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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.

Brase, Brais, Brace, n. Also: bras; brais(s)e, brays, bres(s)e; braice, brayce, breace. [ME. and OF. brace, brase.]

1. A guard for the wrist in archery. ?1438 Alex. ii. 2681.
All four … With bow and brais, as fallis huntaris 1542 Treas. Acc. VIII. 115.
Ane bow, ane brais, ane gluffe, … to the Quenis grace a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 118.
On his left arme ane brace 1600 Treas. Acc. MS. 106 b.
Veluet to be tua handis to the saidis bowis and to lyne the brais 1621 Edinb. Test. LI. 76 b.
Fiftein schuitting gloues with ten braceis

2. A strap, thong, or belt. ?1438 Alex. i. 3209.
Emynedus in the sheild him straik, … The brais and buklis brast in tua 1421 Douglas Chart. 57.
Ane alde clathe sek, withoutyn bras or barhyd c1475 Wall. iv. 39.
Thai cutt the brays & leyt the harnes faw 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 88.
For the mendin of the lokkis … to the boxis … Item, for bracis to thaim 1490 Ib. 175.
For braycis to the Kingis cardyviance 1498 Ib. 388.
For vj brassis, ane courpale, … and thre girthis to the samyn sadill c1515 Asl. MS. II. 246/23.
Owt of the fendis bandis & his brace Now, gloryus lady, helpe 1502 Treas. Acc. II. 348.
To Moncur, armorar, for … brases and mending of the Kingis harnes 1506 Ib. III. 148.
For ane brais to the bottail saidil 1530 Ib. V. 371.
For tua lang malis, with four lang brassis to thame 1568 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 658/1.
Nailling to bracis to bair the tronke 1603 Treas. Acc. MS. 276.
Reid veluote to mend the trap of the cosche and to mend sum braisis of leddir 1692 Foulis Acc. Bk. 150.
To pay the cobler for helping the braces of the poltree of the coatch

3. A band of stonework, timber, or metal used to strengthen a framework or structure; in later use esp. the breast or arch of a chimney.(a) 1443 Reg. Cambuskenneth 127.
[To] lay guttaris of leid … and pend brasis to be flure to kechingis 1455 Edinb. Chart. 79.
In the quilk ile thare sal be made a brase for his lair in bosit werk, and aboue the brase a table of bras [etc.] c1475 Wall. iv. 243.
With his fute the ȝett he straik wp rycht, Quhill brais and band to byrst all at anys Ib. ix. 1348.
Full sone the brassis wp he dang 1498 Treas. Acc. I. 388.
To Walter Merlioune, masoune for the compleit making of foure brassis 1529 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 395.
Ane substantious brig … with pillaris, pendis, doubill brasis, battaling, and cawseis 1532 M. Works Acc. II. 40 b.
Grete garron naill for the brasis of the syling vpputting Ib. 54 b.
Fyrin sparris for the brais of the said kechin 1539 Treas. Acc. VII. 195.
For the biging and upputting of the grete brais of the … kiching in Linlithgow 1563 Montgomery Mem. 197.
Four skelffis of tymer in the litill brais of the syde wall 1624 M. Works Acc. XVII. 4.
Ane great irne brais with gallous and cruikis … for my lord Erskynes kitching 1634 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II. 423.
Twa upstanderis of ane brase to one chimney 1644 Glasgow Chart. II. 623.
James was ordanit to lay his said brese [supra bresse] or vent to the … compleinars gavell 1682 Ellon Presb. 230.
Ane hewen stone in the brase of the chimney 1694 Elgin Rec. II. 409.
[The] scuncheons and brase of the chimney to be hewen work(b) 1513 Doug. vi. x. 10.
The portis with thar stalwart bow or brace 1535–6 M. Works Acc. IV. 50.
For … biging of ane kiching with ane gret brace 1605 Edinb. Test. XL. 104.
Ane brace, ane chymnay estimat to ten merkis 1619 Ib. L. 266.
Ane littill brace of ane stane weycht 1657 Lanark B. Rec. 161.
That no persone … put up any lint within thair braices for drying in tyme comeing 1671 Lamont Diary 279.
The brace of the hall chimley was painted att the tyme 1684 Glamis Bk. Rec. 34.
The kitchen had only a chimney with a timber brace