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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.

Thar(e)to, Thar(e)til(l, adv. Also: thairto(o, -toe, ther(e)to, tharetyll, thartylle, thairtil(l, thertil(l, -tyll. [ME and e.m.E. þere to (c1175), þerto (Ancr. R.), þar to (a1250), þar til(l (both Cursor M.), þer tille (Manning), ther to (Chaucer), there-to (c1425), there til (1562).]Tharetill is much commoner during the 14th century while thareto becomes increasingly common throughout the 15th and 16th centuries and is the only form occurring in our evidence for the 17th century.

1. For that purpose; about or concerning that matter, etc.; to that suggestion, action, etc.(a) 1375 Barb. i 441.
He dred sayr his felouny Swa that he na mar spak tharto 1375 Barb. vi 660.
Better than thow I mycht it do For ik had mar layser thar-to a1400 Leg. S. xviii 108.
[Quhene] this saw Ȝoȝimas, Ful gretly he steryt vas Mare perfeccione fore to do, Fyndand that God he[l]pyt thare-to ?1438 Alex. i 1900, etc.
Thai that war in will to do His will, assentit sone thair-to c1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
And qwhar ȝhe say … in yhour sayde lettrez … tharto I answer in this maner 1436–7 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 5.
Ilka tenement sallbe closit behind and on his coste and thair cost that awe the land, and thairto sall contribute ilk ane man dwelland in the tenement as effeiris till him for his dwelling place 1456 Hay I 200/3.
Law naturale has grauntit that privilege till all creature naturale, to gaynstand and resist to thair undoyng. And alssua all the lawis of the warld accordis thame thareto a1500 Henr. Fab. 990. 1490 Irland Mir. II 23/13.
God maid the waurld of mater that was requirit tharto c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 14/53.
Quha kennes thi synnes better na thi sell? Thairfoir I reid thé, tak gude tent thairto 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 190.
That ilk man stand to help his fallow I hald thareto, man 1530–1 Selkirk B. Ct. MS 149b.
Thairtoo c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 325.
That I sall do, … And thairto I giue thé my hand 1551 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 156.
The mesouris suld be delyuerit to the fermerers of the wyld auentures to be vsit be quhome he pleisis assigne thairto 1562-3 Winȝet I 7/5.
Afore thay dayis na man … wald resaue the office of ane pastour, quhil he wes almaist compellit thairto c1590 Fowler II 151/31.
He suld have this cair to seik alwyes his consellaurs advyse, bot yet at sic tyme that when he is willing thairtoe and not quhen others 1612 Edinb. Test. XLVII 63a.
He lewis to William Patersoun … the rig of land … to be occupyit be him frelie … and desyris his half marrow to gif hir consent thairto 1620 Grant Chart. 324.
Payit … for the lairdis eftirnoone, haifing thairto ane point of wyne xxx s.(b) 1608 Calderwood VI 722.
As the conclusioun is alreadie layed and determined, and the meanes and middesses to atteane thereto painfullie devised, plotted and dressed, it were [etc.](c) 1375 Barb. i 12.
I wald fayne set my will Giff my wyt mycht suffice thartill To put in wryt a suthfast story 1375 Barb. i 506.
Brwis … wend he [sc. Comyn] spak bot suthfast thing, And for it likit till his will He gave his assent sone thartill 1375 Barb. viii 238.
Ȝhe se How ȝon men, … Wald, … Slay vs, and mak sembland thar-till a1400 Leg. S. i 18.
To bind and lous quhowm-euer thou will Plane poware is gewin thé thare-till a1400 Leg. S. iii 188.
The day I sall appere The Jugis sentence for til here, I sall for errour hald me stil. I dar nocht answer ocht thar-till a1400 Leg. S. xvi 780.
Thar-til a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 448.
Thare til ?1438 Alex. i 862.
This message do for ȝow I will, Gif God will gif me grace thair-till ?1438 Alex. ii 647.
Quhat euer ȝe do, I stand thair-till. Now ordane quhat euer ȝe will! c1420 Wynt. ii 730.
Full consaylle thai gawe thar-tylle For to pas that ile wytht-in a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 104.
Thi schore compt I noght ane caik, Traist wele thair till 1497–8 Newbattle Coll. Somerville.
All wthers & sindry thingis to exerceis hante & vse thare tyll as lauchfull assingnay … to the foresaydis ordynyt perteins 1533 Gau 17/27.
Thay that heris blithtlie bakbiters and ewil tungis or helpis or starkis thayme thair til a1540 Freiris Berw. 487 (B).
Quhat evir I do tak ȝe gud tent thairtill 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3625.
I sall it schaw … be it ȝour will, Sa ȝe will giue gude thocht and minde thairtil(d) a1400 Leg. S. v 487.
Sancte Johne ansuerit ther-til [etc.] 1456 Hay II 38/4.
Ther till [(Glenn) III 29/117, thartill] 1513 Doug. vii iv 25 (Ruddim.).
Mysknaw not the condiciouns of vs Latyne pepyll … Vnconstrenyt, not be law bound thertyll, Bot be our inclinacioun and fre wyll Juste and equale

