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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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About this entry:
First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quotation dates: 1456-1651

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Esperance, Esperaunce, n. Also: espirance, asperans, asperance. [ME. esperaunce (c 1430), OF. esperance. In later use chiefly Sc.] Hope.1456 Hay II. 53/16.
Clerkis be esperaunce traistis to have the joy of hevyn 1456 Ib. 25.
Esperance gevis knychtis curage to kepe and defend citeis a1500 Henr. III. 103.
Hir slevis suld be of esperance, To keip hir fra dispair c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace xi. 1463.
My spreyt felis na termys asperans1533 Bell. Livy I. 298/4.
Howbeit thai war vode of all gude esperance 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 281.
All our asperans is in your grace1553 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 41.
My suyr traist and esperance is onelie in ȝour grace a1568 Bannatyne MS 222 a/18.
Saif asperans ffreindis I fynd no may a1568 Ib. 231 a/31.a1585 Maitland Quarto MS lxxi. 12.
I flow from houp to feir, from feir till esperance 1622-6 Bisset I. 50/21.
Ȝe ar the onlie esperance of oure realme

b. Const. of (the thing hoped for).1490 Irland Mir. I. 49/4.
We suld euir life in hope and esperaunce of the mercy of God c1490 Id. Asl. MS. I. 61/24.
Hope and esperance of lang lyf 1531 Bell. Boece I. 2.
Apperit thus na esperance of liberte to the said pepill 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1074.
Of his grace I haue gude esperance 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 38.
So remained Huntlie, and his factione, … in esperance of men of weir to be raised 1582 Misc Spald. C. II. 336.
Doctour Skein is presentlie in guid asperance of his remaid1637 Rothes Affairs Kirk 26.
In esperance of the promised hearing

c. Const. to (with inf.) or that.1490 Irland Mir. I. 25/34.
He gevis ws hop, traist and esperaunce to impetrat and get all that we will desyre 1533 Boece ix. xi. 314.
Ȝe may haue grete esperance that his grace salbe … propiciant to this kinrik 1566 Reg. Privy C. I. 431.
Nor yit haif thai ony espirance to recovir the rest 1570 Satirical Poems xvi 14.
He garris the tane put esperance Thay will get daylie help of France a1605 Montg. Son. xlii. 8.
Aspyre I sall, in esperance to speid a1651 Calderwood III. 9.
He … ever stood in assured hope and esperance to recover his owne rowme

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