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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.

Puritan(e, -aine, Puiretane, n. (adj.) [e.m.E. puritane (1572), -an, f. L. pūrus Pur(e adj.¹ or pūritāt- Purite(e n. Cf. F. puritain (1564), mod. L. pūritānī (in Du Cange).] A Puritan, an opprobrious term applied to persons who called for purification of the Church from forms and ceremonies or points of ritual, polity or doctrine held by them to be unscriptural, also, more generally, to persons accounted excessively strict in religion and morals; a Precisian. Also attrib. or adj. — c1610 Jok Uplandis Newis fol. 2a.
Speciallie thes the[y] call puritance and presisianes c1630 Scot Narr. 333.
Pastors and people, adhereing to their former profession and practice, are nicknamed Puritans 1633 Maxwell Mem. II 232.
The Puiretanes ar geving in supplicationes to haive all the ceremonies ramowft 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 512.
Howbeit we be nicknamed Puritans, that all the powers of the world shall not prevail against us 1638 Henderson Serm. 434.
Those who are called Puritans, who will be precise, and would be religious beyond their neighbours 1638 Rothes Affairs Kirk 31.
He heard at our last meitting, a ticket was cast amongst us from the Puritans in England c1650 Spalding I 78.
The Marquess of Hammiltoun … togidder with ane meingȝie of miscontentit puritanes Ib. 240.
In the meintyme the Lord Drummound is mareit to Lady Ann, his eldest dochter, who wes ane preceiss puritane, and therefore weill lykit in Edinbrughe Ib. II 156.
He gat small convoy to his grave by the puritans of Edinbrugh —attrib. or adj. c1610 Jok Uplandis Newis fol. 1a.
And as ther puritaine ministers sayes ther is even a number of puritane brethrene 1649 Dumfries Kirk S. 1 Jan.
Conveined for slandering James Mcclunie in calling him a base puritane fellow