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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Assise, Assyse, n. Also: assis, assiis, assys, assyis(e, assysse, -yce; assaise, assayze; asyse, asysse; assese, asseis; essys(e, essyis. [ME. asyse (1303), asise, assyse, assise, OF. asise, assise, act of sitting, etc.]

1. A judicial inquiry by a number of persons appointed for that purpose; the body of persons so appointed. 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Assisa.
‘In this realme ane Assise is called ane certaine number of men lauchfullie summond, received, sworne and admitted to judg and decerne in sindrie civil causes, sik as perambulations, cognitions, molestations, purpresture, division of lands, serving of brieves, and in all and sindrie criminal causes’(a) 1375 Barb. xix. 55.
Thir thre … war with ane assis thar ourtane c1420 Wynt. ix. 2360.
Sua in coloure off justis, Set it wes nane, he rasit assis. Ane assis first maid theim qwyte 1448 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 401.
The houssis that ar fundin unsufficient be the assis sal be refurmyt 1491 Acta Conc. 175/1.
The said mater … wes by consent of baithe the partiis put to the said assise 1513 Reg. Privy S. I. 382/2.
An exemptioun to H.L. … fra all passing on assis 1551 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 160.
All sik parsonis that ar warnit to assissis or inqueistis be the officeris 1558 Orkney & Shet. Rec. 264.
The suittis callit, … the assise choissan and admittit 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 43.
The resetter sall thoill and suffer ane Assise(b) a1400 Leg. S. xl. 971.
Thane ves he brocht to curt sone, & asyse callit of worthy men, & he accusit … of sere poynttis 1388 Bamff Charters 21.
The qwhilk acordans wes submitit tyl assys of the best and worthyast of the cuntre Ib. 22.
The qhuylke assys has chosne Jon Joffrason [etc.] c1420 Wynt. viii. 877.
Owt off the kyrk this Kyng gert pas All, bot thai, that sworne than was Till that assyse 1446 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 245.
It was inquirit … at the said chapillanis gif thai wald impugne or remove ony of the said assysse for suspicion or other cause 1476 Peebles B. Rec. 177.
Thai haf gaderyt the assys of lynouris of the burchg 1512–3 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 140.
[To put them] amang vtheris suspectit personis, thair to remane quhill thai be put to ane assys 1549 Coll. Aberd. & B. 114.
That the said assyse, to be chosin and swoirne heirto, retour in maner following 1559 Rec. Earld. Orkney 112.
The juge and the essyse ratefeis [etc.] 1570 Sat. P. xviii. 55.
Thair awin misdeidis hes sa vndone thair weill Thay dar neuer enter in Iudgement nor assysis a1578 Pitsc. I. 57/24.
He sould haue bene purgit be ane assyse for all kynd of suspitioune concerning the kingis maiestie 1622-6 Bisset I. 87/3.
Quhilkis criminall actiounis suld be decyded … be inquisitioun of ane assyse or inqueist, called a juri 1634 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 22.
Four dollouris gevin to William Stirling messour, for summounding ane assys vpoun thes twa men 1689 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 92.
Which being found by an assyse, he ought to be punished in his persone and goods(c) c1420 Wynt. viii. 918.
This tyrawnd … Agayne till the assyis than past And askyd thame, how thai had dwne a1500 Henr. Fab. 2681.
I oblis me rycht heir, That I sall byde ane vnsuspect assyis 1576 Oppress. Orkney 44.
At the last Lawthing … thair was scarslie the ane halff of the assyis cuntriemen 1583 St. A. Kirk S. 494.
To quhome thai remit hir to be adjugit be ane condigne assyis a1605 Birrel Diary 8.
Ther wes one his assayze, Earlls, Lordis [etc.] 1621 Black Bk. Taymouth 367.
The assyis … convictis the defender in blood, and the persewar in trublance(d) 1576 Rec. Earld. Orkney 139.
Wretin be me … at the command of the assese 1696 Caldwell Fam. Papers 189.
Lawyers goeing doune to the Asseisses

b. Grete assise, an assise consisting of twenty-five persons (nobles or gentlemen), appointed to try charges against an ordinary assize. (Cf. assise of errour s.v. Errour.) 1428 Liber Melros 519.
I gert cheis a grete assys of twenty & fyve worthy & notable persons 1478 Acta Aud. 83/2.
To cheis a gret assise of xxv persons of the best and vnsuspect persouns within the said burgh 1479 Acta Conc. 21/1.
The … sentence gevin of befor be the grete assise in Aberdene 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Assisa.
The gret assise (quhilk is not commonly vsed in this realm) is chosen against sik persons, as hes bin vpon an litil assise, & ar accused de periurio vel temerario iuramento

c. Attrib. with dure, hous. 1540 Reg. Privy S. II. 562/1.
The gift of the office of the keping of the assis dur of all and sindry justice-airis 1593 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 94.
To caus mak ane dur betwix the assyse hous and the chairter hous

2. An ordinance or regulation affecting the quality, quantity, or price of commodities; the standard so fixed. 14.. Acts I. 331/2.
At thai keip nocht na gerris keip the assis of breid and aile, wyn and flesche lauchfully. Item at thai do nocht rycht on thaim at brekis the assise Ib. 345/2.
Of the maner of ale brewing be assise 1442 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 9.
That the balyeis keipe the assise of breide, ale, and flesche 1487 Acts II. 178/2.
It is statut … that the barell bind of salmond suld kepe & contene the assise & mesour of xiiij gallonis

b. Assizement, assizing. 1495 Halyb. 89.
Item ffor pynor fee, hous hir, mettin, and assiis Ib.
Item for mettyn and assys

c. Attrib., applied to articles or payments subject to some regulation. Cf. Assise hering.Most of the examples are from the north-eastern parts. 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 243/1.
Taking of ane keling callit assis keling fra the said constable [of Dundee] 1586 Conv. Burghs I. 212.
As concerning St. Nicolas mett and the assise boll, ordanis the commissioner of Aberdene to produce [etc.] 1606 Reg. Great S. 624/2.
Cum constabularia castri de Nairne, cum lie assys aill et assys fische et aliis proficuis 1625 Ib. 322/1.
Lie Thaynis-nett in aqua de Doverne, cum lie assyse lax 1626 Ib. 369/2.
Villam de Durnoche, cum … assyis aill et tholl consuetis 1699 Conv. Burghs IV. 293.
Ane yearly deuty formerly in use of payment to … [the] shirreffs of Murray, by the inhabitants … of Forras, called the assyse ale 1711 Ib. 513.
The ancient duty of assise or sise fish, or a certain number of fish out of every boat, belonging to the Croun

3. Measurement, calculation. c1400 Troy-bk. i. 534.
The lestand God … Of hevinly thingis has wroucht and done, … And set thame be sertan asyse

b. Size, dimensions. 1500 Treas. Acc. II. 28.
For ane tyk of ane bed of the great assise 1503 Ib. 216.
To tua tikis of beddis of gretar assise 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 412.
Veluot robbis maid with the grand assyse

4. A decree or enactment. 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Assisa. Thaireftir followed the essys [= L. assisæ pl.] or statutis, of the sd.
King David maid an assise, or constitution, of him quha was accused … for the death of his wife 1622-6 Bisset I. 68/21.
King David