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.
Quotation dates: 1399-1400, 1456-1586
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Prudence, -ens, n. Also: proud-, prowd-. [ME and e.m.E. prudence (1340), -ens, F. prudence (13th c. in Littré), L. prūdēntia foresight, sagacity, skill, contracted f. prōvidē ntia Providence n.] The quality of being prudent.
1. Practical wisdom; discretion; prudence.Your prudence, a term of address to a person of rank. Also once, hir proudens.Also personified.(1) 1456 Hay II 54/20.
For prudence is a knawlage that man has of all thing, bathe gude and evill, throu the quhilk he is maid inymy to evill, and frende till all gudenes c1460 Wisdom of Solomon (S.T.S.) 393.
A wisman … his wordis ar full of prudens a1500 Henr. Fab. 128 (Makc.).
This gentill iasp … Betaknys perfyt prudens & cunnyng a1500 Bernardus 41.
It is gret prudence … and rycht he sapience Oft tyl ourese thi gud and gouernance 1490 Irland Mir. I 63/37.
Prudence is nocht without the laif of the wertuis bot cumpanyt … with thame 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 251.
Aristotell, fulfillit of prudence 1531 Bell. Boece I 216.
Yit he … brukit the crown of Britane be crafty prudence 1531 Ib. II 368.
With sic prudence … that nane was found perregal to him [sc. Wallace] a1538 Abell 97 (bis) a.
Robert … left nathing be prudence ondone a1585 Arbuthnot Maitland Quarto MS xxxv 190.
Prudent Aspasia Excellit in sapience Socrates wyise thocht na dispryis To leirn at hir prudence(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. ix 77 (Bann.).
Enarming me, With fortitude, prowdence, and temperance a1500 Henr. Fab. 1381 (Bann.).
Thir fabillis … Ar full of prowdens and moralite(2) 1456 Hay II 99/34.
The maist hye prudence and wysedome that ony prince may have is to put payne and study to find the wayis to ger his peple lufe him a1500 Henr. Fab. (O.U.P.) 1622.
The hie prudence … off God omnipotent a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 114 (Asl.). a1568 Bannatyne MS 228b/41.
Hir paitlat suld be of hie prudence a1578 Pitsc. I 412/22.
His hie prudence awailled him nocht ane myt(3) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 2447.
Mony wyser lordis here … of hie prudence a1500 Bk. Chess 12.
Bot men of prudens fynd thairin remeid 1533 Boece 52.
vij men of singulare prudence a1568 Kid Bannatyne MS 92b/74.
Thy pastyme suld oft be in commonyng With profound clerkis of science and prudens a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS xix 27 (see Effect n.1 5).(4) 1456 Hay II 76/3.
Till ane … worthy lord of justice: I signify to thy prudence that [etc.] 1522 Douglas Corr. 85.
Gif your hye prudens plesys so do 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 2/15. 1562-3 Winȝet I 20/16.
It mot pleis ȝour prudence to [etc.] —a1568 Scott vi 39.
Pleis hir proudens to imprent it Scho may persaue sum Inglis throw itpersonified 1503 Mill Mediæval Plays 178.
Prudence holdynge in hyr haunde a syerge c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxix 26.
2. Knowledge of, or skill in, a particular matter.a1400 Legends of the Saints iii 1019.
Gyf hym wantis sic prudence [to answer a hard question] He suld nocht cum in ȝour presence a1500 Tale of the Colkelbie Sow Proh. 62.
Knawing myne vnsufficience To be comprysit preticiane with prudence a1500 Bk. Chess 2045.
And in him is … The prudens of thir iugis in to richt 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 133/15.
Our ignorance [of the means] deseruis mair louyng nor dois our prudens 1581 Sempill Sat. P. xliii 47.
Plato with beis, quha did sic prudence leir,That all men meruelled of his eloquence
3. Foresight, providence.a1500 Henr. III 164/67.
Declyne that pyne, be thy devyne prudens 1490 Irland Mir. MS 320.
Als lang as the Romanis … saw be thar prudens the thingis to cum as in a merour
