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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.

Burreau, Burrio, n. Also: bourreau, bor(r)eau, borrew; bur(r)eaw, buriawe; burriow, burreo. [F. bourreau, earlier boreau.] An executioner.(a) a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 437.
In Parise wyth the maister buriawe [B. burreaw] Abyde, and be his prentice 1549 Compl. 27/9.
The cruel Inglis men, quhilkis ar boreaus ande hang men Ib. 115/10.
The boreau hed strikyn the heydis fra the presoneris 1591-2 Rob Stene 13.
The borrew band thair handis, & went, And hangit thame incontinent 1591–2 Warrender P. II. 168.
Some of our maist unnaturall subjectis … hes adventured so farre … as to be burreaux and exectouris of thair cruell desseingis 1604-31 Craig iii. 13.
The wounds from Brutus (burreau most ingrate) Did grieue him most 1623 Crim. Trials. III. 548.
Thair guiltie conscience standing vp aganis thame, as ane burreaw to tak vengeance(b) 1531 Bell. Boece I. 201.
The samin is punist condignely, … sen he was burio to himself mair schamefully than we micht devise Id. Livy I. 61/8.
Cum hidder, thow burreo, and bynd this Horacianes handis 1570 Sat. P. xii. 8.
Hangman to Hary, now burrio to hir brother 1572 Ib. xxxviii. 42.
Nouther Turk nor Infidell vsis sic thing As be their awin burreo 1581 Burne Disput. 131.
Skarslie burreois could be fundin to satisfie thair inquensibil thrist of the innocent blude 1597 Reg. Privy C. V. 387.
[They] send for twa men with ane burrio, to have putt him to death 1625 Garden Kings 9.
Himselfe I urg'd and straited so, That he became his proper burreo 1619 Crim. Trials III. 474.
Playing the pairt of hangmen and burriowis 1629 Boyd Last B. 267.
To bee vexed for euer [in Hell] with the infernall burrios