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

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

Fisch, Fysch, n.¹ Also: fysche, fysc-, fycht; fische, fiche, fishe; fesch(e, feisch(e, feish. [ME. fysch(e, fych(e, fis(s)he, fish, OE. fisc.]

1. A fish. a1400 Leg. S. xvii. 32.
As fysche wald he dwel in the flud Ib. xx. 101.
Of a fesch … a gret bane Ib. xxvii. 106.
Quhy he that fische … had etyne 1456 Hay II. 157/6.
All proprieteis that appertenis … till a fische 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I. 189.
Water stankis … of sic depnes that ged, eyls, and fyscis … ma be conseruyt c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matt. xiii. 47.
A nett … that gaderis togidder of all kynd of feschis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4778.
Latt thay that fructfull fysche eschaip thare nett, … Ane more fatt fysche I traist thay sall nocht gett 1581 Prot. Bk. W. Cumming 269 b.
Robert Fraser arrestit the said fyschis … in the corf hus of Bewling 1641 Peebles B. Rec. 106.
The haill … fischeinges alsewell of salmound as of vther fisches

2. Fishes collectively; fish-kind.(a) 14.. Acts I. 305/2.
Of ilk hundreth fysch, keling, leyng or hadok Ib. 335/2.
Thai brek the fische and sellis it in pennyworthis c1420 Wynt. v. 3918.
Scho sparyd noucht … to sethe thame fysche or fleysche 1456 Hay I. 78/12.
In mony othir kynde, of bathe beste, foul and fisch c1475 Wall. i. 425.
[Five] of our court her at the wattir baid, Fysche for to bryng 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 239/2.
Gevand … power to custum all fische, hides, skynnes [etc.] 1565 Inverness B. Rec. I. 120.
Tha brak the kist in the vattyr wark, and tuk out of it the fysche 1633 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 151.
Quhen he cam to the sea he schould get fisch(b) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 818.
With goldine nettis he fesche tuk Ib. xviii. 922. 1465 Peebles B. Rec. 154.
Thai … that brak red fesch to sell, the schyn [= skin] to be brokin wyth the samyn fysch 1533 Gau 65/31.
Part ar … etine with feisch and bestis(c) 1520 Stirling B. Rec. I. 3.
Na houkstar sall by ony maner of fycht … to tap agane apon nebouris 1553 Fam. Rose 219.
Fleche and fyche of ane competent pris 1587 Waus Corr. II. 380.
Feill nocht bot ye gar send hame the hard fyche vith the toll man

3. Attrib. and comb. with cors, creill, fangar, fat, etc. See also Fisch-boit, -day, mercat, etc. 1582 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 97.
The fische mercate to be haldin and keipit at the fische corse 1561 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 334.
Ane small duety … of euery fische creill c1450-2 Howlat 181.
The scarth [was] a fische fangar 1538 Aberd. B. Rec. MS. (J).
Ane flesche fat, ane fysche fat 1598 Black Bk. Taymouth 332.
A braid fische fat 1501 Exch. R. XII. 236 n.
Fourten fattis in the fischouse 1534 Acta Conc. & Sess. MS. VI. 119 b.
xiiij^m fische hukis 1591 Edinb. Test. XXII. 363.
Tuelf hankis of narrow wyre for fische huikis 1697 Foulis Acc. Bk. 208.
For 3 busked fishheucks 1557 Admir. Ct. Bk. 5.
The decerning of the fiche lynnis to pertene to the childer as pillage 1572 Bann. Trans. 318.
Jhone Gray, fischman 1592 Ann. Banff II. 396.
Fischearis, fische mungaris 1483 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 49.
Fysche prisarris [named] 1531 Bell. Boece II. 152.
Ane uncouth glance … [cast by] the fische scalis in the mirk c1420 Wynt. iv. 977.
That kyng … Away than lurkyd prewaly, In till a litill fysch scowte 1661 Stirling Comm. Good MS. 9 b.
The receipt of the fish shambles 1531 Bell. Boece II. 152.
Sindry men, clad with fische skinnis 1598 Black Bk. Taymouth 332.
In the laidnar … , fische standis c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 231.
Fische wyvis … castis doun skillis and skeilis 1599 Reg. Great S. 385/2.
Cum piscatione de Poltantoune, cum lie fische-yairis et crowis earundem