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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Spekin(g, Speikin(g, vbl. n. Also: speke-, speike-, speick-, speak(e and -in(g)e, -yn(g)(e, spayking, spyking. [ME and e.m.E. speking (Layamon), spekyng (Manning), speaking (1580); Spek(e v.] The action of speaking, manifested in speech or writing.

I. 1. The action of speaking in senses 1, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20 and 22 of Spek(e v.(1) ?1438 Alex. ii 66.
Than sichit the king And lang stude still but speking 1490 Irland Mir. I 63/23.
Gif thou makis instaunce that the woman … was desauit in the speking of the serpent I ansuere that the woman knew weill that the serpent be natur mycht nocht speik 1490 Irland Mir. I 164/11.
Sene the doctrine of Arestotiles, of Plato, of Cicero, all lawis, and haly writ is put in prose, and sic maner of speking, and nocht in metyre nore ryme 1533 Gau 47/28.
Spekine c1520-c1535 Nisbet III 316/9.
We monn marke diligently the maner of speikyng of the apostile 1536 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 23.
We are well contented with them that agreeth with these thynges, howebeit they use an other maner of speakynge … dyfferent apartly to this of ours in wordes 15.. Dum Wyf 40.
Scho sall haif releif Of speikeine thow sall find … Scho sall spek out 1560 Rolland Seven S. 846.
Giue that he culd abstene … Fra all speiking and hald him self as dum 1562-3 Winȝet II 42/33.
The Sone of God, takand on Him and haifand ane body in speiking, doing, and suffering be the flesche … wes maid man 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 49/25.
Al the time of his speaking, a greater motion being in his breast then in his mouth(2) 1616 Inverness Rec. II 147.
Johne Cuming, for speicking in fensit court in excusing the wrang off Murdo Poilson but licens first obtenit, is judget in amerciament(3) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1349 (C).
Agayne Agamenone … Thelamonyus … Put furth gret repreve in spekyng(4) 1581 Lanark B. Rec. 87.
Gevin … to Alexander King, the tounes man of law … for speking for the toune aganis Stein Hamiltoun befoir the lordis(5) 1375 Barb. iii 181.
Sic speking off the king thai maid 1375 Barb. vi 25. 15… Facs. Nat. MSS III lxvi.
Consider your awyn dangerouse estait of the quhylk the speking as thus troublit my braine(6) 1375 Barb. vii 442.
He … In hy a speking to thaim mais And said, ‘Ȝow aucht … [etc.]' c1420 Wynt. vii 1984 (W).
Vnder coundit throu tretee To speking to that king come he c1475 Wall. viii 1507.
Sone thai war brocht to spekyng to Wallace(7) 1566 Reg. Privy C. I 470.
He salbe declarit infame, and in the speking of the saidis wordis untrew and a lear 1593–4 St. A. Kirk S. 780.
Jhone Downy … being accusit for speiking publicle upon the hie calsy to Mr. Robert Ȝuill … on reverentle thir wordis, saying [etc.] 1598 Misc. Spald. C. I 120.
The Devill … is laid agane be … speking the word Maikpeblis 1658 Chron. Perth 44.
[He] depairtit presentlie, but any words spyking — 1629 Justiciary Cases I 131.
It is allegit aganis the first article of dittay … that thai may be misconstrowid in speiking thairof(8) c1650 Spalding II 396.
Wnder speiking … Forbes schootis the gentilman with ane pistoll deid(9) a1568 Bann. MS I p. 13/59.
Frome speking leis refrane thy tong a1649 Drummond Wks. (1711) 180.
If the speaking evil of a king be a sin before God(10) 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 49/22.
The speaking of sundrie languages which the patient is knowen by them that were acquainte with him neuer to haue learned 1637 Black Bk. Taymouth xx.
I intreatt yow to cause holde hime to the speakeing of itt [sc. Gaelic], for since he hes bestowed so long tyme and paines in the getting of itt, I sould be sory he lost it now with leasines in not speaking of itt

b. Be the mouth and speking of, through (a person) as a spokesman. Only in a legal context; cf. Mouth n. 3 e. 1570 Crim. Trials I ii 13.
The assyise, be thair deliuerance … declarit, be the mouth and speking of James Dalȝell … chancellar, fand and deliuerit [etc.] 1576 Digest Justiciary Proc. I 30.
The samyn persones … reenterit … in the said court … and … be the mouth and speiking of Andro Crawfurd … fand … the said Elezabeth Dunlop to be culpabill 1580 Digest Justiciary Proc. K 1. 1580 Digest Justiciary Proc. K 7.
Thay … declarit be the mowthe and speiking of the said Andro Erll of Rothes [etc.] 1581 Crim. Trials I ii 99.
The assyse, be thair delyuerance, pronunceit be the mouth and spekeing of Hew Montgumrie … , chancillar, fand [etc.]

