A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Ras(c)h(e)-bus(k, -bush. Also: reshe-, reche- and -bushe. [Late ME reschebusk (c1425). See also Rusch-bush, Rische-bus.] A clump of rushes.1554 Prot. Bk. R. Lumsdane MS 31.
Ascendand wp the said bog to ane rasche busk 1584 Cal. Sc. P. VII 227.
Thair counsellouris ar freit, ȝea at everie rasche bus, thinkand thay ar men 1602 Reg. Great S. 456/2.
Thairfra direct north to ane rasch-bus
b. proverb.Common in such phr. as to mak the rasch-busk kepe the cow, with reference to attempts to suppress cattle-stealing.a1447 Bower Chron. in Fordun (1759) II 511.][
Faciam per universum regnum clavem castrum, et dumetam vaccam … custodire? a1538 Abell 109b (see Proverb(e n. (1)).
Reche bus 1548 Cal. Sc. P. I 144.
And we for our parte shall maike the reshebush to kepe the poor wifes husbonde from deadlie food and cow from theves 1570 Sat. P. x 312.
Than mycht the rasche bus keip ky on the Bordour 1570 Leslie 27.
[James II] rewlit … his subjectis in greit quyetnes and causit minister justice to thame in sic sort that it wes saide in his tyme, he causit the rashe bushe keipt the cow a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 329/47.
[That] sic iustice be done this kynrik throw The quhilk may gar the rasche busk keip the kow 1581 Burne Disput. in 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. 164/3.
Ye stylit the Erl of Murray the gude Iosias quha vald caus the rasch bus keip the kou 1596 Dalr. II 77/12. 1697 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii 55.
The vulgar will blame the Government, when the rash bush will not keep the cow
