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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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Novatio(u)n, Novacioun, n. Also: -atio(u)ne, nowatio(u)n. [e.m.E. novacion (1549), novation (1607), F. novation, L. novātio.Appar. much more common in Sc. than in Eng. use. (Cf. the synonymous, but appar. less common, Innovatio(u)n(e.)]In sing. with indefin. or neg. adj., without and with article or demonstr., and in plur.

1. Change (chiefly undesirable or wrongful) in any established practice or state of affairs; an innovation or alteration. Also new novatioun.(1) 1501 Stirling Chart. 58.
That the proffite of the fisching … sall stand and remain as it now dois but ony nouation 1533 Bell. Livy II. 60/15.
And na novatioun to be madc concernyng the creatioun of consullis 1540 Protocol Book of Sir John Cristisone 72.
The debateable land was to remain unoccupied and na new nouatioune to be maid quhill [etc.] 1565 Perth B. Ct. 342 (4 June).
And gif the said Andro happynis to mak ony new nouatioun in bikang of the said dike vtherwis nor the samyn wes of befoir 1567 Reg. Privy C. I. 515.
And quhen scho thinkis leist of ony novatioun, evir sum inventioun or uther is brocht in 1574 St. A. Baxter Bks. 21. 1577 Reg. Morton I. 101.
Nor ȝit was I of mynd to mak ony novatioune other be victualling or fortefeing the castell a1578 Pitsc. II. 240/24. 1580 Reg. Morton I. 123.
To use na novatioun toward hir bot … to let hir bruik … the saidis teyndis 1608 Melrose P. I. 56.
Twiching some new novatioun allegeit begvn be that burgh to the preiudice of thair nyghtbouris 1671 Aberd. Council Lett. V. 91.
And if … yow find they make any novatione and alteratione of the rates and dues … yow are … to enter protestatione(2) 1555 Stirling B. Rec. I. 64.
That thair is nowation ryssin betuix ws and the craftismen of our town 1559 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 49.
Mylord provest … desyrit the said auld ordour to be observit thairin, protestand awayis incais nouatioun wer inbrocht 1600 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 10July.
That … nane of thame sett out or brek out ony stair [etc.] … nor mak new novatioun therof by the auld use & wonit(3) 1559 Inverness Rec. I. 37.
For the same [statute] wes bot ane new nowation 1560 Old Dundee II. 173.
Because they consider the same [alteration to a building] to be ane novation 1561 Inverness Rec. I. 69.
Greit skayth mocht follow … throcht the nouation maid … in setting of our commound tackis to onfre men 1575 Bk. Univ. Kirk I. 333. 1630 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 337.
That no pairtie … haveing salmond fischeing be hurt … be that novatioun quhilk is desyreit contrair to all equitie 1630 Gordon Geneal. Hist. I. 26.
Which motion this Gilbert … did altogether croce and hinder as a novatioun and encroachment upon the Scottish liberties 1686 Mackenzie Observ. 306.(4) 1533 Bell. Livy II. 54/11.
In the nixt petitioun we desire na novatiouns nor new materis 1533 Boece iii. viii. 103.
Claudius, empriour, certifyit of sic novaciouns in Britan 1533 Ib. ii. v. 65 b. 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 32.
Ony novations I sall adverteis your grace as thay occure 1550–1 Ib. 345. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 138/8.
Gif ȝe, throw curiositie of nouationis, hes forȝet our auld plane Scottis quhilk ȝour mother lerit ȝou 1586 Cal. Sc. P. VIII. 703.
All sic novationis as … haif bene procured be privat men … to the restraining of the free libertie of our traffiquaris in England c 1600 Misc. Spald. C. II. 285.
That your lordschips seruand … hes maid sum new nouatiounis on the bischope of Cathnes c1614 Mure Dido & Æneas ii. 558. 1673 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 151.
The same [elected deacon] shall stand good and valid to the preventingof novations [in the incorporation]

2. In certain specific applications.a. The alteration of a legal obligation or status, or its replacement by a new one; latterly, the substitution of a new debt or debtor for a former one. 1543 Ruddiman Epist. App. 315.
Contracting of new and novatioun of all the saidis contractis 1592 Mining Rec. 91.
He may also allege that the said George acceptation of this obligation of the aduocats is a nouation of the said contract 1671 M. P. Brown Suppl. Dict. Decis. II. 602.
By the sentence there is a judicial novation of the sums, by which they cease to be the means of the defunct and become the proper goods of the executor 1682 Fountainhall Decis. I. 179.
After the act of suspension of public debts, there is a new bond in 1664 granted by the town of Edinburgh of this debt, which is a clear novation 1696 Ib. 699.
It was alledged that the marriage was a voluntar novation whereby subibat personam mulieris and undertook all her debts 1697 Ib. 782.

