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

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Unicorn, n. Also: unicornn, -corne, unycorn, wnicorne, ounycorn, iunicorn, inicorne. [ME and e.m.E. unicorne (Ancr. R.), vnicorn (c1315), vnycorn (Wyclif), OF unicorne, L. ūnicornis having a single horn, late L. ūnicornuus the unicorn.]

1. The unicorn, the legendary beast with a single horn in its forehead.Some examples may belong in b or c.?1438 Alex. ii 11016.
Weill neir the west … nane may wyn For serpentis … Leopardis … Beris, vnicornis and griffonis c1409-1436 Kingis Quair § 155.
The lufare vnicorne, That voidis venym with his euour horne 1460 Hay Alex. 11560.
Baith vnicornes serpentis and liouns War custummyt forto drink at thare river 1460 Hay Alex. 11585.
Ane vnicornis bane quhare it is bocht For twyis sa mekill gold it byis it nocht a1500 Henr. Fab. 842.
Ane vnicorne come lansand ouer ane law With horne in hand … Ane pursephant semelie a1500 Tale of the Colkelbie Sow i 451.
To fecht for awant With antelop or oliphant … With the awfull vnicorne c1515 Asloan MS I 302/25.
Bestis of filth as lyonis leopardis vnicornis c1500 Fyve Bestes 128.
On fut than gat this gentill vnicorne c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xlviii 109.
Do law elyk to aipis and vnicornis c1510 Prester John 311b.
Beistis callit vnicornis quhilk hes bot ane horne in thar foir hed, werray stark & cruell, quhilkis may be tane be na way bot be the odour of ane virgene 15.. Clariodus v 933.
Twentie virginis … on unicornis fair … all enterit in

b. A horned wild animal, more generally.The equivalent Latin term in the Vulgate Ps. xxii, (a cornibus) bubalorum, is translated variously as (of) gazelles, buffaloes or wild oxen.c1639 Mure Psalmes xxii 21.
From the hornes of vnicornes Thine eare (Lord) found I have

c. The rhinoceros.1587 Carmichael Etym. 20.
Rhinoceros, an unicorne

2. Unicorn(‘s) horn. a. attrib. A narwhal horn, believed to be efficacious in detecting poison. Cf. Kingis Q. quot. in 1 above. b. possess. Narwhal or other horn powdered and used medicinally. Cf. unicornis bane (Hay Alex. 11585 in 1 above).a. 1488 Treasurer's Accounts I 84.
A serpent toung and ane vnicorne horne set in goldb. 1584 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 452.
Alderman Martin’s wife, who had bestowed twenty grains of unicorn's horn, … so carefull was she of his health

3. A representation or model of a unicorn, as a heraldic beast and part of the royal arms of Scotland.1457 Exchequer Rolls VI 356.]
[Domine Matilde Lyndesay, per literas domini regis subsigneto unicornis … x li. 1441–68 Aberd. Guild Ct. Bk. 816 in Sc. Hist. Rev. XXVI 148.
Gevin under oure signet of the unicorn at Perthe the viij day of Februare 1488 Treasurer's Accounts I 85.
A couering … browdin with thrissillis and a vnicorne 1503 Treasurer's Accounts II 217.
To John Currour to mak ane unicorn of gold to the king, thre ridaris of wecht 1503 Treasurer's Accounts II 398.
Giffin to mak ane unicorn to hing at the said chenȝe xj ridaris and tua Scottis crounis … for ane perle to the said unicorn iii s. 1534–5 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) I 128.
To Johne Ros payntour for the paynttyne of ane lyon, thua unicornis that suld stand upone the foirentres 1540–1 Treasurer's Accounts VII 434.
For the browdery and warkmanship of … thre names of Jacobus quintus, witht the kingis armes and crown abone the heid, and twa unicorns berand the samin 1542 Treasurer's Accounts VIII 127.
For graving of the kingis grace armes witht unicornis, thrissillis, and flour de lyces 1633 Linlithgow B. Rec. 6 May.
To Johne Ritchie meassoune desyiring him to come to the towne for the making of ane vnicorne for the heid of the mercate croce

b. As the name of a ship.1506 Treasurer's Accounts III 341.
Payit for the schip callit the Unicorn 1506 Treasurer's Accounts III 342.
For vittaling of the Unicorn up to Alloway 1539 Treasurer's Accounts VII 195.
Disponit at the kingis grace command at the lytill Unicornys passing to the sey 1540 Treasurer's Accounts VII 394.
Gevin to Williame Baxstar for keping of the mekle Unicorn for this moneth 1596 Dalr. II 280/6.
Sum Scotis shipis amang quhilkes war tua special and notable named the Salamander and the Wnicorne

c. attrib. Unicorne paper, paper with a unicorn watermark.1607 Edinburgh Testaments XLIII 154.
xvij rym of vnicorne paper at xxxiiij s. the rym

