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.
Lede, Leid, n.4 Also: led, leide, leyd(e, leit. [ME. lede (a 1300), appar. reduced f. leden, leoden, OE. léoden language. From the 15th c. appar. only Sc. In the mod. dial. as leed.] Language.
1. A national tongue.(a) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 71.
Than can scho synge Of his cuntre in-to the lede [: drede] Ib. ix. 311.
The ewangele in-to wryt He gafe to thame in thare awne led [: as we red] Ib. x. 133.
The haly spyrit … gerte vs con al menys lede [: ȝede] a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 347.
Thow lufis nane Iriche, elf, … Bot it suld be all trew Scottish mennis lede a1538 Abell 3 b.
He stoppit thare laubor be divisioune of thare toungis in 72 ledis Ib. 119 a.
Thai … hes lerit the ledis of the land diuers(b) a1400 Leg. S. i. 2.
Peter … In latine leid that is a stane Ib. ix. 68.
Al langage spek he cane, & vndirstand al leyd of mane Ib. x. 145. ?1438 Alex. ii. Prol. 21.
For to translait in Inglis leid Ane romains quhilk that I hard reid c1500 Makc. MS. xiii. 1.
Hoc ydeoma, a leid c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiii. 16.
For feir he fled and come in France, With littill of Lumbard leid [: reid, ȝeid, speid] 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 365.
Thar be Latyn wordis, mony ane, That in our leyd ganand translatioun has nane Ib. xiii. Prol. 105.
The tother twelf … may be red and soung Our Albyon ile into ȝour wlgar leid c1552 Lynd. Mon. 553.
Thocht euery commoun … hes no leid except thare toung maternall Ib. 616.
Childreyng and ladyis of honouris Prayis in Latyne, to thame ane vncuth leid 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xl. 114.
Scotland neuer bure In Scottis leid ane man mair eloquent a1578 Pitsc. I. 158m.
The Duk of Albanie send to France to leirne the leid Ib. 285/3.
He hes not our leid nor knawis not the nature of our contrie Ib. 309/13.
Knawis thou not imagierie is the buikis and leid of commone pepill? 1611-57 Mure True Crucifixe 461.
Scripturs … Which ly in fetters of an vncouth leid 1679 J. Barclay Descr. R. C. Ch. (1689) 13.
Some mumbling gibberish and such uncouth leid(c) 1581-1623 James VI Poems I. 112/23.
He … doth inchaunt The Muses nyne to leaue their leeds That they before did haunt And take them to his vulgare toung(d) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2601 (Ch.).
This is in Inglische tounge or leit: Quha labouris nocht he sall not eit
2. Manner of speaking or writing, diction, style.c1450-2 Howlat 994.
War my wit as my will, than suld I wele wryte; Bot gif I lak in my leid [etc.] c 1500 Goudie Shetl. Antiq. 172.
In aventour this present writting be nocht our legiable for the strange leid and termis contenit in the samin 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. ii. 72.
Be fine delite and dite angelicall Causand gros leid all of maist gudnes gleit c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 284.
And I suppone, the ofter that ȝe it reid, Ȝe sall the better tak baith the sence and leid 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlvii. 111.
Quhair I offend thame in my landwart leid I salbe reddy to reforme agane c1590 J. Stewart 7/31.
My lispan leid c1590 Fowler I. 97/16.
A maister … That can at large descrywe what I do speak in simple leid 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 179/8.
In youre langage be … naturalle … not using a rusticall corrupt leid nor yett booke langage 1603 Philotus 1344.
Ȝe hard … this ferse … Of waillit out words and leirnit leid bot skant
