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

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Sclander(o)us, Slanderous, adj. Also: sclanderouse, -arous, -irous, -rous, -rus; sklander(o)us, -irous, -orus, -rus; slaunderous. [ME and e.m.E. sclaundrouse (1402), -erous (c1500), also slaunderous (1485), AF *esclandrus = MF esclandreux (1455 in OED) f. esclandre Sclander v.]

A. adj. 1. Of something said, also of a writing: Calculated to harm the reputation of another person or persons; calumnious, defamatory, slanderous.(1) 1460 Ayr B. Ct. 3 April.
Comperit in court Marion Litster … for richt sclanderous wordis in the contray of thairis offis doing c1515 Asloan MS I 242/9.
With mony vther sclanderous wordis calland tham tratouris that war his secret counsall 1560 St. A. Kirk S. 41.
Margaret Murdow granttis the sclanderous wordis layd to hir charge 1563 Edinb. B. Rec. III 162.
Ewfame Dundas … had spokin diuers injurious and sclandarous wordis … in speciall of Jhonne Knox a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS 325/7.
With sclandrous wordis thai do all thing thai can For to defame mony gude honest man 1584 Glasgow B. Rec. I 109.
Ane decreit and damnatour gewin thairvpoun of the foirsaid sclanderous wordis 1602 Dundonald Par. Rec. 28.
The said Patrik … tuk in hand to pruf that the said persones spak the sclanderous wordis to him 1610 State P. No. 108/13, 1.
The said Henry Ruthuen had spokin sclanderous wordis of the king 1614 Glasgow Weavers 65.
[He was] accuisit … for blaspheming of his deikin … in calling him dyvour loun, not wordie to be deikin, with utheris sclanderous wordis(2) 1566 Reg. Privy C. I 481.
Quhat sclanderous brute and rumour is spred … as that thir enormiteis wer committit be thair hienessis … oursycht 1568 Grant Chart. 285.
For awoiding off all … sklandorus speking that may cum of baytht our onfreyndis 1586-7 Rait & Cameron King James's Secret 164.
Thyre sclanderus reportys that his majeste karys nothing of this prosedings c1590 Fowler II 29/20.
Leue of Hammiltoun thy sclandrous calumnies 1605 Dundonald Par. Rec. 75, etc.
Ane sclanderouse taill … that the lait minister of Kilvining … vas eardit vith his mouth doun, that all the ill micht go to Hell 1610 State P. No. 108/13, 1.
The deponar said to him that sclanderous language ȝe do not weele to speeke 1631 Justiciary Cases I 176.
Delaitit of the making of leasingis … and sclanderous speiches againes James Marques of Hammiltone(b) 1570 Bann. Memor. 48.
Ane answer to the slanderous misreport of thame that … laboris to deface the kingis authoritie 1585 Acts III 375/1.
Ane act aganis the authouris of slaunderous spechis or writtis(3) c1575 Balfour Pract. 537.
That na maner of man mak, write, or imprent ony billis, writingis, balladis, famous or sclanderous to ony persoun … under the pane of death 1596–7 Elgin Rec. II 47.
The eldarschipe findis thameselues juges competent to judge vpoun all makars of cokalanes in all poynts of thair sclanderous writtingis 1600 Criminal Trials II 333.
Sklanderous, calumnious and reprochefull letteris

b. Characterised by misrepresentation; misleading; false.1550–1 Corr. M. Lorraine 344.
I harde ane sclanderus bruit how thair vas to cum this somer in Scotland ane greit nomer of men of were 1582 in Melvill 131.
Withe a sklanderus narrative suspending simplie, and disanulling, the excommunicatioun justlie and ordourlie pronuncit against … [a] troublar of the Kirk of God 1585 Ib. 240.
Yie do evill in making your selves to be ignorant of your awin act, as to think the narrative of this act sklanderus and untrew 1589 Criminal Trials I ii 175.
Makand sklanderous and vntrew repoirtis in the saidis proclamatiounis that his hienes wes kepit captiue aganis his will

2. Given to uttering, or that has uttered, calumny or slander. a. Of a person. b. Of the tongue.a. 1456 Hay II 40/30.
Na orguillouse squyer … and namely outrageus in word and sclanderous bakbytare suld nocht enter in the ordre 1567 Sempill Sat. P. viii 2.
Reingat rapfow! … Skorner of poitis and sklanderus knaif! 1582 in Melvill 131.
For executing of letters directed against a sklanderus man 1595 Aberd. B. Rec. II 108.
A pair of joggis … for putting thairin of commoun flyteris and sklanderous personesb. a1500 Quare of Jelusy 406.
Fer better … to duell with lyouns than be nere A sclanderouse tong of chiding and of hate 1564 Inverness Rec. I 118.
[She] can nocht be stanchit of hyr ewyll sclandrus toung a1585 J. Maitland Maitl Q. 132 title.
Aganis Sclanderous Toungis 1586–7 Elgin Rec. II 6.
In caice that scho offend Janet McCome be hir sklanderous toung in ony time heirefter

