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
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Med(e, Meid, n.1 Also: meide, meed, meyd. [ME. and e.m.E. mede, meede, OE. méd.]Chiefly early.
1. A reward according to one's deserts for one's action or conduct, a recompense or a requital; esp., a reward for merit.Also plur. in the same sense.(1) 1375 Barb. xx. 414 (E).
Hevynnys blys suld be thar mede [. dred] a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 241.
Tak thi med That thu has servit fore ill dede a1400 Ib. xvi. 509. a1400 Ib. xxviii. 28.
Thru humylite … Was Mary mad oure alleris med [: but dred] a1400 Ib. 255.
Hewinly med a1400 Ib. xxix. 40. a1400 Ib. xxx. 592.
The mede of tholmodnes a1400 Ib. xxxii. 317.
Rycht grete is the mede [: but drede] a1400 Ib. xxxiii. 326.
Warldly med [: nede] ?1438 Alex. ii. 265. ?1438 Ib. 2320. c1420 Wynt. i. Prol. 71, 73. c1420 Ib. ii. 1008.
Thynkand thai sulde be parcynere Off mede and payne that he sulde bere c1420 Ib. v. 4100. c1420 Ib. viii. 2951, 4355. c1420 Ib. 5287.
That gud ware to gyff the prys On athyre halff to mak thaim mede That bare thame best for thare gude dede(b) ?1438 Alex. i. 1712.
Bot he thairof gat sone his meid [: ȝeid] For Lycanor hit him [etc.] ?1438 Ib. ii. 5437.
God gif yow meid [: foredeid] c1420 Ratis Raving 234.
Fore men may with thar handis deid Wyne gret riches, land and meid c1460 Consail Vys Man 293. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 162. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2720 (Bann.).
Off sic wolffis hell fyre salbe thair meid [: proceid] c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace x. 462.
Thow has tynt twa had beyn worth fer mair meid [: deid (= deed)] c1475 Ib. xi. 1247. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 49.
Confort thi hert but lesing of His meid [: dreid] 1513 Doug. ix. v. 110.
The ilk steid Fra this sammyn hour, Nysus, salbe thy meid 1513 Ib. xi. Prol. 65, 127.plur. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xvi. 2.
To speik of gift or almous deidis, Sum gevis for mereit and for meidis(2) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxviii. 726.
Hou he quytis tham thare med [: ded] That seruis hyme 1535 Stewart 1508. 1535 Ib. 32514.
And now we think we quit him weill his meid [: bleid] ? 1570 Satirical Poems xxvi. 78.
Bot puneis all … & quyte thame for thair meids [: deids] 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 12 a.(3) a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 873.
The gret joy that God to med Has grantit tham that will hym dred. 1456 Hay I. 30/31.
[They] wan mony of thame hell to thair mede 1461 Liber Pluscardensis I. 384. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 277. a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 31.
I ask no mor to all my meid Bot gif me thi child to leire & feid c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlvii. 33. 1535 Stewart 28672.
To meid [: dreid] 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 5393.(4) a1400 Legends of the Saints ix. 327.
& for his mede [Bartholomew] brukis that blyse c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1876.
Than Vlixes … Gert the secretare … Be slane for his meid wikkitly c1420 Ratis Raving 1811.
And the vrytar, for his meid, God grant hym euir weill to speid c1460 Thewis Wysmen 216. a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 866 (Wr.).
No miter perfyter Got Midas for his meed [: head]
2. The quality of deserving well for meritorious conduct, merit, credit.With the formula (2), cf. also Med(e)ful(l a. (2).(1) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxi. 164.
For the doctor sais … That the treutht thare has litil mede [: rede] ?1438 Alex. ii. 6132.
Ȝe sall be sone (sa haue I meid!) Serued with Caneus on his steid c1420 Wynt. v. 1145. c1460 Vertewis of the Mess 77 (S.T.S.).
He sal have the meid as he had hard mes 1462 Peebles B. Rec. I. 145.
Meide and meryt for the saulis of the fundouris of the sayd seruis a1500 Bk. Chess 1350.
This teilman … has sic meid to wyn the pur folk breid a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 110.
Thus mycht a King in fame & meid encres c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxix. 2. 1535 Stewart 43396.
Syne sark allane, for mair mereit and meid, And barfeit 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 7966.
Quhat gaue scho him for his gude lufe and meid [: bleid] 1570 Satirical Poems xx. 105.
That man in deid is worth sum meid, His fault that dois confes a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 844.(2) 1429 Lanark & R. 283.
Syne mede and meritable thing it is to beir witnes to suthfastnes 1485 Lag Chart. 53. 1490 Reliq. Antiq. Sc. 47.
Sen meid and merit is … till euerilk juge … to beir witnes [etc.] 1499 Fam. Rose 170.
3. Assistance, help, succour, support. Na meid, (of) no use or advantage. a1400 Legends of the Saints i. 252.
We hawe no mede [ed. nede] Of thi pece, bot-gyf that pece be And concorde, to fynd veryte In-to na thing may be profyte?1438 Alex. ii. 6140.
God gif ȝow meid And help ȝow ay quhen ȝe haue neid c1420 Ratis Raving 398.
With it thow may thin erand speid Qwhen baith will failȝhe strenth and meid c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 16.
It was na mede to fecht with sworde and speir Scho [the dragon] schot sic flauchtis of fyre a1500 Sir Eger 2648.
She said, ‘Speed thee with all thy meed, To comfort them, and make them glad’ a1568 Bannatyne MS 21 b/42.
Haif ws in mynd and grant ws meid 1607 Lett. Eccl. Aff. I. 114.
This kirk … sall nevir miss meid nor comfort from yow
4. spec. Remuneration, payment for service rendered.a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 690.
I ask for reward and med That thu will tholl me to bled [etc.] 14.. Acts I. 380/2.
Nan hiryt man throw meide or for wynning 1467 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 403.
Thai sall nevir … for ony maner of meide na of rawarde to cum … mak herschyp … one the tother a1500 Golagros and Gawane 52.
To by vs vittale boune For money to meid [: leid] a1500 Ib. 807. 1492 Myll Spectakle of Luf 289/7.
Sa covatys that scho wald … tak lay meid and proffet thar for 1513 Doug. v. vii. 66.
Nothir I suld haue cravyt wage nor meyd [: neid] 1535 Stewart 26567.
Syne gaif to him than for rewaird and meid The landis lyaind betuix Tyne and Tueid
b. Espec., dishonest or corrupt payment, bribery.1392 Lennox Mun. 48.
I … sal make … na maner of composycioune … for na mede, nouther lande nor gude 14.. Acts I. 109/2.
That nane tak meyd [Balfour's Pract. meid] of a theyff 14.. Ib. 334/2.
Of millaris … for meyd thai tholis ane in anotheris roume grynde 14.. Ib. 55/2. 14.. Ib. 332/2. 14.. Ib. 334/2. 1445 Peebles B. Rec. I. ii.
For meide. prayer, cusynage or alya 1456 Hay I. 262/13. 1456 Ib. 266/32. 1467 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 403. c1460 Regimine Principum 186. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1241 (Bann.).
This cursit court corruptit all for meid [: speid] a1500 Ib. 1306. 1513 Doug. vi. ix. 198.
For pryce or meid 1520 Peebles B. Rec. I. 51. 1557 Ib. 235.
To vse the office of seriandschip … without outhir bude or meid 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Barratrie.
