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.
Quotation dates: 1450-1627
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Lede, Leid, n.2 Also: led, leyd. Plur. ledis, leidis etc., also leid. [North. and west midl. ME.(14–15th c.) led(e, leyde, leod, leude, e.m.E. (? north.) lede, leed(e, plur. leoden (Layamon), leode, leodes, ludes, ledis, OE. léod str. masc. ‘man, prince’, plur. léode ‘men, people’: cf. Lede,n.3 As in ME., chiefly or only in verse, espec. alliterative.]
1. sing. A person (man or woman); also, a man.(a) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 441(Ch. & M.).
Ȝon lustlese led so lelely scho luffit hir husband(b) c1450-2 Howlat 188.
Was neuir leid saw thaim lauch c1450-2 Ib. 371.
Flour delycis … that mony leid lovit a1500 Golagros and Gawane 157.
Thair come ane laithles leid air to this place a1500 Ib. 264.
Ȝone lord haldis of nane leid a1500 Ib. 431.
Had euer leid of this land … Maid ony feute before a1500 Ib. 70. a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 396, 591. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2275.
Fy on the leid that is not leill and lufit a1500 Id. Test. Cress. 449. c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace viii. 1639.
Thus he wrait … To Wilȝam Wallace as a conquerour: ‘O lowit leid [etc.]’ c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 44.
Gif that ever ȝe luffit leyd vpone lyf mair [etc.] c1500-c1512 Ib. 283.
I had a lufsummar leid, my lust for to slokyn c1500-c1512 Ib. 407, 497. c1500-c1512 Id. lxxv. 27. a1500 King Hart 816. 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 119.
And as this leyd at the last lyggand me seys 1513 Ib. 159.
Quod I to that ray, Leyd [R. lede] lern me ane other lesson, this I ne like a1568 Bell. Bannatyne MS 3 a/142. c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS. 96 a/12.
Sen throw the erd … Thow art the most illustir leid 1535 Stewart 11427.
The king of Pechtis with … mony leid weill clad in curage cleir, With barronis bald, burges and bachleir 1535 Ib. 31225.
Of euery leid, baith barne, man, and wyfe 1535 Ib. 32514.
We will ay be bot lakit with ilk leid 1535 Ib. 18805, 22753, 22785, 23169, etc. 15.. Dum Wyf 134.
Thair is na leid in land That hes … His wyff at his command a1568 Scott vi. 25, etc. 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii. 10.
Quhat leid in lyfe wald nocht lament his lose? a 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlvii. 29.1572 Sempill Sat. P. xxxi. 39. 1573 Sempill Sat. P. xli. 3.a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS xlvii. 103. 1606 Craig ii. 86.
Thou seems to be a quick & liuing leid, And not a vmber a1627 Ib. v. 31/5.
When no leid for his life … could be leach
2. plur. People, folk, men. a1500 Golagros and Gawane 277.
Mony ledis salbe loissit, and liffis for lorne a1500 Ib. 858.
Thai lufly ledis … Delis thair full doughtely mony derf dynt a1500 Ib. 369, 622 etc. c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ix. 56.
Frekis in forstame, rewllit weill thar ger, Ledys on luff burd, with a lordlik fer, Lansys laid out 1513 Doug. iv. Prol. 107.
Lust is na lufe, thocht ledis lyke it weill 1513 Ib. 59, etc.
b. Freq. all (levand) ledis, leid, all (living) people, everyone.Also north. ME. (Cursor M.) al ledis, al lede.(a) a1500 Henr. III. 171/43.
All ledis lyvis lawles at libertee 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 27. c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace (1570) i. 13.
Thocht all leidis wald have this land in thrall Oppone his power, God can aganis thame all 1572 Satirical Poems xxxii. 5.
Quhat pouertie … Dois ring be Grange, all leidis on lyfe may se 1604 Craig i. 27.
To see thy shapp all leiuing leids excell(b) c1460 Thewis Gud Women 102.
Love al leid and nane to lak a1500 Henr. Fab. 2014.
I will thow mak to me ane aith, For to be leill attour all leuand leid c1500-c1512 Dunb. vii. 29.
Welcum, therfor, abufe all livand leyd a1568 Bannatyne MS 218 b/9.
Ȝour hummill seruitur Quhilk luvis ȝow … Attour all leid that levis or de may
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