A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Temperance, -aunce, -ans, n. Also: tempora(u)nce, temprance. [ME and e.m.E. temperaunce (Rolle), temperance (1340), temperans (Trevisa), AF temperaunce, L. temperāntia.]
1. Moderation, avoidance of extremes, esp. in the satisfaction of bodily appetites. Also personified.In late 16th c. used chiefly of eating and drinking.c1420 Ratis R. 430.
A qualyte of temperans Is ay weill reulyt with obseruans Of met and drink in gud mesour 1456 Hay I 299/32.
A king suld be of grete temperaunce of lustis, and naturale desyris and inclynaciouns 1456 Hay II 62/33.
Thus techis temperaunce a man to kepe the mydwarde a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 194.
With reid visage and grislie glowrand ene [etc.] … Richt tuilȝeour lyke, but temperance a1500 Bernardus 26.
That thi rent To thi expensis be equiuolente For foly expens but temporance is noy 1490 Irland Mir. III 107/4.
The wertu irascible is reulit be power … and the wertu concupiscibil be temporaunce a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1265 (Asl.).
All thair panis makis na comparisoun … Vnto the pane of endles dampnacoun And in this torment quhilk has na temporance Thar is no maner of relaxacioun 1531 Bell. Boece II 122.
Gif my ire had nocht bene mesit be sum temperance [etc.] 1533 Bell. Livy II 17/27.
Oure empire is nocht moderate with sic temperance that thai mycht the les myster the support of thare tribunis 1535 Stewart 33069.
In meit and drink, and sleip also wes he Inmensurabill and out of temperance 1549 Compl. 34/28.
Quhen auereise assailȝeis vs, ve seik nocht the vertu of liberalite, nor quhen vile luxure trublis vs, ve adhere nocht to the vertu of temperance ande contenens a1568 Bann. MS 72b/41.
Temprance 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 14.
To the banquettis … the riche sal nocht pay abuve xl s., the puir ten s. … swa that the convention of honest men of the vniuersitie be with modestie and temperance 1596 Dalr. I 111/28.
That is a forme of commoune weil quhair the people haue the hail authoritie … nochtwithstanding with vs, eftir that maner nocht aluterlie sa, bot with sik temperance, that cheif vpon thair king and counsel … of the nobilitie the republic does dependpersonified c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 149/101.
I have not wyt thairof, quod Temperance; For thocht I hald him evinlie the ballance [etc.]
2. Of the humours: Correct or due proportion or mixture, correctness of balance.1456 Hay II 114/22.
Bodily hele may nocht be haldyn bot throu equalitee of complectioun, and nane equaliteis of complexiouns may lest bot temperaunce of humouris
b. Keeping of time in music.1549 Compl. 39/1.
Of the beystis that maid sic beir, & of the dyn that the foulis did, ther syndry soundis hed nothir temperance nor tune
3. Of weather: Moderation, mildness.1596 Dalr. I 5/10.
Sa grett clemencie and temperance of the wathir
