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.
Servage, n. Also: serf-, serwage. [ME seruage (c1290), servage (1414), e.m.E. servadge (1536), F. servage (c1120 in Larousse), med. L. servagium villeinage (805 in Latham).] Servitude, subjection, an instance of this. Only fig. or in fig. context. —c1520-c1535 Nisbet Rom. viii 21.
For the ilk creature salbe delyuerit fra seruage [W., P. seruage] of corruptioun into libertee … of the sonnis of God —c1460 Thewis Wysmen 178.
Thai ar lordis of thar awn cwrage And haldis thar lustis at serfage a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1420 (Harl.).
And carnall lust is bot ane sure servage [Arund. sair seruage, Asl. sair serwage]
