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.
Laurer, Lawrer, n. Also: laureir, lawreir, -yr, -are. [ME. laurer (Chaucer), laurear (15th c.), lawrere, lorere, lorrer (Cursor M.), OF. lorier, later laurier. Cf. also Laurel(l, Laury, Laurean, Loran(e.]
The laurel or bay-tree; also, its foliage as an emblem of martial or poetic distinction. Common in Douglas.a1500 Lanc. 82.
A birde, that was as ony lawrare gren 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. Prol. 27.
On the laurers siluer droppis lyis c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlvi. 6.
A merle … Vpone a blisful brenche of lawryr grene 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 6.
Maist reuerend Virgill … Thow peirles perle, … Roys, regester, palm, lawrer and glory Ib. iii. vi. 12; Ib. vi. x. 73, etc.
Vndir the lawrer grene Ib. iv. iv. 39.
[Apollo wearing] A soft garland of lawrer sweit smellyng Ib. v. v. 5.
Eneas … on hys hair Gart set a crown was of the lawrer greyn Ib. ix. 85.
Hys tymplis … He gan … belt with grene laurer Ib. vii. i. 89; etc.
This forsaid lawreir 1533 Bell. Livy I. 212/7.
He wald nocht ressaue the croun of laureir 1585 James VI Ess. 23.
Phœbus crowns all verses … with laurers always grene
b. Attrib. with branch, croun, tre.c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 138.
Ilk barroun beirand … Ane lawrer branche, in signe of victorie —1513 Doug. iii. ii. 25.
The Kyng … with … haly lawrer crown Set on his hed Ib. v. iii. 13.
The lawrer crownys, … in takyn of victory c1590 J. Stewart 127/10.
The lawrer croune of glorie infeneit And palme victorius —1513 Doug. ii. ix. 14.
A rycht ald lawrer tre Ib. iii. ii. 46. Ib. xiii. Prol. 87.
On his hed of lawrer tre a crown c1590 Fowler I. 4/4.
The laurer tre Which … in Brittain ground is grown
