A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Wiz(z)ard, Weser, n. Also: vizard, visard, wysart. [ME and e.m.E. wysard (Prompt. Parv.), wisard (c1550), wizard (1601).] A sorcerer, a soothsayer.1596 Misc. Spald. C. I 84.
Sche is convick … as a common weser and socerer 1622-6 Bisset II 160/16.
As Raphael Holinsched Englis corniclare writtis Except old sawes doe faill, and visardis wittis [Holinshed Hist. Sc. 3, wisards wittes] be blind 1629 Dundonald Par. Rec. 289.
The minister publictlie out of pulpite … inhibite and discharge all sorte of charming and resorteing to charmers, consulting with wizardes, sorcerers and vthers of that sorte a1650 Buchanan's Hist. MS Index (Edinb. Univ. Lib. *R. 20/12).
Arioli wysarts, soothsayers 1685 Sinclair Satan's Inv. World Pref. Sig. A 7b.
Wights that do strange miraculous things by the assistence or consociation of evil spirits, and consequently wizzards or he-witches 1691 Kirk Secr. Commonw. (1964) 264.
An implicite surrender were made of all betwixt the wizards foot and his hand ere the person can be admitted a privado to the ast 1697 Sermon on Witchcraft in Sc. Hist. Rev. VII 391.
The man or woman that hath a familiar spirit or a vizard, shall surely be put to death, they shall stone them with stones
