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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Trevis, Travis, Tryvis, Travers(e, n. Also: treves(se, -ise, -ies, -ice, -as, traves(e, -eis, -yse, trawes, traiffeis, tryves, trivice, trawers. [ME and e.m.E. trauers (Chaucer), trauas (Prompt. Parv.), traveys (15th c.), trevys (1530), traves (1536), traueis (1559), OF travers, travais, traves, etc. (a) crossing, traverse a cross-piece, framework, enclosure, etc. Also in the later dial.

1. A screen or curtain used to protect or isolate a bed, throne, etc. Also attrib.(a) c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 82.
Ryght ouerthwert the chamber was there drawe A trevesse thin and quhite 1488 Treas. Acc. I 100.
For canwys to lay vndir the kingis bed in Lythgow xij s. … for the carying west of the arres claythis to Lythgow xx s. … for vij eln of tartar to a trevas 1502 Treas. Acc. II 46.
viij elne taffeti to be ane trevis to the creddill in Strivelin 1503 Treas. Acc. II 215.
To be frenȝeis for … trevises 1503 Treas. Acc. II 382.
For hakkis and cordis to hing trevises and clathes of estait(b) 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 99.
To the upputting of the travis and kingis grace seit aganis his grace gaif presens to imbassatour in the abbay kirk 1594 Cal. Sc. P. XI 411.
A seat for the Queen of England, environed with a travese(c) 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 99.
Tryvis(d) c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 90.
Seis thou now ȝone multitude … Standing, behynd ȝone trauerse of delyte? c1590 Fowler II 178/19.
A princely trauers of crimson taffeta for the ambassador of Englandattrib. 1615 Edinb. Test. XLVIII 248b.
Tuelff vnce … travers pasmentis

b. A (wooden) partition or barrier; a barricade. Also attrib. 1477 Edinb. B. Rec. I 35.
Fra thine vpart to the treves the merkett of all cottone claith 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. I 246.
Ane pair of quhit jamall bands with the slott to the counsale tryves 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. II 142.
Glewt pannellis with certane standartis and intendens for the eistmaist trivice … xij glewit pannellis that suld heve beine put in the for face of the eist trevice 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. II 132.
Ane lok to the westmest part of trevice 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. II 144.
Trevice 1561–2 Edinb. Old Acc. II 156.
Thre dussoun of daillis … to be ane traves for haldin furth of the non communicantis 1563 Old Dundee I 146.
Decernit him to tak down … the skelf … adjacent to his awn buith window, and also the traveis of timber quhilk holds it 1563–4 Edinb. Old Acc. I 449.
Expenses maid upon the new barre, saittis thairof, and ane traves about the burd in the umaist meikle tolbuith quhair the lordis sittis 1563–4 Edinb. Old Acc. I 450.
Ane greit gist quharof wes maid the trawers that standis about the said burd 1578 Aberd. Chart. 343.
The said Androw Jak to big his ȝard four fout within the traveis of tymer as it standis 1583 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 173a.
Trawessis 1593 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II 395.
Ane trevis of tymer quhilk is sett in the kirk yard for to keip the deiddis bonnis in ordour ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. III 128.
Thes traverses were canon proofe, and the earth made fast with timberattrib. 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. II 138.
Ane cut bolt for the trevice dur

c. A space created by a partition or partitions. Also comb. 1563 Edinb. B. Rec. III 173.
Alexander Guthrie … to tak doun the saittis within the traveis befoir the pulpat c1605 Pitsc. Add. (1728) 237.
The Queen Mother … retired unto her trevis 1595–6 Sc. Hist. Rev. X 303.
In the lang travis ane dressing buird and elevin barrellscomb. 1560 Edinb. B. Rec. III 71.
That the traves close rowme or sait … at Sanct Annys alter … be removit

2. A partition in a stable designed to separate one horse from another, passing into the stall or loose-box so constructed. b. A similar arrangement in a smithy to facilitate the shoeing of horses.Some of the earlier examples appar. refer to some sort of temporary partition or screen (cf. 1 above). 1501 Treas. Acc. II 29.
For ij heltir stalkis and mending of ane trevas 1502 Treas. Acc. II 36.
Ane pair of trevis for the kings cursour 1507–8 Treas. Acc. IV 94.
Item, to Johne Lethane, sadillar, for mending of sadilles, … sterap ledderis, halk luris, trevises, bridill bittis, hors houses [etc.] 1508 Treas. Acc. IV 134.
To John Lethane for stuf tane to the quenes stabill, for j pair trevis 1512 Treas. Acc. IV 454.
For cariag hors fra the Blaknes to Leith, with the traveis to mend it 1538–9 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 242.
To Richard Gibsoun … betand the trevessis hekis, mengeris, and hopperis in the gret stabill 1579–80 Treas. Acc. XIII 306.
For making of certane trevesis in the stabillis in Striviling 1581 Treas. Acc. MS 97 (2) b.
Tymmer … to mak travesis and fluring in the … staiblis 1583 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 313.
The stabillis inlaikis … all the traiffeisis that culd stand betuix the horsis 1623–4 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 155.
For mending of my lord chancellaris stable the parpell wall and traveissis thairof 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 367.
In the Court Stable … Heck & manger & trivies compleat … Hecks, trevies & manger 1684-9 Glamis Bk. Record 39.
The cheif stable with travesses for horses … but the lofting of these was quitt rottenb. 1583 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 287.
Jhonn Gilcryst, smyth, to sett vp ane traveis of tymmer for shoing of horsis besyde his smiddy