2. The action of conversing; speech, talk, discourse, discussion (with or to a person) (of a topic). Also const. to have and to mak. Also a, one's, etc. phrais (and, nor maner) of spekin; cf. Phrase n. 1 b.(1) 1375 Barb. i 428.
Schyr byschop, … Yove maid nane sic speking to me 1400 Douglas Corr. 59.
I may haue spekyng with quhilk of thaim that yhe will send 1545 Douglas Corr. 155.
I am sore sklanderit for my spayking with ȝow c1573 15th Rep. Hist. MSS App. ix 25.
We sall furthfyll all our speikin that we maid to that maist honorabill man … at owr last meitin c1590 Douglas Corr. 34.
I can use na other argumentis unto you then I used at my last speiking with you 1626 Justiciary Cases I 52.
Gif scho had company and speiking with this pannell(2) c1420 Wynt. viii 6804 (C).
And than a lange qwhil he lay thar, Or spekyn of his lowssynge was mare [W. word wes of his lousing mare, R. spek was off his lowsyng mare] 1576 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 180.
[Obligation by Allan Raltoun to marry Janet Mak, with whom there had been] comonyng and spekin in tymes bypast of marriage(3) 1490 Irland Mir. III 121/8.
This maner of speking vsit Tule the gret oratur of Rome a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 123/5.
And ȝe vill diligentlye considder quhat phrais and maner of spekynge menis thir vordes a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 141/11.
It is nocht ane phraise nor maner of spekin agreable nor propir … to speir quhow Christes bodye can be in diuerse places at ane tyme 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 40/7.
Although … I deuyde thame in diuers kindes, yee must … note my phrase of speaking in that: … For … they are … all one kinde of spirites, who … takes on three sundrie shapes

II. 3. (A person's) manner or way of talking, style of speech or language. 1375 Barb. vii 125.
Thai persauit be his spekyng And his effer, he wes the kyng 1375 Barb. xx 399.
The gud knychtis … Pryssyt hys ansuer … For it wes maid with mek speking a1400 Leg. S. i 55.
Ay he grate, quhen h[e] cuth mene Of his master swet spekin[g]e a1400 Leg. S. iii 1028.
Lady, sen ȝe Of sle spekine has sutelte, … Sendis ȝe questione hym til! c1460 Thewis Wysmen 312.
Men may ken Quha wys ar … Baith be thar maneris and having, Speking, luking and ganging 1531 Vaus (1531) 3.
The wse and speking of Latyne mene a1585 Maitland in Maitl. Q. 32/3.
In thy speiking luik that thow be not vaine 1596 Dalr. II 460/10.
[The Queen was] sa weil componet in her speiking, … that al thair hartes scho wan

4. The faculty or power of speech, the ability to speak. Only in Leg. S.; cf. Spech(e n. II 3. a1400 Leg. S. xii 386.
To … defe men he gaf herynge, … to dum the spekyne a1400 Leg. S. xxi 767.
To dum he gef spekyng, & to def the herynge a1400 Leg. S. xxxi 64.
Thar mycht na woman wysare be, Na farrare of fasone na of beute, … Sobyr & wele tacht in spekine a1400 Leg. S. xliv 302.
His frendis … A sword in hire hals can thryng. Bot that hire refit nocht the speking, For scho sad: [etc.]

III. 5. Words, discourse, what is spoken or said in general terms. Also with the mouth as subject. Freq. with adj. denoting the manner of expression or the nature of the ideas expressed. 1375 Barb. x 657.
Thai that war wachys till assay Hard steryng and preue speking ?1438 Alex. i 2938.
Large of hart he was and fre, And thair-with sueit and debonare, Of courtis speking and of fare c1420 Wynt. iv Prol. 3.
Tullyus … of rethoryk A tretys made to be publik, Fourme off dyte and fayre spekyng Plesand tyll oys and tyll heryng c1420 Ratis R. 969.
Gyf thow be man of spekin wys That can with lordys vyne gret price [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) ix 107.
I knaw me … richt culpable … Off frustrat speiking in court, in kirk, and table 1531 Innes Sketches 272 (see b (2) below). Arundel MS 241/97.
I haue synnit aganis thé in cogitacioun, speiking, wirking, necligence of the seruice of God 1563 St. A. Kirk S. 183.
For blasphemus spekyn aganis the Word of God 1558-66 Knox II 343.
These thingis redd in publict assemblie … war approved of all, … but the monȝeoris of the court, and secreatarie Lethingtoun … could not abyd such hard speiking a1578 Pitsc. I 244/12.
Thair was ane phairs or ane play sum be speikin sum be craft of igramancie quhilk causit men to sie thingis aper quhilk was nocht 1587 St. A. Kirk S. 609.
Nevir to use … that kynd of speking to say that he is nather Papist nor Protestane 1596 Dalr. I 2/20.
Gif quha walde knawe the name of Britannie monie referris it vnto Brutus … The maist commoune speiking is this, that … Brutus … landet in Albion. Thaireftir the ile he named Britannie, and his cumpanie Britanis 1596 Dalr. II 351/7.
The caus was, efter the commoun speiking, that [etc.] a1599 Rollock Wks. I 407.
Gif not be his wordis in speiking, ȝit be his wryte — 1577 St. A. Kirk S. 423.
And ilk ane of them to conten thair mowthis fra al fylthye and ungodlye speaking undir pain of excommunicatioun

