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.
Quotation dates: 1375-1575
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Busch(e)ment, n. Also: busche-, bush-. [ME. busshement (Gower), buschement, etc., reduced form of embusshement ambushment.]
1. The disposition of armed men in concealment. Freq. in (a) buschment, in ambush. Also fig., stratagem.1375 Barb. viii. 442.
A buschement slely maid he thair a1400 Legends of the Saints xviii. 384.
Grant til ws the our-cummyne, … of his fals purches … For he cane fele buschment ma a1400 Ib. xxvi. 320.
He … sawyt thame quhene thai nere schent Ware be the fende & his buschment c1420 Wynt. v. 3075.
Wytht ane buschement he had slayne Traen c1420 Ib. viii. 1534.
Thai In to prywy buschement lay Waytand the Erle ?1438 Alex. ii. 2881.
He … Tald him all … Of thare bushment and thare cuming ?1438 Ib. 2893.
Vthir sall in bushment byde 1492 Myll Spectakle of Luf 280/26.
In to quhilk tempill Parys with gret nowmer of armyt knychtis was hyd in buschement 1533 Boece iv. x. 141.
Fering Romanis mycht be tranyt apoun ane buschment 1533 Ib. v. vii. 176 b.
Thir Iberniens … hid thame amang thik rammell … in buschment 1535 Stewart 3945.
Exploratouris that tyme tha send till spy Gif ony baid in buschment neir hand by 1535 Ib. 52079.
Out of ane buschment brak Richt mony bald men in behind thair bak
2. A party placed or lying in ambush; also, generally, a company of fighting men.1375 Barb. iv. 414.
Thair buschement apon thame brak 1375 Ib. vi. 415.
Thai sped thame fleand, quhill thai Fer by thar buschement war all past c1420 Wynt. vii. 2524.
The wayis befor him stoppyd wes Be gret buschementys off Inglis men c1420 Ib. viii. 3192.
In a wode … Thare was a buschement prewaly Set ?1438 Alex. i. 1871.
Thre buschmentis in full great hy Come to the stour c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iv. 429.
Fast on to Tay his buschement can he draw c1475 Ib. ix. 1638.
Thairwith the buschement brak 1531 Bell. Boece I. 76.
The Britonis, wide skatterit in sindry buschementis, eschapit nocht 1533 Id. Livy I. 19/13.
Ane buschement of brigantes lay in wate 1542 Hamilton P. I. 158.
Thyr men coime betuix our forraye and our buschement 1550 Criminal Trials I. 357.
To vnderly the law for umbesetting of the gait of Alexander Cummyng, and laying of ane grete buschement of futemen … vpoun the said Alexander 1573 Satirical Poems xxxix. 1.
Buschment of Beruik, mak ȝow for the gait 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 349.
Schortlie efter lang heicht talk, ane buschment of Inglis bowmen schot their arrowes amang the company of Scottis
