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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.

Leg(e, Leig(e, Leag(e, Leaug(e, n.² Also: legue, leigue, leagge, league, leaugue. [e.m.E. lege (1509), leage, leag (1553), league (1561): cf. Lig and Lieg(ue.]

1. A private compact; a covenant. = Lig n. 1.Freq. coupled with band.(1) 1491 Acts II. 226/2.
That within the burrowis … na legis nor bandis be maid 1568 Cal. Sc. P. II. 575.
Thair is ane uder leigue maid betwixt the Erle of Murray and the Erle of Hartford Ib.
By the quhilk legue the said erlis … sould … fortifie ilk ane uther in the successioun a1578 Pitsc. I. 93/21.
To bruike sic bandis, leigis and societie that is nocht wount to be withtin ane realme wnder ane prince his autorietie 1596 Dalr. I. 132/8.
This leauge or band being maid betueine the King and the hail natioune 1602 Conv. Burghs II. 137.
Gif ony within schip dar … mak ony leaugeis or bandis aganis the skipper 1662 Acts VII. 378/1.
That it wes lawfull to subiects, for reformation, to enter into covenants & leagues, or to take vp armes against the King(2) c 1541–2 State P. MS. (Reg. H.) No. 27.
Na christyn prince may do mair … to keip his peace, conforme to his leig and his amite & kyndnes a1585 Arbuthnot Maitl. Q. xli. 163.
Of trew freindis faine wald I haue sum stoir With thame the leig of amitie to bind

2. An alliance between governments of nations. = Lig n. 2.Freq. coupled with band and other synonyms.(1) c1515 Asl. MS. I. 247/20.
The Duke of Britonnis … fled to the Scottis and maid continewale pece & lege with tham 1570 Leslie 74.
Thair come ane ambassadour furth to Gilder to the King, to renew the baund and lege of frendeship standand amangis thame 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 320.
That ane leg and confederacie be maid with our nychtbouris of Ingland 1596–7 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 179.
To … furneis ane imbassadour toward France for renewing the ancient legue and confederacie betuix the twa realmes 1612 Conv. Burghs II. 337.(b) 1535 Stewart 30845.
Quhilk band and leig, withoutin ony cryme, Wnmaculat remanis 1546 Reg. Privy C. I. 44.
To require … the King of France be vertew of his leig to declare the King of Ingland his innemy 1558-66 Knox II. 25.
Oure confederacie, amitie, and leigue, sall nott be … maid … for warldlie proffeit 1572 Sat. P. xxxiv. 68.
And gif that you had bene in mynd The auncient leig c1615 Chron. Kings 93.
The leig and band betuix Scotland and Emdem was renewitt for … an hunder ȝeiris(c) 1498 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 83.
The tenour & wordes comprisit in the trewis and leage late concludit at Ayton 1570 Leslie 83.
Utherwayis it mycht be ane occasioun to break the leage and peace contractit betuix thame 1585 Acts III. 381/2.
Onie formare league or alliance betuix this realme and onie vther auld freindis Ib.
In materis of religioun … we do fullie consent the league be defensiue and offensiue 1596 Dalr. I. 262/15.
A leagge or band 1601 Denmylne MSS. (1927) 33.
Sua that … I may treat bothe the conditions off ane leage & freindschip, and ane alliance(d) 1596 Conv. Burghs I. 482.
Anent the sending to France to renew the leaug with the ancient liberteis of the merchand estait(2) 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 132.
We ar joynd … in leig and amitie with France 1588 Reg. Privy C. IV. 277.
[His Majesty is] standing in amytie and league with all the Christeane Esteatis and Kingdomes

3. Designating particular leagues or confederacies.(1) 1570 Leslie 88.
Becaus ye [sc. Henry VIII] and uthers of the hallie leige nether suld nor may tak peace … without consent of all the confiderattis(2) 1573 Bann. Memor. 307.
The counsall of Trent, quhilk maist injuriouslie is called be the adversaries of Godis treuth, The Holy League 1587 Warrender P. (S.H.S.) II. 48.
Item, to enquyre quhat he knowis of the popisch legue 1590 Ib. 136.
In respect of the decree of the Counsell of Trent, the Halye League and other lait proceadeur

4. The Solemn League and Covenant. 1643 Acts VI. i. 41/2.
We noblemen [etc.] … , ministeres of the gospell and comones of all sortes of the kingdomes of Ingland and Scotland … have now at last … for the preservatione of our selffes and our religione from wtter rwine … determined to enter into a mutuall and solemne league and covenant 1643 Robertson Cullen Church Ann. 18.
The said day the League was publicklie subscryvit bi all the pariochinirs efter the forenoon's sermon 1644 Moray Synod 70.
All the bretheren of the Presbytery of Elgin have vrged the subscryving of the lait Covenant and League with England and Ireland 1649 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 587.
Calling them [the English] … enimies to monarchey, breckers of leauge and couenant 1650 Ib. 640.
We are oblidged by the soleme leauge and covenant to assist … and defend all that enter the leauge and couenant, in the manteining therof a1680 Blair Contin. Life Blair 590.
The Solemn League and Covenant was drawn, which occasioned a new ingoing to England 1685 Acts VIII. 461/1.
[They] do here by declare that the giving or taking … of the league and covenant (so commonly called) … shall infer the crime … of treason