b. possess. What a person says, his or her conversation, public speaking, opinions, etc., also, al manis speking, the general view, public opinion.(1) a1400 Leg. S. iii 955.
Oure all hyre wys spekyn[g]e. Thane mad he hyr answeringe c1420 Wynt. v 4946.
Quhen Benet saw hym sa nere That he mycht welle hys spekyng here; ‘Put off, put off’, he sayd [etc.] c1420 Ratis R. 208.
As our elderis has techit ws To tak kep our speking till ws: Quhat that we spek and the place quhare Quham of, syne quhome til thai are The wordis spokin in quhat maner c1490 Porteous Noblenes 181/16 (Asl.).
He … that takis tent and kepe till all vther men foule spekyng and mekle missayng or flyting 1531 Innes Sketches 272.
Nay thing is mair delectable in eloquens thane … craiftius spekyne without greit apperans of the sammyn, for les offendis the eir (at the leist in our quotidiane spekyne) facile fluand congruite thane thrawine effekkit eloquens 1568 Cal. Sc. P. II 466.
The hoip … scho haid in your majestie be the … guid promeis of your wryitting and speikine of your imbassadouris in your name 1571 Inverness Rec. I 208 (see Spek(e v. 18 f (2)). 1581 Cal. Sc. P. IV 123.
I preay ȝow repose ȝour lordship apoun my spekyng to be meist veritabyll a1585 Polwart Flyt. 697 (T).
To prive my speikin [H. speeches] probabill & plane, Thow man confes thow vsit my inventioun 1586–7 James VI in EllisOrig. Lett. 1 Ser. III 20.
Appardon I pray you my free speaking 1590 Reg. Morton I 166.
I can nocht empesche nor stayie invyfull menis speking ȝit vill I nocht neglect to acquent freyndis with my innocencie 1600-1610 Melvill 36.
To giff yow a taken of the assurance of that mercie to my saull, according to the speakine of that man of God(2) 1596 Dalr. I 110/11.
Be al manis speiking the apostle of Scotland is Palladie

6. An instance or occasion of speech or talk; a discussion, conference. Also at spekyn wyth, at conference with, in spekin (for), in conference (concerning).(1) ?1438 Alex. ii 1396.
Cassamus hard … this speiking ?1438 Alex. ii 6736.
Lat we this speking be, And to our mater turn will we 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 48.
That speking that is in mut in the court betwix [etc.] 1563 G. Hay Confutation Abbot Crosraguel 18.
We may … answer, this speaking of our Sauioure, to be sacramentale, metonymical a1568 Bann. MS 217a/7.
Speik I to hir and scho be mairciles … Than haif I tynt my speiking 1571 Bann. Memor. 127.
At this speiking, [they] … confessit … nodding with thair heidis, and with leath [sic in pr.] speiking, the premises to be of treuth 1583 Wemyss Corr. 82.
Thair was money that chappit on vther albakkis and lykit littill of that speikin 1596 Dalr. I 72/25.
Thay cal Gathele til a familiar speiking 1596 Dalr. II 387/2.
Thrie or four [persons] distuing, or define I in this speiking(2) c1390 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 21.
We have had den John of Aclyff … at spekyn wyth the byschap of Sant Andrew c1400 Troy-bk. ii 300.
Pryame … suld byd come in spekyng [L. ad colloquium conuenire] All the citeȝenes hym before c1460 Thewis Wysmen 171.
Wysmen gud hour in spekin bidis And takis thar tym 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 300.
The horsmen … at speiking with the hous on the randering thairof 1618 Sutherland Bk. II 136.
The towtour off Kentaill and I is in spekinge for the landis

b. In pl. Things spoken, statements, remarks, comments. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 713 (C).
Pryame … wnwittand thar purposing Of the Gregeois fals spekynges, Thame reputand leile in-to all thingis c1520-c1535 Nisbet Rom. iii 2.
The spekingis of God war betakin to thame c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5216.
Ane maruellous potent kyng, … sall ryng Mychtie and wyse in dirk speikyngis a1568 Bann. MS 248b/6.
Scho … furth me feidis with flatterand speikingis fair a1578 Pitsc. I 215/23.
The lordis seing nothing of Captane Wode bot dispytfull ansueris and proud speikingis was not content thairwitht 1578 Reg. Privy C. III 16.
That nane of thame tak upoun hand to credeit the reportis and speikingis of the saidis personis 1596 Dalr. I 223/12.
Mony rasonis persuades me to reakne sik speikingis rather amang flett fables, than notable histories

c. specif. A (prepared) speech or statement to a formal gathering or assembly.There may be some overlap with a and b above. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 969.
Or the spekynges Of hyre [sc. Helen] among thir forsaid kynges Was endyt c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1307 (C).
And so hys spekyng Vlixes Endyt 1652 Conv. Burghs III 359.
[General Convention of Burghs … ordained that] no man sall speik the tyme of ane other mans speiking nor without leive askit and givine