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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
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Vencus, Vincus, Vanqueis, v. Also: vencuse, -quys, wencus, vincuse, -cous, -cuis, -quis(e, -que(i)s(e, -quus, wincus, -quis, -ques, wyncus(t, vanquis(e, -quish, -queish. P.t. also venque(i)st, vinquischit, vynquised, wincuist, vancuist, wanquist, -quest, -quisched, wainquist. P.p. also venquist, -que(i)st, wenquist, -quesit, vincost, wincowst, -queist, -quised, -queissit(t, vanceist, -ceuste, -cuist, -quhished, -queshed, wanqueist, vainquissit, -quesiet, -queshed, vncust, vinkit. [ME and e.m.E. vencuse (Manning), venquish (c1386), venquyss (Chaucer), vaynquysshe, vanquysshe (both Caxton), vanquish (1635); p.t. venquised (Manning), venqwysshed (Lydgate), vanquished (1568); p.p. venquist (Chaucer), vencust (a1400-50), venqueshed (Lydgate), vaynquysshid (Caxton), vanquished (a1548), OF vencus, venquis p.p. and p.t. of veintre, late OF vainquiss-, vainquir rare var. of vaincre, L. vincere.]

1. tr. To overcome, conquer, defeat (an enemy) by force of arms or warfare; to slay in battle or overcome in a contest of arms. Also transf. b. To overcome (a stronghold). c. fig. With non-material subject.pres. 1375 Barb. xx 551.
Rome is welle off mycht Throw strenth off armys in-to fycht To wencus [C. vencus weill] thar fayis 1456 Hay II 44/29.
Rycht as oure lord Jhesus Crist vencust in the croce the inymy of mannis lygnage, … sa suld a knycht vencuse the fais of the croce throu the suerd a1500 Lanc. 3329.
Thar is o knycht, That only throw his body and his mycht Wencussith all, that thar may non susten His strokis 1513 Doug. vi xv 30.
Ȝon is he That venquys sal the Affricane menȝe(b) ?1438 Alex. ii 2972.
He wend allanerly him allane Wincus the chaissaris euerilk ane And all the flearis to warrand c1420 Wynt. ii 23 (W).
To vincus [R. wyncust] folk he kennit sa fast That [etc.] 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1685.
This worthie Scipio … I saw vincus this Hanniball in plane And Carthage bring vnto finall ruine 1531 Bell. Boece I 66.
At quhais cuming went sic confluence of pepil to him, that he semit nocht only to vincus Gillus, bot all the pepill of Ireland 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II 157.
Wyncus 1533 Bell. Livy II 15/7, 8.
Mony townis be natural situatioun and municioun ar invincibil, nochttheles lang procesis of tyme vincusis thame be hungir & thrist, as the toun of Veos sall be vincust 1553 Knox III 398.
Jacob feirit that his brother Esau suld vincus and overcum him, God wald witnes the contrarie, by that He maid him abill to resist and prevaile … against ane angell 15.. Clar. i 871.
Vincuis 15.. Clar. i 1314.
All knichtis cumand throw his land He dois them vinquise 15.. Clar. v 2311, 2314.
Quhen he saw he could him not vincus … he requierit King Clariodus Him for to draw apairt, and to assay, Quhilk of them two vinqueis [the] other may 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 10.
Ane capitane that desyris to vinqueise his enemies shuld vse strenth … craft, deceit, leasingis … and crweltie a1578 Pitsc. I 109/18.
Winquis a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 433 (L).
Moir honour is to winques ane, Nor feycht with ten sum and be tane(c) 1596 Dalr. I 138 marg.
The Pechtis & Scottis agane chaissis the Britonis & vanquissis thame 1596 Dalr. II 170/7.
That … tha mycht alure Bautie to skail the seige and sa mycht vanquise himp.t. 1375 Barb. i 554.
Lucius Yber wencusyt he That then of Rome wes emperour 1375 Barb. viii 117.
The Dowglas, that wes bauld, Wencussyt [C. wencust] sa fele with fewe menȝe 1375 Barb. viii 369 (C).
Vencust c1420 Wynt. viii 5734.
The castelle he has tane And wencust [C. wyncust] the castellanys ilkane 1456 Hay I 65/24.
He vencust thame of Perusse that was grete inymyes to Rome 1456 Hay II 74/26.
Als lang as Alexander le Grant had with hym Arestotil the wys clerk, he passit throuch and vencust all realmes and all his inymyes … throu his counsale c1475 Wall. xi 653.
Wallace … vencust his enemys v 1513 Doug. xi xiii heading.
Quhou Camylla hir fays doun can dyng, And venquyst [Sm. venquest] Awnus 1549 Compl. 13/29.
Annibal ansuert vitht as hardy curage as quhen he venqueist the Romans at the battel of Cannes(b) 1456 Hay I 169/33.
Be his grete bountee he vencust that grete Goulyas c1475 Wall. (1570) x 791.