2. To that thing, place, person, or state of affairs, to it, to that. Also in fig. context.(a) ?1438 Alex. ii 3696.
The knichtis … Held halely speke of amouris all And gud that thareto may fall 1401 Aberd. B. Rec. (SHS) 210.
We ar thai at wald at gud acord war betwex yhu and hym, and wil do our besynes to bryng it thar to at our power 1454–5 Edinb. Chart. 79.
Ane alter … with buke and chalice of siluer and al vthir grath belangand tharto 1512 Reg. Privy S. I 374/1.
Albeid we haif … reservit to us thre lastis of salmond … we knaw that we haif na richt nor just title thairto 1528–9 Reg. Privy S. I 584/1.
The … airis maile or femaile succedand thairto [sc. lands] 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II 247.
King Edward … promittit to cum with ane certane nobillis to Berwik; and quhen he was cumin thairto [etc.] 1533 Treas. Acc. VI 159.
For xij elnis tapheit … to be ane ansenȝe … for ane unce sewing silk thairto … iiij s. 1550 Knox III 49.
Yf the canon discendit frome the Apostillis to the Popes, bold and maleperte impietie it had bene to haif addit any thing thairto 1562-3 Winȝet I 90/19.
A sacrament in Christis Kirk consistis nocht only of a signe, bot of the word of God iunit thairto at His command 1572 Sat. P. xxxvi 35.
Alace! that euer Scotland sould haue bred Sic … That quhen ane nobill man wes thairto fled, … to seik sum succour … Sould have bene coulpit twyise 1587 Acts III 522/1.
The wydnes and braidnes of the quhilk firlot … sall contene auchtene insches [etc.] … and the peck to be maid effeirand thairto 1596 Dalr. II 41/28.
He performet the chartirhous in Perth, and mony landis annixte thairto 1620 Aberd. Council Lett. I 181.
To give bak the saids poynds … with the executiones and indorsationes thairto 1654 Rothesay B. Rec. 2.
They have creat and admittit Allexander Jamisoune to be burges and frieman of this brughe with all liberties belonging thairto(b) c1536–7 Rec. Earld. Orkney 222.
The said lands … with frie esshew and entrie therto 1586 Bk. Univ. Kirk II 659.
That … such as hes or sall have manses or gleibs, sall have thair necessars therto, such as fewell and pastourage 1663 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 207.
Alexander Gelly to be convenit, and the acts of parliament … theranent intimat to him, and he desyrit to give obedience therto 1690 Glasg. Univ. Mun. II 349.
My said place and office of profession of the saids Orientall languages in the said university, with the haill fees, caiswalities, and emoluments thereto belonging(c) 1375 Barb. viii 318 (C).
He suld weill say, that [thai] had will To vyn honor and cum thair-till a1400 Leg. S. xxxiv 175.
The sey that is doutowise ay (For-thi scho lyknyt hyre thare-til Be-cause scho gert mony spil) a1400 Leg. S. xlvii 196.
A kirtil, & of fyne gold a wrethe thar-til a1500 Rauf C. 110.
I trow our gaist be the gait has farne als ill. Ane ryall rufe het fyre war my desyre, To fair the better for his saik, gif we micht win thair till a1585 Maitl. Q. 160/10.
As … The adamant drawis yron thairtill a1585, a1568 Montg. P. i 32.
Apelles, quha did sa decoir Dame Venus face and breist … With colouris exquiseit, That nane micht be compared thairtill(d) 1446 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I 107.
In presence of Schir William Henrisoun, Schir Laurence of Crannoch, [etc.] … witnes thertil askit and requirit

3. In addition to that, added to that, besides.(a) 1375 Barb. xix 57.
Thai drawyn war ilkane, And hangyt and hedyt thar-to c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1701.
So happely foure dayis thai past And foure nycht thar-to c1475 Wall. vi 107.
Tuelff hundreth ȝer, tharto nynte and sewyn, Fra Cryst wes born the rychtwis king off hewyn(b) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2697.
Pirrus … Was in loue gyrned subtelly With faire Hermonia … Menelayus douchtere & Elene, And was Orestes wyf thar-till c1420 Wynt. v 1751.
He mad wyth-in that ile A wall lang off a hundyr myle Wytht thretty myle thare-till [C. thar to, W. tharto] and thre c1475 Wall. v 516.
Gret strenth he has, bathe wyt and grace thartill c1475 Wall. viii 423.
Syne Wallace toun, and othir landis thartill, To worthi men he delt with nobill will