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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.

Buklar(e, Bukler, n. Also: buclar(e, buklair, bucklar(e, bukclar, boucklar; bukleir, bowk-, buckler. [ME. bukler, bok(e)ler, boc(e)ler (a 1300), OF. bucler, boucler. Cf. ON. buklare.]

1. A buckler; a small round shield.(a) c1420 Wynt. viii. 2060.
Fra that carle mycht do na mare, The lefft hand held fast the buklare 1425 Acts II. 10/2.
All vthir ȝemen … salbe [provided] … with suerde, buklare, and knyfe 1456 Ib. 45/2.
A suerde and a buclare a1500 Rauf C. 517.
He saw na wappinnis thair … Bot ane auld buklair 1546 Acta Conc. MS. XXI. 62 b.
Ane hugtoun, … ane buklair(b) 1429 Acts II. 18/2.
With … suerd, buklar & knyfe 1474 Reg. Cupar A. I. 196.
With bowys, … swerdis and buklaris 1494 Treas. Acc. I. 240.
Ane buklar and ane swerd belt to the King c1500-c1512 Dunb. l. 9 (M).
Ane fairer knycht … may nother … beir bucklar nor brand 1513 Doug. vii. xii. 97.
Bukclaris thai bair, with boys or plait of steill 1531 Bell. Boece I. 153.
The bowmen … faucht with swerdis and litil buklaris Id. Livy I. 94/27.
Thai bure buklaris in stede of targis 1533–4 Melville Chart. 74.
Jak, steill bonat, swird, and buclar 1558 Crim. Trials I. 403.
With swerdis, buklaris, Jedburcht stalffis, and vtheris wappynnis invasiue 1561 Prestwick B. Rec. 66.
Ane pow ax, suerd and buklar a1568 Scott ii. 183.
Abone his brand ane bucklar blak a1586 Lindesay MS. 84.
To keip him with his buklar or paves(c) c1475 Wall. iii. 359.
Ane Inglisman, on the gait, saw he play At the scrymmagis, a bukler on his hand 1513 Doug. ii. iv. 49.
Thai … Hyd thame behynd the boys of hir bukleir Ib. vii. x. 74.
Bos bukleris coverit with cuyrbulȝe 1549 Corr. M. Lorraine 294.
Ane c [men] with sordis and bowkleris 1578 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 67.
Ewery ane … sall have ane lang speir, by jakkis, steilbonettis, suord and bukler

b. In figurative or allusive uses. 1536 Lynd. Answ. Flyting 68.
Sum sayis thare cummis ane bukler furth of France, Quhilk wyll indure ȝour dintis a1568 Bann. MS. 261 b/25.
Hir buclar [M. buclair] bord and backwart borne 1558 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 101.
To be the scheild and bucklare to thair lustes and heresiis 1567 G. Ball. 107.
His word … Sall be thy buklar and thy beild c1590 J. Stewart 109 § 8.
Be thow my boucklar and my beild 1588 Misc. Spald. C. II. 61.
Althoicht my serwandis suwer ill, To myne ane buklar will I be

2. Attrib. or comb. with makar, play, swerd.Cf. ME. buklermaker (1415), bokeler player (1448). 1483 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 47.
Blaksmythis, … buclar makaris, armoreris, and all vtheris 1506 Treas. Acc. III. 394.
To Simon Glasfurd, buklarmakar, for hornyng of foure targatis 1578 Edinb. Test. VI. 243.
George Watson, bucklar maker — 1535 Stewart 59013.
At buklar pla … In all Ingland that tyme maik had he nane 1538 Treas. Acc. VII. 17.
To Maister Francoyis … that playit buklair play with the King — 1549 Treas. Acc. IX. 298.
Foure elnis of … sylk, to bynde the hande of his buklar sweird 1569 Inverness B. Rec. I. 179.
Ane buclar sourd and ane steill bonnet