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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.

Ces(e, Ceis, v.¹ Also: cesse, ceise, ceice, cees, ceas(e. [ME. cese, ceese, cece, cesse, etc., F. cesser, L. cessāre. See also Sese v.]

1. intr. To come to an end or close.(a) 1375 Barb. v. 115.
And than cesit in-to party The noyis, slauchtir, and the cry a1400 Leg. S. xvii. 138.
Sone schawyt God hyre but les, Eftyre a ȝere that scho suld cese c1420 Wynt. v. 1478.
Qwhen this counsall wes all done Hyr temptatyown cessyt sone 1440 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 192.
Al thingis twicheyng the said materies … cessand in the menetyme 1456 Hay I. 66/8.
Quhen the principale lord … cummys. all jurisdictioun of jugis subordynate cessis Ib. 189/29.
Thair unctioun suld than ces a1500 Henr. Orph. 394.
The grete sollicitude … to wyn this warldis gud Cessis furthwith 1507 Reg. Privy S. I. 223/1.
Al and sindri actiouns … and pleis … til ces and rest … quhil his returnyng 1513 Doug. i. v. 109.
The cruel tyme sone therefter sal ces 1548 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) Halycroce v. Wauchope.
To caus divine seruice ces within oure said abbay(b) 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 244/2.
That all and sindry actiounis … ceis and rest fra the day of the date hereof 1520 Peebles B. Rec. 50.
That … the saidis patronis and tutoris caus the said seruis to ceis 1533 Bell. Livy I. 249/7.
At the returnyng of Quintius to Rome, the vacance of lawis ceissit 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 222.
Swm vald say that weir vald ceis 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 210.
It was desirit … that the said actioun suld ceis quhill [etc.] 1562-3 Winȝet II. 78/24.
Lat it ceis, … gif the mater be sua 1596 Conv. Burghs I. 495.
To desyre the samyn [matter] to ceis and stay quill thai … be … resoluit awysetlie thairanent 1622-6 Bisset I. 294/25.
Gif there want any of thir thingis the breve suld ceis

2. To cease to do something.(a) 1375 Barb. xix. 2.
Covatis, that can nocht cese Till set men apon felony a1400 Leg. S. x. 512.
Al Ethiope, That to this day cesis nocht Til honoure God c1420 Wynt. v. 1175.
Fra thine he cessyd for to wede Agayne the Crystyne-men Ib. 4963.
He had mlkyll ewyll done, And yhyt to do swa couth not ces 1456 Hay I. 121/10.
He wald nocht have cessit to mak him starkare were than before 1513 Doug. ii. ii. 73.
Nor cessit he neuer his purpos to persew 1568 Pref. Lyndesay 5.
Thay … cessit not … to rage and rayll aganis him(b) 1558-66 Knox II. 419.
So lang can nocht the mynisteris of God ceise to cry a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxx. 176.
Desist and ceis thi self for to torment a1570-86 Maitland Ib. civ. 19.
Think tyme to ceis Scottis blude to spill

b. To cease from (or of) some action.For examples of the frequent phrase desist (also decist) and cese see the former verb.(1) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1127.
When cessyd had Pollycena Of hyre sermoune c1420 Wynt. i. 1479.
Thai cessyde than off thare byggyng 1456 Hay I. 30/8.
Romaynes … nocht will ces of craving quhill thai get graunt Ib. 56/8.
The quhilk [fire] for vi or vij dayis cessit never of birnyng that noble citee 1466 Acta Aud. 4/1.
That thai cess of all inquietacion … & molestacion of him & his landis c1475 Wall. xi. 1371.
Thow mycht haiff … cessyt off thi stryff 1533 Bell. Livy I. 164/19.
Thai nocht onelie ceissit of thare gude dedis … bot als [etc.] c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6313.
The blysfull byrdis … ceissis of thair heuinlye armoneis(2) 1456 Hay I. 275/14.
A man that accusis ane othir may cesse … fra accusacioun of that crime c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 12/31.
That the person ces fra syn and abstract him the occasioun of syn 1512 Reg. Privy S. I. 374.
That ȝe ceis fra all intrometting and uptaking of the saidis thre lastis of salmond 1558 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 113.
Thairfore wyll we cease fra ferther citatioun … of the generale Counsalis c1568 Lauder Minor P. iii. 32.
Frome iniurie his touing can neuer cease a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xviii. 63.
To ceis from syn repentand our transgressioun 1596 Dalr. III. 278/21.
Gif the Scotis wil delyuer her, he will ceise frome all force 1608 Highland P. III. 114.
That I may be permittit to ceis fra such virisum trawellis

