A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Princes(s, n. Also: prin-, pryncesse, princeis, prin-, pryncis, prynsace; Prences. [ME and e.m.E. princesse (a 1380), prinses (c 1400), pryncesse, princes (1556), F. princesse (15th c. in Littré), med. L. princissa (1321 in Latham), principissa (c 1400 in Latham), fem. of Prince n.] A princess.
1. A female sovereign, a queen.Also applied to allegorical characters.(1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlviii 179.
O blissit be the hour That thow wes chosin to be our principall; Welcome to be our princes of honour Ib. lxxxvii 4.
Our princes fair and gud 1513 Doug. i viii 51.
O hie princes [L. O regina], quhamto Iupiter has grant To beld ane new cyte 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 543.
Quho was more heycht in honour eleuate Nor was Margareit our heych & mychtie princes [Pitsc. princeis] 1537 Id. Depl. Magd. 24. 1549 Compl. 2/4.
Illustir princes [sc. Mary of Guise] … discendit of royal progenituris Ib. 30/22.
To gouuerne ane realme quhen the prince or princes ar in tendir aige 1550 Balcarres P. 310.
Nocht for that I tyr of the princes grace service my soverine ladyes c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3254.
As did proude Pantasilia The princes of Amasona a1568 Scott i 7. a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xix 1. 1569 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 22.
The rycht hiegh etc. and excellent princes the Quene of England our derrest sister 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 28.
The quene and hir moder wer kepit … rather lyke presonaris than princessis 1570 Leslie 253.
The quene regent … as a clement and mercifull princes … pardonit thame 1571 Bann. Memor. 139. 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas i 861.
He may (vnwarre) the princes [sc. Dido] vndermyne(b) 1549 Compl. 29/35.
Quhou be it that oure ȝong illustir princis be ane tendir pupil c1615 Chron. Kings 96.
Ane mair gratious and pleasabill princis rang newer in our dayis(2) c1450-2 Howlat 932 (A).
Thy pryde, quod the princes [sc. Dame Nature], approchis our hie c1490 Porteous Noblenes 171/13 (Asl.).
Nobilnes lady of weile willing qwene of wisdome and princes of hie doyng … pece and greting to ȝow c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlviii 63.
Haill princes Natur, haill Venus luvis quene
b. To be (gracious etc.) princes(s (to another): cf. Prence n. 1 b.1545–6 Corr. M. Lorraine 158.
And that now … your grace will be his gracios pryncis and gud mastres 1548 Ib. 234.
That your graice wilbe speciall pryncis and mastres to him
c. Applied to the Virgin Mary (= Quen(e n.1 2 b.)c1450-2 Howlat 730 (A).
Haile princes that completis all prophecis pure a1500 Henr. III 147/27. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1013 (Asl.).
Goddis moder … Quhilk is cheif patrone & princes of pete c1515 Asl. MS II 245/2.
O hie emprys and quene celestiale Princes eterne c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxvi 21.
Princes of peis
2. The daughter of a king; a female member of a royal house.(1) 1461 Liber Plusc. 382.
Wes neuir yit more gret pete of a princes c1475 Wall. viii 1381.
Ingland sen syn has boucht it der enewch Thocht scho had beyn a queyn or a prynsace 1494 Loutfut MS 10 a.
And gif it be lady princesse or vtheris thai suld be salust eftir the degre of thair husbandis c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxix 2.
Princes most plesant and preclare … Welcum of Scotland to be Quene 1549 Compl. 30/2.
For the ȝouthed of ane prince or of ane princesse is nocht the cause of the ruuyne of ane realme 15.. Clar. ii 1449. Ib. 1438. 1570 Leslie 268.
Ane beutifull … princes, lady Elizabethe, was proclamed Quene of Inglande 1586–7 Waus Corr. 379.
The Lord graunt our … king to happin apon the worthiest princes that is in the warld for his half marrow(2) 1549 Compl. 3/13.
The nobil princis & princessis of France quhilkis ar ȝour natiue frendis 15.. Clar. iii 994.
He thocht hir lyke To the princes of all Brittane kinrike The kingis dochter, Meliades Ib. iv 16.
b. Princes of Scotland: cf. Prince n. 3 (4).1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 25.
Marie Quene of Scottis was lychter of ane virgen, nameit Marie, princes of Scotland
c. Said of a lady of exalted rank, more generally.c1650 Spalding II 53.
The ladie dovager of Huntly, ane nobill worthie and honorable princes
3. fig.: cf. Prince n. 7 b.15.. Dunb. To London 12.
London … imperiall as thou stant, Pryncesse of townes
