A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Pere-, Peirles, a. Also: perles, peirlas. [ME. and e.m.E. pereles (Manning), piereles (Gower), e.m.E. peerless (17th c.), f. Pere n.1] Unequalled, unmatched, incomparable, peerless.Said of persons and of material and non-material things, in respect of both favourable and, but less commonly, unfavourable attributes.More common in verse.a. attrib.(1) 1461 Liber Plusc. 387.
Scho was … Off princis cummyng and in to peirles piyte a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 823 (H).
Thare pereles pane can na speche displaye Ib. 1166.
Pereles [Asl. perrellus; Arund. perles] panys Ib. 1229.
To pereles penvritee Ib. 1319, 1343. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 474.
Of sa peirles excellent womanheid c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxv. 74.
Of peirles pulcritud 1513 Doug. x. Prol. 143.
For this souerane peirles hie bonte a1568 Scott xv. 19.
Bot peirles perfytt paradisall plesour 1567 G. Ball. 82.
Ane peirles sing Of lyfe serene Ib. 30; Ib. 40. a1585 Maitl. Q. xlix. 17.
Ȝour perles vertew dois provoike … My mynd [etc.] 1596 Dalr. I. 167/15.
Efter gret aduersatie … and peirles persecutioune Ib. 318/13.
Js writne of him that peirles panes & meruellous vpon him selfe he tuik c1600 Montg. Suppl. iv. 52.
To wew ȝour peirles pulchritude(2) a1500 Seven S. 314.
The tre … was callit the pereles pyne 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 5.
Virgill … Thow peirles perle a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxix. 30. c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxviii. 6.
Ȝour merciles peirles persoun most preclair(3) a1497, 15.. Gray MS. v. 1.
To the maist peirlas prince of pece … I … pray 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 773.
Ȝour peirles prudent predicessouris 1567 G. Ball. 147.
Christ Jesus is … peirles Prince of all mercy a1568 Bann. MS. 228 b/1.
Peirles paramour a1605 Montg. Misc. P. l. 7.
Prays the pereles preclair Montgomrie maikles Margareit
b. pred. and in postmodification.Const. of, also in, the attribute specified.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 52.
He … had a wyf … wes … perles of farnes a1450 Fifteen Ois 158.
O Iesu Crist the well of sweit Off taist that euir wes perles ȝit a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1375 (H).
Hevin … is sa pereles in comparisoun(b) ?1438 Alex. ii. 1364.
Fezonas … That is peirles of all bounte 1461 Liber Plusc. 384.
This … princes … owre the laue of vertu was peirles c1475 Wall. viii. 1713.
The harrold … To Parys went was peirles off renoun 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 454.
Scho was peirles of schap and portrature 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 227.
Prepotent prince peirles of pulchritude a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xix. 2.
Princes … preclair … Prudent peirles in bontie and bewtie 1596 Dalr. I. 7/17.
The woddes selfes … are … peirles in pleisour(2) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1340.
Amang the pryncis in place peirles to price 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 544.
Thair riche entire maist peirles to behald a1568 Bann. MS. 81 b/2.
Ane rob … With pretius stanis peirles picht a1585 Maitl. Q. lxix. 49.
This plesant plant pereles but paragone c1590 J. Stewart 17/71.
Hir person peirles … Oft hir constrains to tak the feirfull flycht
c. ? comb. or ? quasi-adv. —1596 Dalr. II. 4/28.
Sa peirles proud as na toung of man is able to discriue