c. Without dependent phrase or clause.(a) c1420 Wynt. v. 1815.
Cyryak … Held bot a yhere that honowre, Bot cesyd off devotyown 1450 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 127.
To ces that thai … perturbe nocht the said inhabitantis [etc.] c1475 Wall. i. 265.
Allas! Or that thow cessis thow will be slayne with all Ib. v. 889.
We rede ye ces, and folow him no mar a1500 Seven S. 1858.
Than prekit Cato … To the palace or he wald ces c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 42/21.
It war better to cesse for a tyme, quhill thow cum to new devocioun a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 321.
Cesse, fals Eustase air 1513 Doug. i. iii. 97.
Gif thai behald or se Sum man of gret autorite … Thai ces Ib. i. xii. 1.
Thai cessit all atanys 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 58.
Heir I wald say mony iniuries to you, war not that my gut commandis me to cesse a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxix. 2.
Ces, hart, and trubill me no moir(b) 1461 Liber Plusc. 386.
Thai sall neuir ceis quhill at thai bryng him doun 1535 Stewart 9427.
Ay saling on or thai wald stynt or ceis 1531 Bell. Boece I. 199.
Athirco … ceissit nocht quhill he had deflorit thaim baith c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3149.
The greit elephantis of Inde, … Fordwart thay came, and wald nocht ceis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 986.
The heralds bad some silence all and ceis a1570-86 Maitl. F. xxx. 155.
Ceis than, my saull, and truble me no moir

3. tr. To bring to an end or stop.(a) a1400 Leg. S. i. 575.
Quhy cesis thou That thu begouth to do richt now? Ib. iii. 227.
That tempeste, … was cessit at his prayer sone 1456 Hay I. 52/34.
Als fast as the tempest was cessit, thai … come to the bataill agayine Ib. 126/33.
Sa the mandement of the king cessis the barounis mandement c1450-2 Howlat 926.
Thir birdis ilkane Besocht Natur to ces that vnsufferable 1467 Acts II. 89/1.
The striking of the blak pennyis to be cessyt 1473 Acta Aud. 26/2.
The inquisicioune … was stoppit and cessit be the kingis lettres c1475 Wall. ix. 1442.
Quhill thai him saw thar coud no thing thaim ces Ib. 1822.
Thar malice for to ces 1489 Treas. Acc. I. 110.
To pas to the Lorde Kilmawris and the Lord Mungumre, to gar thaim ces the cowrte of Cunnynghame 1513 Doug. ii. ii. 28.
All molestatioune cessit and lattyn be, We hym exort [etc.] 1522 Treas. Acc. V. 205.
Our soverane lordis lettrez direct to my lordis … chargeing thaim to ces and leif thair gaderingis(b) 1531 Bell. Boece I. 5.
Baith thir pepill … sal ceis thair weris Ib. II. 30.
Be than the schoure was ceissit 1545 Reg. Great S. 757/2.
Quhairthrow all … marchandice within the said burgh is abusit, ceissit, and dekeyit c1550 Rolland C. Venus i. 5.
Eolus … ceissit swyith the small foulis of their sang 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii. 278.
Ceissing ȝour ciuile feid To follow Christ 1573 Ib. xxxix. 35.
Stancheing bludesched [that] wes not eith to ceice a1570-86 Maitl. F. xcviii. 26.
Sic ane perfyt pece That may our sorrow ceis 1601 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 108. 10/7.
The bell … wes ceissit befoir he culd wyn to the south gait