With seuin hundreth he vincust nyne thousand 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1199.
Perseus … Quhilk vinquischit … Cruell tyrantis and monstures mony one 1533 Boece 28a.¹
How Alexander Stewart apoun the sey vincust Hollanderis c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 253.
Quhome he vincust no langer leif thay wald c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3619.
Vincuste c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3629.
Uincuste 1581 Sempill in Sat. P. xliii 98.
Vinqueist a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 40.
Vinqueissit 1622-6 Bisset I 52/25.
He … vinquised his inimies be the help and manheid of that illustrate surname of the Hayes(c) a1578 Pitsc. I 107/22.
James faught … in singular battell witht the lord of Waillis ane strang campioun … and wainquist him nochtwithtstanding a1578 Pitsc. I 230 marg.
Wanquest a1578 Pitsc. I 70/2.
Wanquist 1622-6 Bisset II 389/23.
He prospered greitlie in all his warris and wanquisched sindrie cuntries and nationis rebelling against the emperiourp.p. 1375 Barb. ii 335.
Few folk has oft wencusyt ma 1375 Barb. ix 93 (C).
Vencust 1375 Barb. xviii 112.
Wencussyt [C. wencust] c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1277 (C).
Sayand … Troyes oost to haue venquest bene And put to such tynsale and tene 1456 Hay II 36/14.
And he be vencust in barrier, or he be cowart or full of wikkit vicis, as fleand fra battaillis … he sall never have honour na prouffit of his ordre c1475 Wall. iii 241.
Quhen Wallace had weyle wenquist … The fals terand that had his fadyr slayne 1494 Loutfut MS 113b.
Wenquesit 1513 Doug. xii i 42.
Lat ws all venquyst to hym subiect be 1549 Compl. 4/26.
He vas venqueist ande slane(b) a1400 Leg. S. i 260.
Quhene twa fechtis, pece sal be Quhen we the tane vincust se a1400 Leg. S. vii 536.
Vincuste c1420 Wynt. iii 882 (C).
The Persoyis … withe the Medis faucht sa fast, Qwhil thai war wyncust at the last, And of thaim slew a gret party And wan the feylde 1460 Hay Alex. 6074.
The story sayis thai war of Daris men Wele sex hundreth thousand men or ma That vincust war and chasit to and fra 1531 Bell. Boece I 4.
Gif thay war vincust in the said battell, thay suld be brocht to perpetuall servitude 1533 Boece 89a.
The Orknayis … recounterit Scottis in battell. Be quham lichtly vincust and defate … maid to the hillis 1533 Bell. Livy I 175/14 (B).
Vincost a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 310/53.
Winqueist 1588 King Cat. 169.
Winquissit 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 16b.
Gif he quha is challenged be overcome and winquised be battel: his pledges sall [etc.] c1615 Chron. Kings 56.
Winqueissit c1615 Chron. Kings 60.
Winqueissitt(c) ?a1450 Florimond 455.
That I the lyoun wald assay, Till that he deid and vanceist be 1494 Deidis of Armorie 21.
Vanceuste a1578 Pitsc. I 139/30.
The kingis airme was wanqueist and owercome, himself takin presonar and had to Loundon a1585 Maitland in Maitl. Q. 66/53.
Vanqueist c1590 Fowler II 102/16.
Vainqueshed c1590 Fowler II 103/1.
Vanqueshed 1596 Dalr. I 145 marg.
Vanquissed 1596 Dalr. I 292/13.
The Danes war first vanquist and fled 1596 Dalr. I 301 marg.
Vancuist 1596 Dalr. II 10 marg.
Vanquissetttransf. 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 136.
It is to wyt that sum batal is tane in the court in sic mutis nocht ane of the partiis may with his wordis in the waging of batal … ek or tak a way or … draw a bak bot nedlyn as ane of the partiis mon be haldyn for vi[n]kit [Skene Reg. Maj. i 66b, vinquest; L. victo] & ourcummynb. 1573 Davidson in Sat. P. xl 19.
Thair is na castell, towre, nor town, Nor naturall strenth, as Alexander sayis, Bot mannis ingyne may vincous and ding dounc. 1456 Hay II 45/9.
The scharp hard stelin poynt of the spere hede betakenis, that suppose falsehede be never sa wele armyt, ȝit will lautee pas throu him, and vencuse him c1490 Irland Asl. MS 29/13.
God will helpe thé and thi ressoune … that was vincust be sensualite … will wakin & stert wp in gret fors sayand [etc.] a1586 Lindsay MS 75.
Be hoipe is inforceit the curage of the knycht and vincusit the laichetnes and cowardis c1590 Fowler I 22.
Fame, which at last … is ouercummed and vanquhished by tyme 1602 Colville Paraenese 31.
Hou oft … from my youth haue thay inuadit bot culd not vinquis me 1622-6 Bisset I 27/5.
Lawlie humilitie … overthrew be patient sufferring, crowall invy, and dissaitfull pryde, and vynquised for ws, all his … craftie powaris