4. A gold coin of the value of 18 or 20 shillings (see quots.), having the stamp of a unicorn on its obverse. Also half unicorn, a coin of similar appearance, one half of the size and value of the unicorn.(a) 1487–8 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I cxxix n.
Thre scoir sex vnicornis of golde for auchten schelling ilk pece 1488 Treasurer's Accounts I 79.
In vnicornis nyne hundreth and foure score 1488 Treasurer's Accounts I 98.
To the king, to offir in the Cors Kyrk of Pablis, ane vnicorn 1488–9 Treasurer's Accounts I 102.
To the king … xxxv vnicornis and a half vnicorne xxxj li. xix s. 1489 Treasurer's Accounts I 120.
To the king to offir at Master Wilȝeam Dempstaris first mes, v vnicornis iiij li. x s. 1505 Treasurer's Accounts III 141.
To gysaris dansit [in] the kingis chamir, x half unicornis, iiij li. x s. 1506 Treasurer's Accounts III 280.
Tua Franch crownis and tua unicornis quhilk wer set on the syment ryall to gilt the said relique c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 121/78.
Upon the heid of it is hecht Bayth unicornis and crownis of wecht 1512 Treasurer's Accounts IV 186.
To ane Ybernian preist at past begand thrucht the hall, ½ unicorne, x s. 1515 Yester Wr. 119.
The Scottis ridar current at the making hereof for 26 sh. … the Scottis unicorne for 20 sh. 1517–18 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 117.
The regentis … has gevin licence … to cunȝe lxxx uncis of gold in unicornis … viii unicornis weyand the unce and of the fynes of xxi caretis 1536 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 222.
Unycornis(b) 1493 Halyb. 4.
Ovnycornys(c) 1550 Dundee B. Ct. II 19 (23 Nov.).
Andro Quhyt deponit that he deliuerit to Jhone Smyth sergeand ane inicorne quhilk inicorne [etc.]

b. As a unit of weight, equivalent to one eighth of an ounce troy. Also attrib. with wecht.1500 Acts Lords of Council II 429.
A chenȝe of gold contenand viij unce, ane chenȝe with ane corse of gold contenand ane unce and ane half, ane croce of gold contenand ix unycornis 1501 Acts Lords of Council MS X 91b.
Ane gold ryng weyand thre vnicornis 1508 Treasurer's Accounts IV 136.
For making of ane flacat lid weyand iiij unicornis iij quartaris and iij penny wecht of maid werkattrib. 1505 Treasurer's Accounts III 60.
For iiij unce gold, ane unicorn wecht, to the Cors of Peblis 1521–2 Old Dundee II 256.
The gold ring of ane unicorn wecht and a half 1540 Maxwell Mem. 411.
Ane cors of gold, and ane goldin ring … extenden to alevin vnicorne wecht

5. The title of one of the heraldic officers of the Lyon Court. Chiefly attrib. with Her(r)ald n. and Pursevant n. q.v. for further examples and information.1427 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 33.
Nostro consanguineo Johanni Fraser nunc vocato Vnicornn pro homagio [etc.] 1445 Exchequer Rolls V 204.
Unicorn signifer regis 1479 Acts II 127/1.
The said Hector … prufit the dew execucioune maid be him of the said summondis and in lik wis be the said Vnicorne 1596 Dalr. II 138/24.
The Vnicorn and Ila tua haroldis war sentattrib. 1474 Treasurer's Accounts I 52.
Gevin to Vnicorne herald … passand to Londone with a conduct to the ambaxatouris of Inglande 1475 Acts II 109/1.
I Vnicorne pursewant & scherefe of Inuernes … past to the castell of Dingwail … and askit entre 1479 Acts II 126/2.
I Vnicorne persewant … & scheref of Drumfres 1498 Reg. Privy S. I 32/2.
Ane charter maid to Unicorne pursuyvant of al and hale the landis … to be haldin [blank] to the said Unicorne in his fee for al the dais of his life 1513–14 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 145.
To deliuer to Unicorne herald the sowme of ten li. gs. for his waigis and passage in the pairtis of Flanderis 1546 Treasurer's Accounts IX 33.
To Petir Thomson, alias Unicorne pursevant, dyrectted in Ingland witht writingis towart the king and counsale thairof 1690 Misc. Hist. Soc. X 132.
I William Hoome Unicorne pursevant at command of ane warrand directed furth by the comissionars for vissiting of universsities(b) 1552 Dundee B. Ct. II 170 (11 July).
Villem Hardy alias Iunicorn pursewant