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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.

Thirldom(e, Thrildom(e, Thraldom(e, n. Also: thirledome, thirldum, thyrldome, (thyrdome), thryldome, -dwm, threldome, thraldowme, -dum. [ME and e.m.E. þreldome (c1175), þraldome (Layamon), thraldome (Piers Plowman); Thirl(l v.²]

1. Slavery; servitude; subjection or subordination to a superior or a more powerful person, force, etc.; tyranny. Cf. Thirlage n. 1.(1) 1375 Barb. i 236.
He that ay has levyt fre May nocht knaw weill the propyrte … That is cowplyt to foule thyrldome a1538 Abell 6*b.
Jamys 5 excludyd fra hym his thirldom of [= to] the Douglas 1551 Hamilton Cat. 23.
Thai miskend thame self and thair Lord God, quhilk thing was the special cause of thair captivite and miserable thirldome in Babylone 1562-3 Winȝet I 50/17.
I persauit this new proud prince … to hef subdewit sa to thame, wnder sik thirldum thair miserable scoleris 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 24.
Gif he [sc. a bondman] be made ane professed monke he sall be made frie from bondage and thirldome(b) 1375 Barb. i 269.
Thryldome is weill wer than deid 1375 Barb. xii 281.
Ȝhe mycht haf lifit in-to thrildome a1400 Leg. S. ii 866.
Fredome But seruitut or thrildome c1420 Wynt. viii 2590.
Yhe ar … cummyn … Off lordis off fe and herytage, That had na thyng mare wgsum, Than for to lyve in till thryldwm c1515 Asl. MS I 199/6.
The Danys … conquest ȝow halely and rang on ȝou and held ȝow in … thrildome(c) 1375 Barb. i 265.
Ȝe may weile se … How hard a thing that threldome is 1526 Reg. Soltre 97.
For the helping of liberte and preuilege of our kirk of Wemes in safer as and thai may gudly out of threldome and aduersite to fredome and liberte settis to the said Schir James the personage of the Eist Wemes(d) c1420 Wynt. iii 526 (W).
Quhare mony of Troy … Had bene in thraldome [R. thryldome] and exile c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 183.
Quho may … haue more plesance Than cum to largesse from thraldom 1513 Doug. iii v 88.
We, quhen that ybrynt war our kynd landis, … In bondage, … By fors sustenyt thraldome mony a day 1550 Reg. Privy C. I 87.
His majestie … hes deliverit the samyn [sc. realm] furth of the thraldome in the quhilk it wes for the tyme 1557–8 Douglas of Morton (App. C) 800.
Narrating that the said Sir James hes kepis and haldis the saids Marioun and Jonet in subiectioun and thraldome 1562-3 Winȝet I 38/1.
Thay … indurit as Pharao withhaldis the peple of God in thraldum 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary I 130.
To deliver the queenis maist nobill persoune furth of thraldowme a1570-86 Arbuthnot in Maitl. F. 50/36.
I hait thraldome ȝit man I binge and bek And iouk and nod sum patroun for to pleis a1578 Pitsc. I 135/25.
The haill nobilietie … to louse them selffis out of the ȝoke of thraldome hes taine porpois [etc.] 1588 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 119.
Dyvers vther tounis ar subvertit and under greit thraldome and servitude to thair proviest(e) 1521 Dundee B. Ct. I 24a (12 April).
Allegit that he has bene thir sex ȝeris by past & his landis & gudis vnder subiectoun & thyrdome [sic in transcr.] of his eme Hectur Mechelson & that his said eme … compellit hym til mak Mechell Anderson curat till hym(2) 1623 Aberd. Council Lett. I 211.
Give … they salbe forceit to seik ane rod port harberis or creik upoun the cost of Ingland thair shipes salbe subject to be … searchit … wiche is a grit thraldome to a frie estait

b. fig. With reference to spiritual subjection (to sin or the Devil). 1551 Hamilton Cat. 25.
That ye may eschaip the dangerous thirldome and captivite of the devil 1551 Hamilton Cat. 142.
Quhen we war in the thrildome of syn, the devil, and hell, He redemit us with His awin precious blude 15.. Dunb. App. viii 7.
Jerusalem reioss … Thy Prince is borne in Baithlem, Quhilk sall thé mak of thraldome fre

2. = Thirlage n. 2 or 3. Also fig.(1) 1517 Fife Sheriff Ct. 63.
Alexander Narne … protestit that the taxt that the schirreff compellit hyme to pay … suld turne hyme … to na preiudice nor thirldome to the barony of Nauchtane a1526 Reg. Panmure I xxviii.
For the frehinge and redeminge of … his landis owt of thirledome(2) 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 45.
He sal euer mar be fre deliueryt fra seruice of bondagis or ony other thirldome 1463 Liber Aberbr. II 131.
That he wald nocht put that abbay in ony thrildom mar than his predecessouris did of beforfig. 1550 Knox III 44.
[God] had acceptit the Gentillis, without any thraldome or ceremony observit