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.
Spousin(g, vbl. n. Also: spousyng, spowsing. [ME spusing, -yng (a1250), spousinge (1297), spousyng (Wyclif), spowsynge (c1430), after c1450 only Sc.; Spous(e v.]
1. = Spousage n. 1.c1520-c1535 Nisbet Heb. xiii 4.
Spousing is [ed. Spousingis; P. Wedding is] in althingis honorabile a1568 Mersar in Bann. MS 278a/27.
Fra he haif sped fairweill spowsing to speir For than is all ȝour wadding changeit in to weir
2. = Spousage n. 2.1533 Boece 523.
Be thir spousingis ferme pece was made with Ingland 15.. Clar. v 798.
Now it is the day of hir spousing
b. attrib.With Belt n., Chalmer n., Clath(e n., Cloath n., Garment n., Gluf n., Goun(e n., Ring n. Freq. fig. or in fig. context.1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Cestus, a spowsing belt [1617 a spousing girdle] —1513 Doug. x xi 113.
Leif nevir, for schame, … Thy new allyans promyst thé in haist, Of Lavynya the spousyng chalmyr at hand 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 32/11.
The sunne … Quho brydegroome lyke … Cummis foorthe out of his spousing chalmer glaid —a1568 Bann. MS 264a/40.
For sickerly thair is no differance Betuix the gallowis and the spowsing claith 1630 Rutherford Christ & Doves (1709) 9.
All the toocher is Christ's … He … buys the spousing cloaths of the religion that came in with her Saviour —1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 51.
Lacking their spousing garment, lacking faith quherby they suld eat the bodie … quhilk is spiritually offered a1605 Montg. Devot. P. iii 2.
God give me grace for to begin My spousing garment for to spin —1583 Edinb. Test. XIII 45.
Ane pair of spousing gluiffis price thairof iij li. —1495 Treas. Acc. I 263.
xiiij ellis of quhite dammas, to be the Princis spousing goune 1511–12 Treas. Acc. IV 228.
For hir spousing goune, xiiij elnis tanne satin 1512 Treas. Acc. IV 249.
To the Maister Levinax agane his mariage, to his spowsing gowne, xv elnis gray satin 1597 Edinb. Test. XXXI 65b.
I leve Margaret Low … my spowsing gowne —1538 Treas. Acc. VII 14.
Gevin for ane grete diamand sett in table for the quenis spousing ring 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 56.
Gevin for ane ring witht ane diamand to be the quenis grace spousing ring 1544–5 Acts & Decr. II 31.
His said spousis best belt spousing ring … and goun 1573 Edinb. Test. II 320b.
Scho levis to … hir sone … hir spowsing ring of gold 1576 Glasgow B. Rec. (MC) 58. 1582 Edinb. Test. XI 88.
I leue to Elizabeth Mccalȝane my secund oy … ane ring weyand ane vnce of gold quhilk wes my wyfis spousing ring 1586 Edinb. Test. XVI 344.
The said testant leiffis to … hir spous hir spousin ring in rememberance 1606 Misc. Bann. C. II 227.
I leif my moderis spousing ring, of ane vnce wecht, to my dochter Marioun
