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.
Reular, Rular, -er, n. Also: reull-, rewl(l)-; rewel-, rewal(l)-, rewill-, ruell-; roul- and -are, -air(e, -ayre. [ME and e.m.E. rewler (c1375), rulere (1387), reulure (a1400), ruelar (1526); Reul(e v.]
1. One wielding supreme power or authority; one holding or exercising political or ecclesiastical authority; a governor or administrator.(1) c1475 Wall. i 266.
‘Modyr,’ he said, ‘God reuller is of all’ 1499 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 76.
The keperis and rewlares of Leyth 1533 Boece 222b.
The legate … inhibit Pichtis to cheis ony officiare or reullare of thare nacioun that mycht vse authorite in tyme cuming 1535 Stewart 13228.
Quhilk sould be heid and rewllar of his ring 1550 Reg. Privy C. I 112.
[They] makis … him kepar, gydar, and reular of Liddisdaill, boundis thairof, and inhabitantis of the samyn 1559 St. A. Kirk S. 12. a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 22.
Alexander send to the rewlaris of Scotland … to get reskew 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (S.T.S.) 399.
Sen corruptioun … enterit amangis thame quhilk war rewlaris and pastouris of the kirk of God a1578 Pitsc. II 244/2.
And was maid heill luvtennand and rewlar of Orknay 1637 Dumbarton B. Rec. 53.
O … God, the supreme rewlar and governar of the warld(b) 1600-1610 Melvill 126.
The Pryor [etc.] … colluded with the rewallars of the town to hald the ministerie vacand(c) 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 169.
The cheiff ruellers of the state(2) 1533 Boece 162b.
Lugthak … made rutouris, piparis [etc.] … officiaris and reularis 1533 Gau 9/25.
Thair … powers and reulers … ar in Godis sted institut to minister justice c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 11.
Christ ansuert the rewlare 1548 Cal. Sc. P. I 140.
I wounder that amangis [? sik] polutict rewlarris … the [? rameid] is not bettir found 1562 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 7.
All princis, magistratis, and reularis, quha … suld be faderis and motheris to the common veltht 1571 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 212.
The conservatioun … of the religioun cheiflie appertenis to Christiane and godlie kingis, princes, rewlayres and magistratis a1578 Pitsc. II 262/4.
Franceis Tennovne … was ane gret reular in Edinburgh and sum tyme provest thairof 1581 Sempill Sat. P. xliii 137.
Was he not rewler ouer ȝour realme and rigioun? Id. Warning vi.
Mak nevir ane Romen rewillar in this region 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 58/5.
Ane of these tua sortis of reulairis 1650 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 607.
The worthey reweler, quho wold not eat the bread of the gouernour(b) 1596 Dalr. II 177/30.
How sune Anguses kin [etc.] … knew that Angus was ruler and cheif gouernour [etc.]
2. One appointed to direct or manage a particular operation; one given charge of another person, esp. of a child; one put in charge of a place or other material thing; a director, controller.(1) a1500 Bk. Chess 1081.
The prince rewler in battall suld he be 1547 Corr. M. Lorraine 180.
This servand sayis that your freyndis ar gret consaloris and reularis Ib.
Lord Dernly is in curt and the ald reularis baitht men and women ar passit 1562-3 Winȝet I 3/15.
Quhairat sum effrayit … of thair … lyues in the samyn schip, hes pullit the rudder and gouernment fra the formare rewlaris c1575 Balfour Pract. 27.
And ordanis the Dean of Gilde, kirk-maisteris and reularis, to gar leisch barnis that perturbis the kirk 1662 Crim. Trials III 617.
Walter … and Allexander … nixt to the divell, wer ruleris(b) 1557 Prot. Bk. Gilbert Grote 26.
[To be] actouris, factouris, rewalaris, gidaris [of his said daughter's tacks](2) 1513 Doug. ix iv 15.
Thame Eneas … Had deput rewlaris to hys ȝong son c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 353.
Christ … is with thame, as uicar generall, Rewlar and gydar of the faithfull 1573 Edinb. Test. II 336b.
[I appoint] Johne Bell rewlar, gyder, and tutour to my said sone 1581 Ib. IX 176b.
Helene my spous … to be rewler and gyder of my hous and barnis(3) 1533 Gau 23/4.
The rewlers of the tempil and the cheif prestis 1600-1610 Melvill 16.
He haid a sistar, … rewlar of his hous(b) 1571 Cal. Sc. P. IV 32.
[A book written against the present] roularis [of the Court](4) 1542 Reg. Privy S. II 718/2.
Kepar and rewlar of … oure soverane lordis hingaris and tapessery within his realme 1577–8 Misc. Spald. C. V 114.
The rewlar of the knokis 1612–13 Edgar Hist. Dumfries 257.
To the kepar and rular of our knokis xxxij li. 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 50.
Lait ruler of the saids clokis and bellsfig. 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 138/1.
Euen in youre maist uertuouse actions make euer moderation to be the cheife reulaire
b. Const. to (a specified activity): ? An instigator.a1578 Pitsc. I 66/28.
Johnne Camproun … principall rewllar of the prince and his reularis to all mischeif … done in thir trublis tymes
