A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1628, 1699-1700
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Maistry, Mastry, n. Also: -trye, -tri(e, -tré, maystry, maistery, -erie, -irie, mastery. [ME. mesterie, meistrie (a 1225), maistrie, -try, mastri, -trye (13–14th c.), OF. maistrie f. maistre Maister n.1 Cf. Maister n.2 and Maistrice n.]
1. The power or authority of a ruler; dominion, rule, sway.a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxii. 199.
Thane sped thæ [Satan] on til hell & thare thu thi mastre prowe c1420 Wynt. ii. 1430.
Sum landys nere thame by Thai gert [obey] to thare mastry c1420 Ib. iv. 190.
The Romanys a dytoure made That oure the lawe the maystry had c1420 Ib. vii. 2686 (W).
Other thar were of mare mastry, As bischopis, abbotis, and prelatis c1460 Consail Vys Man 281.
In land quhar na law kepyt is, Na seruice, office na maistry a1500 Sir Eger 2448.
Yon lady is … great of kin … And all mastrie of her linage 1513 Doug. i. viii. 123.
Hard myschans … Constrenys me sik mastry forto schaw c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxxiv. 7.
The King of kingis … sell cum in maistir[ie]
2. Ascendancy, superiority; the victory in a contest; the control or ‘upper hand’ of another.(1) 1456 Hay I. 250/4.
Crist … to have victory and maistry of the inymy of helle c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 470.
Lat neuir thi gudis haue of thi hairt maistrie c1460 Thewis Wysmen 198.
Thai pwnis nocht oure cruelly Quhar thai have ourhand ore maistry 1535 Stewart 57626. a1568 Fleming Bannatyne MS 160 b/50.
Becaus thair wyfis hes maistery c1550 Rolland Court of Venus Prol. 91. a1700 Mare of Colinton in Watson's Coll. i. 50.
When … Wives for mast'ry shall not boast(2) 1456 Hay I. 149/33.
Quhilk thaim think of thir twa thingis suld have the maistry 1456 Ib. II. 54/3.
A knycht suld have … pitee … of pure prysonaris quhen he has the maistry of thame 1456 Ib. 55/33. a1500 Golagros and Gawane 543.
Makis furth ane man … That for the maistry dar mell With schaft and with scheild 1492 Myll Spectakle of Luf 296/28.
Quhar thai [women] haif the maistrye or brydill a1500 Bernardus 86.
The mastry 1513 Doug. v. ii. 50; 1513 Ib. iii. 9.
Quha hes the swyftast schippis … With al thar fors to stryfe for the mastry 1513 Ib. ix. ix. 107.
This Ceneus, quhilk than gat the mastry 1513 Ib. xiii. i. 38. 1622 Perth Kirk S. MS. 8 Apr.
Johne Keir ferrier and his wyff [were] at great contentioun and … scho hed the maisterie ower him
3. Force, violence, might, compulsion.Also proverb: cf. OF. la force praist le pré.1375 Barb. i. 112.
He suld occupy Throw slycht, that he ne mycht throw maistri 1375 Ib. vii. 354.
Throu mastry c1420 Wynt. i. 317. c1420 Ib. v. 3774.
Or he me wyn wyth hys maystry ?1438 Alex. ii. 7411. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 450.
All wrangvys caus radely Thai wyll manteme throw thare maistri 1456 Hay I. 7/36.
He … gert thame throu fors and maistry anourne that ydole a1500 Henr. Fab. 1297 (Bass.).
Se how I am, be fraud, maistrie and slicht, Peillit full bair 1479 Acts Lords Auditors 89/1.
Thai war throw violence & mastry of Andro Gray … causit to … lefe his said landis a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 614.
Justice borne dovne be falset & mastry 1513 Doug. x. i. 121.proverb c1420 Wynt. v. 1498 (W).
It is said in commone sawis That mastry mawis the medow doune ay a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1091.
b. Of a wind: Strength, vehemence.1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 326.
Quhilk [fire] happit fra hous to hous throw the maisterie of ane grit wynd
4. Cleverness, skill, craft.c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 515.
This hors shall maid be thrught mastrye [L. magisterio] Of arte of the wysemen crafty c1420 Wynt. i. 1440 (W).
To clyme vp to the aire quhen thai Sic mastry likit till assay 1535 Stewart 58108.
[The fox] makis debait als lang as that he ma And with sic maistrie chaipis oft awa
5. The exercise or display of might or of cleverness or skill.a. To ma(ke maistry.a1400 Legends of the Saints xviii. 458.
For gyftis I neuir sawld To man … Bot gaf it frely til al thai That with me wald sik mastri ma a1400 Ib. xxxii. 390.
Bot scho that persawinge hade It wes a feynd sic mastry made c1420 Wynt. iv. 1674.
He … All throucht the land in ryot rad And in tyll it his maystry made c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 2375. c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vii. 817.
On the gret ost … thai ȝeid … and mekill maistry maid c1475 Ib. xi. 74.
Wndyr colour sic maistrie [sc. the killing of Wallace] for to ma
b. To be (a fair, gret, no, mare, les) maistry, to be (a great, no) feat or achievement, to be (more, less) difficult (to do something).1375 Barb. iv. 706.
Bot me think it war gret mastry Till ony astrolog to say [etc.] a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxii. 306.
Fore … I cane feile That maistry is to kep it [chastity] wele a1400 Ib. xxxiv. 28.
Sa costly aray … That maistri ware it to dewise a1400 Ib. xlii. 94.
It wes les maystry Hard stanis to grynd … Thane [etc.] ?1438 Alex. ii. 3584.
Ane fare maistre me think that ware 1456 Hay I. 83/18.
That is it better to do that that has mare deficultee and maistry to be done in gudelynes 1456 Ib. II. 81/8.
It is lesse maistry to be … gredy … na to be … large c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 2083.
Quhat maistre was to be ane conquerour a1500 Sir Eger 1075.
