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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.

Bygane, Bigane, p.p. and ppl. a. Also: bygayn(e, bygain(e, bygene, bygaune; bigain. [By adv. 2 b.]

1. (A certain time) past or ago.(a) 1419 Wemyss Chart. 44.
We sum tyme bygane warre present in a consale c1420 Wynt. iv. 2393.
Quhen fyftene yhere wes bygane 1456 Hay I. 80/13.
Thair possessioun that is of sa lang tyme bygane prescrivit 1463 Liber Aberbr. 131.
Thir hundreth and tventy yeris bygane and mar a1500 Seven S. 1004.
In our eldaris dayis, Nocht lang bygane 1503 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 97.
The pestilence that hes rongin thir certane yeiris bygane 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 106.
Thair wes nocht slane … this xiiij dais bygain ij salmond 1531 Bell. Boece II. 122.
All this day and nicht bygane my mind … is aflocht 1549 Compl. 105/16.
This exempil hes been prectykit thir fyfe hundretht ȝers bygane 1571 Events Mary & Jas. 64.
Thai have maid great braggis thir dayis bygaine 1596 Dalr. II. 332/13.
Al contentioune and cause of weir … quhilkes war continual the space of nyne ȝeiris afore bygane 1607 Highland P. III. 101.
I haue stayit heir fyue dayis bygaine 1622-6 Bisset I. 20/7.
The admirall and sea lawis … [for] thir sex hundreth ȝeiris with the mair bygane 1618 Melville Chart. 153.
At the feast … off Witsonday, in the yier of God … , thane following, and now bygene 1646 Irvine Mun. II. 66.
The expeiding thairof hes bein delayit this whyll bygain 1674 Corshill Baron Ct. 116.
For violent oppressing … these seaven years bygaine(b) 1476 Acta Aud. 54/1.
The excrescens … aboue the soume of fourty li. of the last ȝere bigain 1483 Ib. *121/1.
Sen Witsonday was a ȝere bigain 1488 Lanark B. Rec. 2.
The cownt of William Foster, … of twa termys in the yer bigane 1503 Dunferm. B. Rec. 135.
To her the balyes comptis of twa yeris bigane 1559–60 Misc. Spald. C. V. 112.
The space of ix owkis ellis bigane a1570-86 Maitland M. Fol. xxxi. 22.
Till haue bene merchand bigane [Q. bygaine] mony ȝeir

2. Of time: Past, lying in the past.(a) 1456 Hay I. 295/15.
As mony has done … be tymes bygane Ib. 301/23.
The chyvalrye that is now … is nocht lyke to thame of the tyme bygane 1457 Reg. Dunferm. 344.
All thingis concernyng the said mater o tyme bygane 1472 Lennox Mun. 83.
In tym bygan or for to cum 1492 Peebles B. Rec. 194.
For all stanys winning … of termes bygane 1525 Douglas Corr. 98.
In all tymes bygayne sence I was acqyntit with ȝow 1540 Reg. Cupar A. II. 7.
For the gude seruice … done to ws … in tymis bygane and to cum 1560 Rolland Seven S. 76/18.
In tymes bygane an auld fule thow hes bene a1578 Pitsc. I. 35/1.
In all tyme bygaine 1611 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 561.
In tyme bygaine(b) 1424 Acts I. 7/1.
Gif ony [bands] hes bene maid in tyme bigane, at thay be nocht kepit na haldyn in tym to cum 1448 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 114.
Nane unlawis rasit of thaim in tyme bigane 1467 Reg. Panmure II. 242.
Als fre … as he or his predecessours war infeft in ony tym bigane 1484 Exch. R. IX. 605.
The entres of courtis of all termes bigain sen the halding of our last courtis 1511 Dunferm. B. Rec. 181.
In all termis and yheris bigane … sene his enteras tharto 1554 Stirling B. Rec. I. 61.
For the maill of the said study [= anvil] for all termes bigane 1571 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 28.
A remitt … for not obeying … the king in times bigane 1584 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 108.
For reformatioun of sindrie abussis croppin in the yeiris bigane in the policie of the kirk

3. Of actions, things, etc.: Belonging to past time; done, etc., in the past.(1) 1452 Tytler Hist. Sc. (1864) II. 387.
Any actions, causes. or querrels bygane 1490 Irland Mir. I. 34/23.
Euill and filth of syn … that is done and commyttit and bygane 1509 Reg. Privy S. I. 278/2.
Respitt … for ony thingis bigain unto the day of the said Patrikis viage taking 1513 Doug. x. v. 168.
Reduce ȝe now onto ȝour mynd, ilkane, The worthy actis of ȝour eldris bygane 1526 Reg. Privy S. I. 527/2.
Ony uthir titill of richt … quhairof the begyning is bygane 1535 Stewart 20250.
Be thing bygane so greit ingyne had he 1551 Hamilton Cat. 224.
To thoil temporal payne for our synnis bygane a1578 Pitsc. I. 34/21.
They thocht nothing better nor to dessemble all offences that was bygaine 1584 Grant Chart. 157.
In respek of the invasionis bygane maid … be our nybouris 1662 Decis. Lords G. 16.
The right made to the defender, made him lyable to the debt according to his intromissions by-gain(2) attrib. 1583 Reg. Morton I. 139.
Vnseiking the hurt … of quhatsumeuir his subjectis in respect of ony thair lait bygane offence 1599 Dysart Rec. 26.
Calling to remembrance … ane rioting of bygane wanton words 1629 Boyd Last B. 258.
Manie … would giue God more thankes for that one mercie, than for all by-gane fauours shewed vnto them 1643 Misc. Hist. Soc. I. 117.
I can not excuse myself of my bygane negligence in not wryting to ȝow 1664 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 40.
To try what satisfactioune sall be given him for his bygaune service

b. In times past. c1515 Asl. MS. I. 193/15.
Thar was neuer land nor is no land nor nacioun so fre bygane of all the warld … as we Scottis

4. Of payments: Made or due for past periods of time.(1) 1456 Wemyss Chart. 74.
The maillis diubattabille bygane sene the said Schir Andro intermittit vith the said landis 1474 Acta Aud. 33/2.
[To pay] for a ȝeris fruytis of the said kirk aucht be him bigane 1516 Reg. Privy S. I. 444/2.
The males … of all … the landis … extending bigane to xx ȝeris 1581 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 89.
The … occupearis thairof [to] be poyndit for thre termes annuel bigane(2) attrib. 1529 Carnwath Baron Ct. 41.
The tyme that the vnentres & bygane malis var pait 1534–7 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 85.
Thai … sall pay him for all bygane pensiouns 1597 St. A. Kirk S. 845.
That nane resaif tikkettis to the communion bot sic as hes payit thair bigane contribution 1601–2 Irvine Mun. II. 241.
Fra Gilbert Watt for his bygaine brig pennie 1637 Grant Chart. 230.
Awand … ane thowsand and fyftie punds … with certane bygain. anvellis 1644 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 69.
The haill bygaine mails therof 1660 Montgomery Mem. 323.
To pay … principalls and bygaine annualrents