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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.

Renȝe, Reinȝe, n. Also: reyn-, reng-, reing-, reyng- and -ȝie, -ye, -eȝe; rainie, -ȝ(i)e, raynie; raniȝe; rinȝe, ringay. Pl. also ringeses. [OF regne. Cf. Rein n., Ren(e n.]

1. ? A rein for controlling or directing a horse, etc. b. sing. and pl. A pair of reins.Also a decorative (? non-functional) version intended for display.Also fig. or in fig. context.sing. (a) ?1438 Alex. i 2627 (see Patrell n.). Ib. ii 8251.
My renȝe to ȝeme I thé betak 1460 Hay Alex. (S.T.S.) 1695.
His men him … led out of the pres Be the renȝe, his hed hingand on wry 1497 Treas. Acc. I 340.
For ane quartar of wellus to the fals renȝe of the kingis gret bridill 1512 Ib. IV 308.
To Thome Burne, sadillare, for mending of … ane renȝe 1513 Doug. iii viii 71.
Bestis … To draw the cart, and thoil brydill and renȝe 1529 Treas. Acc. V 366.
Ane quhite reneȝe to ane brydill 1542 Ib. VIII 146.
Ane renȝe of blak silk for the quenis haiknay 1551 Ib. X 29.(b) 1375 Barb. ii 418.
Schyr Philip … hynt hys rengȝe(c) 1375 Barb. xi 182.
Schyr Gilis … he set Apon a half, hys reyngye to get [MS kept](d) 1604-9 Grahame Anat. Hum. 37b.
If his horse should … not be answerable to the rainȝiepl. (a) ?1438 Alex. i 887.
Thai … Gaderit thare hors and knyt thair renȝes 1507 Treas. Acc. III 396.
For … thre handis to renȝeis 1513 Doug. i iv 4.
Neptune … movit in his chare, Slakking his renȝeis with prosper cours and fair Ib. v xiii 122.
Thar renȝeis and thetys … [he] leit do slyp Ib. x x 77.
This Lyger led the renȝeis with hys hand 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece II 454.
All the gret hors … wer sa effrayit … that na renyeis micht hald thame 1537 Treas. Acc. VI 355.
Reneȝeis 1539 Ib. VII 255. 1548 Ib. IX 223.
Renȝies 1562 Ib. XI 180.
For viij cordallis of philosell silk to be renȝeis and harnesing to the … madynis(b) ?1438 Alex. ii 1446.
[He] hes in hand his reinȝeis raucht a1500 K. Hart 174.
And both thair reynȝeis cleikit in hir handis 1538 Treas. Acc. VII 10.
For ane heidsteill witht the reingȝeis and buttonis thairof 1589 Ib. MS 164b.
Tua pair of reinȝeis to the tua trype sadillis 1593 Edinb. Test. XXVI 57.
Four lang reinȝeis price viij s. 1681 Foulis Acc. Bk. 95.
Headstaill and reinȝies to it of oyled leither 9^s(c) 1594 Warrender P. (S.H.S.) II 259.
That everye ane rin [at the ring] with losse rinȝes and with als meikill speid as his hors hes 1679 Russell Account (1817) 416.
Gripping the ringeses of the foremost horse in the farthest side(d) 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III 269.
Throwing his thowme with the raniȝeis of ane brydill 1694 Foulis Acc. Bk. 165.
A pair new rainiesfig. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 350.
I wald na langar beir on bridill, bot braid vp my heid …; I gert the renȝeis rak and rif in to sondir 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4077.
We sall hald in thy renȝeis … And check ȝow into chenȝeis

c. As the second element of a compound in brydill-renȝe(is (see also Bridill-renȝe n.). ?1438 Alex. ii 8226.
My brydill reinȝeis heir I thé geif 1503 Treas. Acc. II 205.
For … wellus, to covir ane bridil renȝe for the king 1540–1 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 231.
Philp Scot callit upoun hir to hauld the briddell renye 1608 Crim. Trials III 45.
The deponer … preist to haif tane him be the brydle-renȝeis, and, missing his renȝeis, gat ane grip of his clok 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 357.
Several old brydell ringays 1687 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 7 Oct.
Brydell raynies

2. fig. Viewed as the means, hence as the symbol, of firm control, guidance or restraint.Common in the phr. los (also loussed, fre, opin, etc.) renȝe. For further examples of opin renȝeis (= freedom, license) see Opin adj. 6 b.(1) a1568 Bann. MS 221b/30.
For dreid my lady be … arreistit be the renȝe c1590 J. Stewart 98/15.
God … lats ws feill … correction … That resonles we not but reingȝie reill 1638 Johnston Diary I 389.
Prayed the Lord againe to taik the reinȝes in his auin hand(2) 1513 Doug. xii viii 134.
All kynd of … ire now he Leyt slyp at large … with renȝeis fre 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece II 175.
The Ilismen, richt desirus to have thair renyeis fre, that thay micht injure the pepill … but ony punitioun(3) 1533 Boece 101.
The barons reiosing to haue the renȝeis lous of lustis and venereane actis Ib. 375.
The ȝong gallandis … with lous renȝeis ran in sin and mysreul 1558-66 Knox II 291.
The Devill finding his rainȝeis lowse, ran fordwarte in his course 1592 Elgin Rec. II 24.
Cristane Sutherland … accusit for latting of hir tung to lous renyeis 1612 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 122.
The fauour granted to him gevis him louse renȝies — 1606 Forbes Rec. 520.
The reinȝies loussed to all prophane persons … to abuse the ministrie(4) 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (S.T.S.) Adhort. 45.
Cum, schameles schauelingis …, Rynnand in vyce, ay still with oppin renȝe(5) 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece II 271.
For immoderat lust … ragis in me with sic undantit renyeis 1562 Montgomery Mem. II 184.
The said erle … intendit … to tak lairger reinȝeis to sin 1562-3 Winȝet I 55/28.
Sik … errouris … wald nocht haif sa lang reinȝeis … as thai haif presentlie