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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Haly Kirk, n. Also: haly kyrk, halye, hally, hal(l)ie, haill(i)e kirk; halikirc, -kirk, -kyrk. [Northern ME. haly kyrk (1340), midl. and south. hali (and holi) chirche, OE. (séo) hálᵹe cirice, ON. heilǫg kirkja. Sometimes written as one word.]

1. Holy Church; the corporate church, regarded as a divinely instituted organization and authority. a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 14.
Lordis … That steris landis & haly kirke Ib. i. 9.
The fundament of haly kirk 1398 Acts I. 212/1.
That it [sc. the money] be raysit be ministeris of haly kirk 1400 Dunbar Let. Henry IV in Red Bk. Menteith I. 170.
Agaynes the law of halikirc c1420 Wynt. v. 103.
Haly Kyrk prechys [this] clere In-to the wangyll ilka yhere 1456 Hay I. 70/17.
As thare is mony now dayly in the haly kirk, of antipapis c1515 Asl. MS. I. 202/1.
Quhar euer he come he distroyit haly kirk 1503 Reg. Morton II. 260.
Considering the … wrangis … to halykirk in diminutioun … of the frutis and teyndis therof 1535 Stewart 26407.
For to tak pairt with ennemeis of God And halie kirk a1578 Pitsc. I. 54/7.
The bischope … led upoun [him] ane sentance of cursing for his contemptioun of the censouris of hallie kirk 1581 Burne Disput. 13 b.
The hail ancient doctors, quha euer hes flurischit in the halie kirk

b. In the phrase: In (the) face (also presence, visage) of haly kirk.1482 Bamff Chart. 31 (see Face n. 2 c). 1487 (15..) Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 632.
Quhilk mareage he sal fullfill in visage of Haillie Kirk 1555 Wemyss Chart. 183.
The said Dauyd … sall marye hir in all gudlye hast, in the faice of haille kirk 1581 Burne Cath. Tr. 170/26.
Ane change from that quhais anoynted Bishopis and Preistis in presence of God and halie kirk auoued chastitie

2. A church. 1432 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. VIII. 44.
The saidis Jone and Elisabeth sall be handfast … in haly Kirk 1456 Hay I. 241/19.
Thai … may be cursit opinly be thair bischopis in haly kirk c1500-c1512 Dunb. x. 30.
Ensence his altar, reid, and sing In haly kirk