2. a. To overcome by non-violent means; esp. to influence (oneself or another) to change spiritually or emotionally (for good or ill). Also reflex. Also const. prep. phrase, expressing the cause or circumstances of the defeat. b. Of God or Christ: To conquer (the devil, etc.). Also absol. c. Of the devil: To conquer (man, etc.). d. To overcome (death).Quot. 1570 may belong in 1 above.a. (1) a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 34.
Margarit … was vertuse, Fore vertuysly scho cane vincuse The flesch, the warld the fend alsa a1400 Leg. S. l 313.
Ane angel … bad hir be of stedfast will For God suld gif hir wit & grace, … that nan in-to that place Agane hir suld haf tuth na tong Hir to resist, thocht scho was ȝoung Bot that scho suld vincuse thaim all, & that throw hir God suld thaim call Of martirdome to tak the crowne c1420 Wynt. v 2756 (W).
Thai fell on kneis and cryit fast Till thai him vencust at the last [He] … had gret pete of thar cry c1420 Wynt. v 2818 (W) (see reflex. below). a1450 Fifteen Ois 291.
Help me ay For to withstande the feind my fa, The wraichit warlde, my flesche alssua; That, thir vincust, leif ma I With Thé in hevin 1570 Sat. P. xvii 53.
Be his prudence vertew was erectit … Throw him Godis kirk and peple fand releif; Throw him wes vinqueist the veildars of this greif; Throw him this realme fand sum stabilitiereflex. c1420 Wynt. v 2816 (W).
For he that vencusis his awne will He vencusis him self be that skill; Forthy quha happinnis for to be In this fecht vincust, he Wynnis … the victory(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 783.
Sum bene … Vincust with carnall sensualitie a1500 Bernardus 122.
To thi fayis gud chepe, prente this worde, For he is nocht ay wencuste with the sworde But oft throw lufe and dedys of cheryte 1490 Irland Mir. I 53/31.
That we be nocht wincust and ourecummyn be temptacioune, nore consent nocht to syn ore wykit deidis 1513 Doug. iv i 39.
To me is displesant … matrymone to hant; Perchans I mycht be venquist in this rage, Throu this a cryme of secund mariage 1549 Compl. 34/34.
Be cause that ve seik na remeid contrar our disordinat cupidite … nor ȝit resistis the … temptations [etc.] … ve becum haistylye venqueist be rason that oure smal resistance generis grit hardynes in … oure saul c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii 45.
Pandora … That with hir slicht[i]s al men dois vincous 1562-3 Winȝet II 48 marg.
Sa mony excellent propirteis wes nocht knawin amangis al our rennigatis: quharefor, mair mischeantlie wes the feble of fayth vincustb. 1456 Hay I 81/24.
God, that throu the dede that He tholit, He vencust the fende 1456 Hay II 44/26 (see 1 pres. above). 1551 Hamilton Cat. 184.
As king Pharao … was drownit in the Red See, sa in the wattir of baptyme the Devil and all his hoist of synne, is vincusit, ouircumit and put away 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 178 (G).
Satane … was thairby [sc. by the cross] vncust 1567 G. Ball. 69.
God … hes vincust sin and hell, The Deuill and also deide 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 118/18.
[That] the craft and subtelitie of the Deuil is vinqueist and ouercumabsol. 1552–3 Knox III 348.
Feir I nothing les than your victorie by Him wha ever hath vincuist when Sathan apeirit to have possessit allc. 1490 Irland Mir. II 31/9, 10.
He [sc. the Devil] saw neuir befor sic a man for in na maner of way he mycht neuir wincus Him bot euir was wincust and ourcummyn be Jhesu 1490 Irland Mir. II 31/27.
This auld innemy ourcome and wincust the fyrst man be fraude decepcioun and fals promissiound. 1553 Knox III 341.
That day when all tearis salbe wipit fra oure eis, when death salbe vincuist a1561 Norvell Meroure 10.
Saying by the sprite, of Thy prophete gude: O death with death, when thou shall gar me de, My death, shall be thy death: and vinques thé a1605 Montg. Sonn. xxix 10.
Thy Homers style, thy Petrarks high invent Sall vanquish death, and live eternally

