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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.

Birth, Byrth, n.¹ Also: birthe (birgh, bergh), byrthe, byrtth; birtht, byrtht. [ME. birth(e, byrth(e, early ME. birðe, byrðe, burðe, ON. *byrð-r (OIcel. burð-r), byrð.]

1. a. The act of bearing offspring. 1375 Barb. vi. 184.
For thai cummyn of a byrth weir c1420 Wynt. vii. 3333.
Quhen of that byrth come tything 1490 Irland Mir. I. 140/21.
In hire byrthe sche had na payne c1500-c1512 Dunb. xliv. 16.
Into thair birth thay suffir sair for ws 1560 Rolland Seven S. 267/16.
Scho … That had of him sic sorrow in hir birth 1598 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 165.
How sone scho micht travell efter hir birth 1609 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 164.
Ane lady … wery neir approching hir birth

b. The fact or time of being born; nativity. a1400 Leg. S. xxiv. 37.
Of Cristis byrth the fourty day Ib. xxxvi. 23.
The byrthe of sancte John c1420 Wynt. ii. 30.
Before or fra the byrth of Gode Ib. 210.
Thowcht yhungar in the byrthe was he 1456 Hay I. 14/24.
Sen his birth hyderwart c1450-2 Howlat 953.
This howlat … Bannyt bitterly his birth c1552 Lynd. Mon. 375.
The breif tyme … Betuix thare byrth on to thare grave a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxxii. 9.
Quho knawis his birth, his lyfe, his end

c. Condition or rank in respect of parentage. c1420 Wynt. v. 1337.
A kyng off byrthe and wnworthy Ib. viii. 470.
Hym that is off byrth ferrare 1456 Hay II. 151/25.
That thou despis nocht a man for his law birth Ib. 27.
Ches nane … for his hie birth c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 312.
His bastard blude and my birth noble a1568 Scott vi. 6.
Bassir men of birth and blud a1585 Maitl. Q. lxiv. 41.
Nobill birth and royall bluid

2. The result of bearing; that which is born; offspring, young, child. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 175.
Ymang birthis that weman bare Ib. 187.
Criste of maydine is the birth c1420 Wynt. i. 1508; Ib. v. 4832, etc.
Quhat byrth scho bare off hyr body ?1438 Alex. i. 2887.
As ane beist hir birth will driue Fra the wolf 1456 Hay I. 293/29.
That the first birth suld be king efter his fader c1475 Wall. viii. 1644.
O lowit leid, … O worthi byrth 1492 Myll Spect. 283/10.
Als sone as this lady was deliuer of hir byrth a1508 Kennedy Flyting 250.
Abironis birth Ib. 454.
Deuillis birth 1533 Boece iii. xvi. 114 b.
Scho departit with hir birth 1567 G. Ball. 139.
His mother … bure the byrth, fred vs from cair 1622-6 Bisset I. 44/15.
Ane … beist that eittis … thair birth

3. That which is borne by the soil; produce, crop(s). c1420 Wynt. i. 1351.
Thare bewys bowys all for byrtht c1450-2 Howlat 25; Ib. 626.
Blyth of the birth that the ground bure 1535 Stewart 639.
The blumand bewis abundand with sic birth a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 329.
Twistis … Quhilk bowed throw burding of thair birth 1596 Dalr. I. 48/32.
Ȝeirlie sik a birth it beiris … that thai cal it the … garnel of Abirdene

4. Birth breif, a certificate of birth. Cf. Bore-breiff. 1698 Stirling B. Rec. II. 343.
The seavine birth breiffs given be the toune to Robert Russall [etc.] 1699 Ib. 346.
Giving uthers of the touns folks birthbreivs quhen going abroad