b. A (chiefly erroneous or undesirable) change or innovation in religious doctrine or polity.Esp. common c 1635–c 1655. 1559 Peebles B. Rec. I. 258.
And dischargit him to vse ony new novationes of commoun prayeris or preching 1562-3 Winȝet II. 61/3.
Be the nouatioun of inuentionis of hæretikis 1562-3 Ib. Title.
Nouationis [L. novitates] 1562-3 Ib. 36/22. 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 15.
That none … sould take vpoun thame to make ony novatioune in religioune 1600-1610 Melvill 725.
Finding it in schaw to carie sume appeirance of novatioun in the discipline of the Kirk 1618 Spottiswoode Misc. I. 66.
The euill of nouations, especially in matters of rite and ceremony a1639 Spotsw. Hist. (1655) 121. a1634 Forbes Rec. 374.
Esteeming it dangerous … to entend great novations 1638 Rothes Affairs Kirk 16.
Frameing and introduceing the Book of Canons and Common Prayer, and such other novations as wer hurtfull 1638 Johnston Diary I. 347. 1639 Dunkeld Presb. I. 376.
To abstein fra the practise of all novationes introducit in our Kirk 1638 National Covenant. 1638 Spalding I. 109.
Who haue countenanced the chappell ceremoneis and novationis 1655 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 133.
Is it a novatioun … to demande quho haue ane earnest desire after the comunion? 1657 Dunkeld Presb. I. 361. 1657 Balfour Ann. II. 181.
Ther is also some surmisses of further nouatione of organes, liturgies and such lyke

c. A newly introduced and unfair or oppressive impost. 1564 Warrender P. I. 38.
Causit our mercheantis to mak payment for everie schip passand that wey the hundreth penny of the guidis being therin … quhilk novatioun is havy to the subjectis of this realme 1579–80 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 145.
That Jhonn Littill, walter baillie of Leith, had begon ane new novatioun … be compelling him to pay fourty penneis for his boitt 1591 Ib. V. 38.
To discharge the awners of any drinking beir cumand in at Leyth to pay ony new novatioun and custome 1593 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs I. 403.
Aganis Anstruther be west the burne for the laitt raiseing vpoun thame ane novatioun of ane laidilfull of ilk laid victuall 1593 Ib. 406.
Suspendis … Dondie … fra vsing of ony novatioun of customes vpoun … Forfair 1593 Ib. 416. 1599 Rooseboom Sc. Staple 124.
The said toun of Campheir purges thame selffis of the nowatioun raissit upoun the natioun

d. In Aberdeen and Inverness: The wrongful appropriation to one's own use of land not one's own, esp. common or public land adjacent to one's property; land of this sort which has been wrongfully taken by intrusion in this way. 1576 Inverness Rec. I. 249.
Quhar the said Jasper makis new nowatioun in teling of the Kingis commoun gett 1577 Ib. 255.
Tweching the novatioun maid be thame in biggin of ane myln of new novatioun vpon sex aker feild land … vpon the suckin of the Kingis Myln 1578 Aberd. Chart. 341.
The saidis juges … decernis the haill corne land … new nouatioun and ordainis the samen to ly ley as commonty in tyme cuming and siclyk the new stibill land … to be new nouatioun … and als fyndis new nouatioun maid be the fewaris & tennentis of the Cruvis 1580 Inverness Rec. I. 278.
[The complaint] vpon ane novatioun and rywing out of ane pece new land 1615 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 325. 1633 Inverness Rec. II. 170.
And hes jonit the saidis novationes to thair saidis landis first fewit to thair predicessouris 1659 Old Ross-shire I. 334.
Qll of lait the said provest [of Inverness] &c. think by the said novatione to appropriate the said heretage 1674 Inverness Rec. II. 258.
The counsell therfor thinks it expedient … to mack ciwil interuptioune to the said novatioune and incroachment on the town's priviledge

e. Spoliation. — 1592 Reg. Privy C. IV. 825.
[For the] novatioun, convocatioun, oppressioun or violence [committed against each other in the wrongous leading of the corns of Tempillands]