luging 1558-66 Knox II. 368.
I beseak your Grace, cause not me [etc.] a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxviii. 100.
I ȝow beseik, be movit with my wound 1608 Haddington Corr. 119.
I besick you beliue I am … your affectionat frind
4. To beg, request, or entreat (a person), esp. for (or of) something.(1) c1450-2 Howlat 853.
Thir lordis … He besocht of sucour a1500 Rauf C. 942.
I beseik him of grace c1500-c1512 Dunb. lix. 14.
Ȝour grace beseik I of remeid 1513 Doug. vi. ii. 27.
Quhat pepill … salt thou beseik of supplé 1529 Rec. Earld. Orkney 60.
I beseik your … lordschips of remeid(2) 1473 Acta Aud. 29/1.
[He] humbly … besekis his gratnis herefor a1500 Bk. Chess 879.
Thai besocht … hevynnis king … For grace(3) 1513 Doug. ii. ix. 60.
Quhen that I come hym lawly to beseik Ib. iii. ix. 84.
We the gret goddys besocht c1552 Lynd. Mon. 258.
Beseikand als his souerane sonne, Iesu
5. To beset; to assail.a1500 Henr. III. 107/10.
False is this warld. … Besoucht with syn a1500 Bk. Chess 1233.
[Scho was] so besoucht that no fude brocht scho thar Ib. 1371.
He was … all with sleipe besocht
