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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.

Buist, Bust(e, n. Also: buiste, buyst, bwist, buest; bwst. [ME. buiste (Gower), buyste (1483) and buste (a 1225), variants of boiste Boist n.]

1. A small box used for holding documents, money, small articles, etc.(a) 1456 Acts II. 46/1.
Golde and siluer the quhilk is present to thame … in a buist be the wardane of the cunȝe a1500 Henr. Fab. 844.
Out of his buist ane bill sone can he braid 1494 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 67.
[The money] to be … kepit be the said messinger in a close lokkit buist 1576 Reg. Privy C. II. 556.
Thay being cairfull of the keping of thair commoun buist, quhairin ar thair commoun seill and auld evidentis 1546 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 236.
Ane grit buyst, and certane kemmis 1551–2 Ayr Common Good Acc. (MS).
Item … for ane bwist to put lettres in, iij s. 1559 Fam. Rose 227.
Ane buist … with chertouris and … certane lois euidentis in the keist 1562 Inv. Wardrobe 158.
Ane munk and a nun in twa litle buistis 1565 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 209.
Alexander Guthre, … deliuerit … in ane buist, the charter of the superioritie of Leith 1578 Inv. Wardrobe 240.
Ane grene buist paintit on the lid quhairin is sevin angus dayis 1586 Edinb. Test. XV. 65 b.
Ane greit buist with cokis of barrellis and elsing heftis 1596 Dalr. I. 340/11.
Alexander incloset the reliques of … S. Margaret in a capsell or siluer buist 1610 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 31.
The haill writtis and evidentis … war put vp agan in ane litill bwist within the lytill kist 1618 Red Bk. Menteith I. 333.
Thair is ane meikle greit quhyt buist within the chartour-kist, conteining … euidentis 1623 Crim. Trials III. 556.
Taking ane lang claith furth of ane buist 1659 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 426.
For ane trone stand of bras weights to the toune and ane buist to keep them in 1696 Peebles B. Rec. II. 156.
The thesaurer to mak ready … a buist for weighting the meall(b) 1478 Acta Aud. 83/1.
A bust with lettres 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 81.
In a round buste within the said box, a cors of gold 1503 Treas. Acc. II. 403.
For ane bust and skinnis to turs the said quik silver to Strivelin 1516 State Papers (Reg. H.) No. 22.
A buste of dammas golde with eght pirnis 1540 Maxwell Mem. 409.
Ane cowerring of ane evcrist in ane rwnd bwst 1551 Treas. Acc. IX. 474.
For making of the evidentis upoune the landis of Clettisholme … For ane bust to put the samyn in 1600-1610 Melvill 10.
The haill expences of the proces … lyand in a severall bust … in my lettron

2. A box for confects or medicines.(a) 1536 Treas. Acc. VI. 287.
Tua barrellis and ane halff of succatis and ane bwist of carms 1551–2 Ayr Common Good Acc. (MS).
xviij s. for twa buistis of comfeitis 1567 Edinb. Test. I. 20 h.
Aucht buestis of crotȝartis 1575 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 657/2.
Of confectis vpoun cannell iiij buistis at 32 s. 1583–4 Misc. Spald. C. V. 55.
For sax quarttis vyne and sax buistis dragie, the buist 8 s. 1592 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 79.
Tua dussone buistis of confeittis 1607–8 Irvine Mun. II. 247.
For tua buistis of confectis 1612 Bk. Rates 295.
Round buistes for marmalad 1623–4 M. Works Acc. XVII. 10.
For … ane buiste of cannell confeittis and ane pund of sowgar 1641–2 Misc. Spald. C. V. 159.
Deburst … for a dusson buistes, wyn, breid and tobaco 1653 Stirling B. Rec. II. 319.
For 22 buist confections(b) 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 231.
The bustis and weschel that contenis this hevinly medycyn 1535 Treas. Acc. VI. 257.
For garnesyng of ane bust for untmentis to the Kingis grace 1556 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 300.
Twa dossund bustis of scorchettis 1611–2 Misc. Spald. C. V. 86.
For ane gallone wyne and sex bustis confectionis 1652 Stirling B. Rec. II. 313.
Item, for 16 busts of confectiounes 1672 Foulis Acc. Bk. 3.
For a bust of anders pills

3. A pad or similar device placed under a garment. 1552 Treas. Acc. X. 47.
Item deliverit to hir servand tway bwistis for hir breist Ib. 81.
Item, ane boist for hir breist a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxviii. 124.
To mak thame small thair waist is bound; A buist to mak their bellie round 1582 Treas. Acc. MS. 40 b.
Spanis orange taffetye to lyne the buist and the putchis Ib. 66.
Quhyit spanis taffatie … to lyne the buist and bask of his hienes doublettis 1601 Tailor's Acc. Bk. 16.
For ane buist and clesptis to this same goun 1604 Ib. 27.
Ane buist of wyre

4. Buist glas, a cupping glass. 1575 Edinb. Test. III. 318.
[In an apothecary's booth] xiij buist glasis of foure vnces Ib. 319 b.
xiiij Veneis buist glasis greit & small