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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.

Certane, Certain, a. Also: certan(ne, certayn(e, certaine (-aint), certene, -eine, certin; sertane, -en, sartan. [ME. certan(e, certain(e, -ayn(e, etc. (c 1300; also certen, -yn, sertain, etc.), OF. certain.]

1. Certain, sure, reliable. 1375 Barb. vii. 39.
The sleuth-hund … na certane gat couth ga a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 377.
He wald to sancte Petyr wend, To spere gyf al wes certane 1389 Reg. Cambuskenneth 261.
That he sall fynd certane borouchis for till appere iin the said abbotis court c1400 Troy-bk. II. 241.
Forsooth, this is the hope certane Ib. 2322.
Thelamocus … told the certane suthfastnes 1419 Chart. (Reg. H.) No. 299.
Quhil that I … pay the forsaid somme … to the said Gibonne or his certane assignez c1420 Wynt. iv. 368.
Than neid the certane suth can say Ib. vii. 2014.
How ilkane kest in thaire intent Thare wes na certane jwgement 14.. Acts I. 361/2.
Ony stranger man … hafand a certane duelling place within the scherradome 1456 Hay I. 188/8.
Sen it is suthe and certane that we knaw perfitely wele thir fals Jowis c1420 Ratis R. 1071.
Quha wyll abyd, … Quhill ded haf de his certan det c 1476 Lennox Mun. 107.
That bref suld be proclamyt tyl a certane place 1513 Doug. vi. x. 104.
Certane dwelling nane In this cuntre haue we 1541 Reg. Privy S. II. 665/1.
Oure soverane lord, of his certane science and propir motive 1567 G. Ball. 27.
Na certane tyme [being] set thé beforne 1568 Maxwell Mem. II. 132.
He … hes resaueit na sertane ansuer a1570-86 Maitl. F. xlvii. 38.
I bid ȝe … Bayth of thy toung and of thy hand Be ay certane and nocht waverand

2. Assured, confident. c1420 Wynt. v. 2767.
To recowyr fullyly Be na way can I certane be 1513 Doug. Æn. iii. iii. 60.
I … of this mater maid hym ful certane c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2801.
The dolent deith did him deuore, in quhat sorte, I am nocht certane 1571 Sat. P. xxvi. 164.
Thir letters … Is only caus, I am baith sure and certane, Quhilk garris [etc.]

3. Not specially designated or enumerated.(a) a1400 Leg. S. i. 193.
He send twa … To prech in a certane stede c1420 Wynt. v. 3361.
On that certane set day Ib. vi. 1127.
Ga thow … And byd hym sek this certane plas 1456 Hay I. 184/35.
To mak were … for certaine rychtis that he pretendis Ib. 289/7.
As is conteinyt in certane versis that folowis a1500 Henr. Fab. 1175.
Ane certane breid, worth fyue schilling or mair 1490 Acta Conc. 148/2.
Johne … sall restore … certane gudis, vtensill, and domicill 1504 Dunferm. B. Rec. 344.
Ane certane space of yeris c1515 Asl. MS. I. 222/5.
Thai brynt … certane townis in Innerkep 1533 Bell. Livy I. 295/18.
This Iulius … remittit certane thingis to the iugement of pepill 1548 Treas. Acc. IX. 176.
To the warkmen that botit certane wyne and beir send to Dumbar 1562-3 Winȝet II. 31/25.
Contrare cryis certane padokis, filthy verming, and fleis 1570 Conv. Burghs I. 28.
The sovme … quhairintill his Hienes was addettit to certan his creditouris 1610 Crim. Trials III. 106.
Ane certane number of steikis of braid-claith 1635 Chapel Royal p. cxciv.
For certane sarking burd of Scotis ayk(b) 1405 James of Douglas Letter to Henry IV in Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
Yhour men … hade takyne befor that tym certayne Scottis schippis chargit with marchandis 1429 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 42.
A certain sowme of syluir 1456 Hay I. 123/17.
That the vassallis war … oblist be certayn condicionis or accordancis Ib. 138/27.
The quhilkis … servis him … for certayn lang tyme 1482 Edinb. Chart. 146.
Certain and diuers gret sommes of money c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 285.
I had a lufsummer leid, … That couth … sew bot at certayne tymes 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 13.
On Satterday euery classe sal propone certaine propositions 1597 Misc. Spalding C. I. 142.
A certain dett, quherin thou was adettit to him(c) 1548 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 359.
Ane certin day in September last bypast 1558-66 Knox II. 422.
The whole Assemblie … gaif commissioun to certene bretherin 1570 7th Rep. Hist. MSS. 722/1.
He hes had … divers conferencis … apon certeine heides a1578 Pitsc. I. 156/24.
Ane callit Maister Maures with wthir certeine knichtis with him(d) 1525 Douglas Chart. 223.
I sall gif to hyme my band of manrent, … for sartan ȝeris 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 109.
Ane wryting of the yerl of Glencarnis and sartan arteklis of his counsall 1546 Reg. Privy C. I. 41.
Sertane personis to be providit to all beneficis 1598 Rep. Milne Home MSS. 69.
His Majestie causitt sertane Duchemen be tane to the wyine sellar to drynk