3. To overcome, defeat, destroy, subdue (a quality, a fault or a state of affairs). b. fig. Of light: To dispel (darkness). 1375 Barb. iii 253.
Na man suld disparyt be Na lat his hart be wencusyt all, For na myscheiff that euer may fall c1420 Wynt. v 2815 (W) (see 2 a (1) reflex. above). 1456 Hay II 25/20.
A thousand men … may nocht … vencus a gude knychtis curage c1475 Wall. ix 216.
Now se I weyll that my fortoun is went, Vincust with ane; that gerris me sair rapent 1513 Doug. vi xv 85.
Gyf thou thyne hard werdis mycht vincus [Ruddim. vinquus] Thou salbe namyt the souerane Marcellus 1531 Bell. Boece I 25.
We have vincust our ire 1567 G. Ball. 122.
Lat thair jugeing vencust be And schaw Thy mercy 1573 Davidson in Sat. P. xl 218.
Quhen warldly strenth is vincust and maid waist c1590 Fowler I 62/116.
I sall furth shaw … how my dame did vanqueish lowe and all his artis disdaned 1596 Dalr. I 299/5.
Throw his vertue, he vancuist the malice of mony religious mounkis of Scotlandb. 1513 Doug. i xi 64.
The flambe of torchis venquyst [Sm. vincoust] the dyrk nycht

4. To win (a battle, etc.). Also with non-personal subject.Quot. Bisset may belong in sense 5. 1375 Barb. xii 273.
Menys … off the ioy that we abid giff that ws fall as weill may tid Hap to wencus this gret battaill ?1438 Alex. ii 549.
I haue … Hors, haubrek, scheld and spere, Quharewith I aucht me wele to were Strenth, will and hardement … For to vincus [F. vaintre] the turnament c1420 Wynt. ii 1389.
Wersozes … Dyscumfyt wes and fled rycht fast The Sytykys wencust that bataylle 1456 Hay I 81/22.
A gude spirit, with sobirnes and pacience may ourcum and vencus a grete querele but ony strake of hand 1460 Hay Alex. 1872.
Ane vnui[n]sibill stane on him he bare, Was neuir batall vinquest quhare it ware 1622-6 Bisset II 195/26.
Eftir he had vanquised and win the battell at Larkgis

5. absol. or intr. To defeat in battle; to overcome, win. 1533 Boece 214a.
Owder we mon be vincust and subiect to extreme myserie, or vincus and conques honoure, glore, liberte and possede perpetualie oure propir rowmes a1585 James VI in Maitl. Q. 215/18.
With patience then thow attend And houp to vanqueis in the end 1596 Dalr. I 349/4.
He … sa stoutlie straik and vanquist, that a noble victorie he obteynet

6. tr. To win over, convince (a person) (that something is the case). 1533 Bell. Livy I 155/28.
King Porsena, vincust [B. wincowst] be thir ressouns … said [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. II 67/1.
Be mony vther testimonyis of the scripture I wincuist [1558-66 Knox I 159, vanquest] him that Messias was cum the quhich thay callit Jesus of Nazareth

7. To exceed or surpass (something) in quality, to be better than (what has gone before). 1533 Bell. Livy I 7/7.
New authouris … be thare crafty eloquence traistis to vincus [L. superaturos] the rude langage of anciant authouris

8. To convict (a person) of a crime. 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots 1 573.
Gif thay answer not directlie to this our present attestatioun … and cartell, they sall be repute guiltie and vainquissit [Anderson Collect. Mary IV 193, vainquesiet] of the said murthour