3. Shameful, disgraceful; that brings ill-repute and odium, not only on the person disgraced, but also on the community, church, etc., to which he belongs. a. Of a way of life, behaviour, action, etc.1549 Complaynte of Scotland 161/26.
To mak reformatione of the sklanderous abusione that ringis amang them 1558–9 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I lxi.
To reforme thaimselfis in all thair sclanderous maner of lyving 1574 Reg. Privy C. II 401.
Errouris and licentious and sklanderous leving, to the offence of God and his trew religioun 1586 Perth B. Ct. 28 Oct.
The clame … vpone Mage Patersone for hir allegit sclandrous lyff in adultre 1596 Dalr. I 103/21.
A sclandirous thing thay esteime it to be, to deny this 1596 Ib. 153/5.
Quhen … daylie thay sawe euen mair and mair sklandirous c1597 Melrose P. 616*.
That his lordships hous may be klengeitt of all sklandrus suspicione of papistrie 1597 Dundee B. Rec.Mill Mediæval Plays 174. in
[The] sclanderous behaveour of certane personis … quha keipis superstiouslie certane dayis specialie Ȝull day be [etc.] 1599 Edinb. Presb. in Mill Mediæv. Plays 304.
The presbyterie … findis thir playis … unlauchtfull and sclanderous 1602 Dundonald Par. Rec. 2.
The sessioun, findand the said offence werie sclanderous, ordanit [etc.] 1605 Ib. 81.
Dorathie Sempill … confessit hir sclanderous fact in geifing poysoun … to hir dochter 1609 Kinghorn Kirk S. 15.
Alex. Glen … was rebuickit … for being full with drink … quhilk was thocht uery slanderous 1639 Alyth Kirk S. in Scottish Notes and Queries 1 Ser. XII 59.
That scho should not be fownd in no sclanderous companie with men 1669 Salmon Borrowstounness 87.
Flyting, scolding, or any other sclanderous cariadge and misbehaviour

b. Of a person.(a) 1562-3 Winȝet I 44/2.
That the … clergie in oure dais … [are] sa ignorant or vitious … and alsua sclanderous, that thay, ar vnworthie the name of pastores 1570 Reg. Episc. Brechin. II 307.
In caice that … he be found aither negligent in doctrine or sklanderous in lyfe [etc.] 1594 Lothian and Tweeddale Synod 83.
Ony sclanderous persone unmeitt to serve or unable to teich Godis word 1598 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 164.
Giff at ony tym he beis fund sclanderus in his lyif, or misreportar of the minister [etc.](b) 1588 in Calderwood IV 656.
All suche as sall be found unworthie or slanderous in life or doctrine 1614 Misc. Maitl. C. I 422.
Mr. George Semple minister at Killillen … his slaunderous lyfe and conversatioune, quherby … he is not meitt and sufficient to edifie at the kirk of Killillen 1633 Kirkcaldy Presb. 62.
For contineweing in thair slanderous behaviour of adulterie 1639 Ib. 151.
The presbytrie considering that it is adulterous behaviour in him … , ordaines him to come befoir the pulpett of Kirkcaldie and acknowledge his sin of drunkeness and his slanderous behaviour with that woman

c. In sense a or b above, const. to the person(s) or community discredited.(1) 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. II 252.
Sum ewil inclinit personis … quha hes alssua tane doun diueris imagis and contempnandlie brokin the samyn, quhilk is ane thing werray sclanderous to the peple and contrarious to the ordinancis and statutis of haly kirk 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary II 280.
I … deteastit that mariage, because it was odious and sclandrous to the warld 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 519.
This haill realme of Scotland is sklanderous and abhominabill to all nationis 1580 Reg. Privy S. VII 384/1.
[Deprivation of a minister] for certane offences committit be him sclanderous to the kirk and congregatioun(2) 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 135b.
The ministeres instituting thair publict fastingis on Fryday … ar … sklanderous to the haill kirk of God

4. That is a cause of weakening the faith or morals of others. Cf. Sclander n.¹ 4.a1500 Quare of Jelusy 399.
Quhom of sclander [b]redith … unto him bedith Away the sclanderouse member for to kerue

B. adv. = Sclanderously adv. 2.1595 Lothian and Tweeddale Synod 87.
The assemblie being informitt of the behaviour of William Carbreyth quha hes behavitt him self verie sclanderous