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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.

Malice, n. Also: -is, -yce, -ys(e, -eice, -iece, -eis(e, -eys, -yes, mallice, -is, -yce; mailleic(e, mailish; melless. Plur. also malesies. [ME. malice (a 1300), -yce, -iss (14th c.), -ece, -esse (15th c.), e.m.E. mallice (1607), OF. malice.]

1. Wickedness; sinfulness.Also plur. in the same sense: cf. sense 3 a. a1400 Leg. S. l. 74.
Resone requeris … that thu Knaw thi malyes & with-draw now Sic seruice fra this goddis fals c1420 Ratis R. 1506.
Thow lufyt malice atour gudnes, Wykitnes to spek mar than evynnes c1420 Wynt. iv. 1807. 1456 Hay I. 243/2. Ib. II. 156/28.
Men may wele se that it is bot fals contrufit malice of … revaris to say [etc.] a1500 Henr. Fab. 1438 (Bass.). c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 8/6. a1500 Seven S. 2750.
The empriour … to the fyre bad hir [the empress] be harld To tak sic malice out of the warld 1501 Acta Conc. III. 102.
Divers of thame [criminals] perseveris in thare malis and evill dedis 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 228.
This sam buke eyk in mair hepit malyce … says playnly [etc.] a1538 Abell 77 a.
The malis of Sathan 1560 Acts II. 526/2. 1571 Bann. Memor. 94. 1573 Tyrie in Cath. Tr. 5/17. a1578 Pitsc. I. 68/3. 1650 Misc. Maitl. C. II.487.
Doeth not somtymes a just mane perish in his rightiousnes, and a wicked man prosper in his mallice? — 1456 Hay II. 164/16.
plur.For to maneteine thame … in thair malicis

2. Active dislike, ill-will, rancour, harmful or evil intent (against a person).(a) 1400 Maxwell Mem. I. 140.
At the forsayd schyr Jon … for na greyf, malyse, evyl wyl, … sal mak alienacioun … of na land [etc.] c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1906.
All of cruell malice maide c1420 Ratis R. 392.
Malis c1420 Wynt. vii. 2707.
All this he oysid his malice Agaynys Scotland mony wyse Ib. viii. 2266.
Gret malys c1420 Bute MS. fol. 156. 1456 Hay I. 238/21.
Sa that thare be na coverit malice under a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1012.
Thai mellit on with malice, thay myghtyis in mude ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 296.
For malice ?c1500 Rathen Manual 27/2. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 887.
Throu malice and indiscrecioun Thai scornit him 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. ii. 219. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvi. 45.
Invy … full of … Hid malyce and dispyte Id. lix. 3.
Throw his malis Id. xx. 5, lii. 6. 1516 Caldwell P. I. 53.
Ye, in your creuell invy and malice, sett upon the said Johne 1522–3 Fife Sheriff Ct. 276. 1524 Douglas Corr. 89.
Ȝour grace will beleyf that I say this for malis of the Erll of Arane 1528 Ib. 131.
Proceding of malyce, falsheid and cupidite of my landis 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 19. 1528 Lynd. Dreme 469.
To auld Saturne … Quhen, in his malice, he walde wyrk vengeance a1568 Bann. MS. 273 a/330.
Mallyce of wemen a1578 Pitsc. I. 41/15.
As hie that had na privie desait na malice hide Ib. 290/10.
[He] rememberit of auld malice and invye betuix him and the Homes 1593 Crim. Trials I. ii. 289. 1664 Justiciary Ct. Rec. I. 86.
The letters were raised out of malice(b) 1513 Doug. iv. iii. 1.
Juno, with syk maleys ourtane 1549 Compl. 30/30.
Maleise 1560 Montgomery Mem. 159.
We … renuncis … the maleis, rancour and hatrent of our hartis and myndis … for the … slauchter [etc.] a1568 Bann. MS. 241 b/149.
Be maleis fell thay do le and bakbytt a1578 Pitsc. II. 60/20.
Wordis of dewilsche dispyte and maliece 1596 St. A. Kirk S. 819. c1615 Chron. Kings 159.
Feiring the Kingis maleis for the same 16.. Hist. Kennedy 23.
This mowit ane gritt maleise in thair hairttis aganis him 1676 Douglas Corr. 278.
God … knows my inosance, and the melless of those who wounds ws boath(c) 1588 Digest Justiciary Proc. L. 67.
Vpoun precogitat mailleic and foirthocht felloune Ib. 68.
Mailleice 1615 Highland P. III. 221.
That the warld may se his mailish whan I am … out of his denger

b. To have, bear malice against (at, to) a person; to have a person at malice.(1) 1432 Lamont P. 13.
The said Robert has raleschyt … all rancour and malys … that he had to the said Fynlo c1475 Wall. vii. 1111.
Malice he had at gud Wallace befor 1548–9 Corr. M. Lorraine 295.
The mallis tha haf to Scottis men a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxx. 45. 1596 Highland P. I. 166. 1668 Rothesay B. Rec. 148.
Andro Galie could not be admittit witnes becaus he haid malice against him 1691 Cramond Kirk S. III. 23 April.
The minister asked if she spoke these things out of any malice against him? She answered, she had no malice at him(2) 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii. 43.
The malice greit that ilk to vther beiris 1630 Soc. Ant. LVI. 50.
To do hearme to sic persones agains quhom thay buir ony malice(3) 1697 Penninghame Par. Rec. I. ii.
He hath their family … at malice and envy

3. An instance of malice. a. A wicked or hostile act. b. A grudge. c. Appar. confused with Malefice n. (an act of sorcery) and Maliso(u)n n. (a curse).a. c1475 Wall. ix. 562.
He band with ws the trew And now agayn begynnys a malice newb. 1535 Stewart 368.
Of that wayis that malice all wes mesit 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 132.
Thow haveing conceavit ane rancour and mallice in thy hart aganis James Willicok and his wyff 1607 Crim. Trials II. 524. 1636 Stirling B. Rec. I. 174.c. 1605 Irons Leith II. 62.
Compeirit Marion Anderson … being accusit for craving curses and malesies upon the pastre and his familie 1656 Dumbarton B. Rec. 70.
Witnesses upgivers of dittaye, receavers of malisses or wronges be Johne M'William, warlok