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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Schrive, Schrif(e, v. Also: s(c)hryve, schrywe, schryf(e, schryif(f, schriffe; schirryve; scrive, scryve, scriwe, scrywe, scryfe; srayff. P.t. s(c)hrave, schrafe, shraf, schraif(f. P.p. schrif(f)yne, shriven, schryvin, schrywyn, schryfyne; schrevin, -yn(e, schrewin, s(c)hrewyn(e. [ME and e.m.E. shrifenn (Orm), scriuen (c1205), screue (Cursor M.), shryue(n (Piers Plowman), p.t. scraf (Cursor M.), shroue (c1425), schroof (c1440), shraue (north., c1450), p.p. -schriuen (Ancr. R.), shriue (c1300), shereuen (a1400), screffe (c1440), OE scrífom (scráf, scrifon, -scrifen) to allot, decree, impose as a sentence, impose penance, etc. ultim. connected with L. scribere to write. Cf. OFris. scrîva (skref, skreven) to write, impose penance, ON skrifa to paint, write.]

1. reflex. In the ritual of the Catholic Church: To confess one's sins (to, with a priest) and seek absolution; to acknowledge one's sins before God. Also transf. of people outwith the Catholic church. Also const. of the sins confessed.(1) 1375 Barb. xi 377 (C).
Thai herd the mes full reuerently, And mony shraf [E. schraiff, 1571 schraif, H. shraue] thame deuotly c1420 Wynt. viii 5226.
Thai browcht a preste till hym belywe And in his helme he can hym schrywe [C. scrywe] Ib. 5235.
Qwhen he had schrywyn [C. schrewyn, W. schrevin] hym [etc.] Ib. 5277.
Here thi mes welle and schrywe [C. scriwe] thé And thow sall sone delyveryt be c1460 Thewis Wysmen 271.
Thai schrif thaim oft and takis pennans c1460 Consail Vys Man 445.
Ly nocht lange in dedly syne … Bot schrif thé oft and tak pennans c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 13/10.
I reid thé, man, … Thow schrive thé clene and mak confessioun Ib. 15/4 (Arund.) (see 4 below). 1533 Gau 3/14.
Quhow men and vemen sal scriue thaymetransf. 1456 Hay I 170/10.
The peple of Israel was discomfyte twys, or thris, be caus thai war nocht in gude estate of confessioun, and efter that thai had schryvin thaim, and put thame in gude estate, thai wan thair inymyes(2) c1500 Rowll Cursing 85 (M).
Than … contritioun Salbe thair saulis remissioun That will schryf thame with thair curat 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 1067.
Than scho hir schraue … To that fals gled, quhilk fenȝeit hym one freir(3) a1400 Leg. S. iii 886.
He … In forme of a fare lady … come to the bischope in, Sayand, schou wald schryf hir of syne Ib. xv 90.
Ȝe schryfe ȝow of ȝoure synis cleyne & … baptist be 14.. Acts I 71/2.
Of reyffaris … gif ony of suilke men pas in gyrth to haly kirk and thar wil schryve hym of his dedis 1456 Hay I 16/21.
The veniall synnis that commounly men schryvis them of here Ib. II 41/12. a1500 Henr. Fab. 655.
I will ga seik sum confessour And schryiff [Bann. scryfe, H. schryif] me clene off all sinnis Arundel MS 276/14.
With confessioun hald down his [sc. the Devil's] heid … thé of all thi synnis schrife

b. To accuse oneself of one's sins (to God, etc.) by way of repentance. Also, once, const. clause object.(1) c1490 Irland Asl. MS 66/10.
I synfull persone humilie confessis and schryvis me to God … to … Marie and the haly court of hevyne … of all the synnis that [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 15/9.
To thé my … sueit salviour I me schrife [B. schirryve] … Off the wrang spending of my wittis five Ib. 15/18.
I wrachit synnar … Off the sevin deidly synnis dois me schrif [B. schirryve] … Rew on me Jesu … I cry Thé marcy and laser to repent Ib. 21/162.
Off all thir synnis that I heir expreme, And hes forȝet, to Thé, Lord, I me schrife(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 16/25.
I schrif me, Lord, that I abusit have The sevin deidis of marcy corporall

c. transf. To admit one's guilt, to confess (to a crime). 1535 Stewart 18971.
Quhen thai wer accusit … Tha … ane word wald nocht deny. Quhen tha thame selffis sa oppinlie had schrevin [etc.]

2. tr. Only passive: To be schriven, to be confessed, (to a priest); to receive the sacrament of penance. 1375 Barb. xix 211.
Schrywyn [C. schrevyn, H. shriuen], and als repentit [C. repentand] weill, Quhen all wes doyn him ilkdeill That crystin man nedyt till have As gud crystyn the gast he gave a1400 Leg. S. iii 887.
Sayand, schou wald … to sik man schryfyne be, That till assolȝe hyr had pouste Ib. 898.
To na man will I schriffyne be Bot anerly to ȝow c1420 Wynt. v 1774.
He ordanyd than that ilke yhere Thai that off eyld passyd were Twelff yhere suld [be] clenly Schrewyn Ib. viii 1851.
Mony a creature … Clene schrewyn [C. shrewyn] in gud entent Redy to tak thare sacrament c1450 Cr. Deyng (STS) 25.
Thai that ar all weill schrewyne and deis in the faithe ande sacramentis of haly kyrk Ib. 89.
And he had neuir ben schrewyne befor till the houre of ded Ib. 93.
Schrewyne c1490 Irland Asl. MS 66/21.
Sen I was last confessit and schrevyne a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 493.
Evill schryvin c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 150/7.
Mahoun gart cry ane dance Off schrewis that wer nevir schrevin [M. schrewin] 1535 Stewart 35569.
Edmond … efter that he wes schrevin, With foure wyld hors in foure partis wes [MS war] revin c1540 Lynd. Kitteis Conf. 32.
Quod he [sc. the curate] … to my chalmer cum at euin Absoluit for to be and schreuin

3. To confess (a person); to hear the confession of. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1092 (Ch.).
The uolf, that new maid doctour, couth him schryif c1475 Wall. xi 1314.
I charge … Nane be sa bauld ȝon tyrand for to schrywe 1525 St. A. Formulare I 271.
I forbyd … al preistis and kirkmen … to schryif [St. P. Henry VIII schriffe] or absolve thame of ther synnis quhil thai be first assoilyeit fra this cursing c1540 Lynd. Kitteis Conf. 34.
Schir Andro my brother … full clenelie did me schryue

4. To confess (sins) (to a confessor). Also const. clause object.(1) a1500 Henr. Fab. 683.
Weill wer him that … Had hap to ȝow his sinnis for to schryue c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 15/4 (M).
I schryve my syn [Arund. schrife me cleyne] with humill hart and spreit That ever I did [etc.] c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4352.
So gret one prince … be quhame synnis ar forgyffin, Be thay with his disciplis schrewin(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxxii 608.
Hou his freyndis had hym gefyne To the feynd, he als has schrifyne, & of the tyme that he had tynt He schrafe alsa

5. transf., reflex. To tell something to another person in confidence; to unburden oneself, to disclose. 15.. Clar. i 236.
Lady myne, I will me to ȝow scryve c1604 Misc. Hist. Soc. II 246.
I vill srayff myselff to you in that mater 1677 Dunkeld Presb. II 449.
But I will further shryve myselfe to you so farre as to say that I have no freedom anent the thing in generall

6. intr. To make confession (of a sin).a1400 Leg. S. xxxii 610 (see 4 above).