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: 1399-1400, 1472-1568
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Compacience, -iens, n. [ME. (rare) compaciens (1398), OF. compacience. Cf. Compatience.] Compassion, pity, fellow-feeling.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxv. 162.
Pannicyus the haly man Compacience had of hyre thane a1400 Ib. xl. 247.
Of sic compacience he wes eke, That with thame gretand he wald gret 1472 Reg. Great S. 257/2.
For the compacience and piete quhilkis thai had of the said Archibald c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 58/5.
The gret pane … inducit him to haue pete and compacience of ws 1533 Boece vi. xvi. 219.
The barouns of Ireland havand compacience of the vnchancye cais of thare freyndis [etc.] a1568 Bannatyne MS 220 a/40.
Beseik that schene … That of my wo scho haif compacience a1568 Ib. 228 b/25.
Hir kirtill suld be of compacience, Off the puir to have pietie(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints xii. 263.
Bot of the powere na compaciens He had a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 373.
Streke [= strict] justice mixt with compaciens, As had king Dauid a1499 Ib. 936.
Of his panis haf inly compaciens 1513 Doug. viii. ix. 69.
O ȝe Goddis, … Begyn to haue compaciens and piete Of ȝour awin wofull king 1551 Hamilton Catechism 56.
Thai use the knawlege of evil men to thair zeile and compaciens
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"Compacience n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/compacience>
