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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.

Chiftan(e, Chiftayn(e, n. Also: chyf(f)tane, -tayne, schiftane, chiften, -tiean. [ME. chyftan, chiftaigne, rare variant of cheftayne, etc., Cheftane.]

1. A military leader or commander. 1375 Barb. ii. 226.
The king … wyst he wes thar And quhat-kyn chyftanys with him war Ib. xv. 387.
His gret bounte, That slew thair chiftane in the ficht a1400 Leg. S. xxix. 546.
Chiftane had thai nan, thai wist, That to thar fais cuth resist Ib. 709.
Gud chiften makis gud men c1420 Wynt. ii. 588.
Moyses than thare chyftane was Ib. iv. 1830.
Scypyo … Affrycane, Lord off the Romanys and chyftane 1455 Acts II. 44/2.
Quhen the wardan ridis, … that na man gang away with na maner of gudis quhill it be … partyt befor the chiftane 1456 Hay I. 112/27.
That is at the plesaunce of the chiftaynis, outhir constable or mareschall Ib. 143/26.
The chyftane takis his voyage out of Almayne c1475 Wall. iii. 165.
Thar cheyff chyftan feryt als fers as fyr Ib. xi. 660.
Tyll a chyftane, thai held it fantasy To walk allayn c1515 Asl. MS. I. 227/19.
Hew of Douglas … was chiftane on the Scottis syd c1500-c1512 Dunb. vii. 21.
Welcum our Scottis chiftane most dughty 1513 Doug. vii. vii. 55.
Dryve thar chiftanys of this land 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. iii.
The vailyeant and weirlie dedis of all kingis, princis, governouris, and chiftanis of Scotland 1535 Stewart 12309.
Quhen the Romanis saw him in that stait, … Ane vther chiftane haif tha chosin than c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 239.
No chiftane was, amangis thame all, In expensis mair liberall c1552 Id. Mon. 3968.
The bald Romanis, with thare chiftane, Tytus a1578 Pitsc. I. 144/2.
This nobill lady … exorted all the chiftieans of the airmie to bear fourtht the seige 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 86.
The valereus and godlie schiftane Iudas Machabæus 1611-57 Mure Dido i. 91.
Thair valiant chiftane speidily gives charge

2. The chief of a clan. 1587 Acts III. 464/2.
The kingis Maiesties clois valentynis to be send to the maistaris, … baillies, and chiftanes of all notable lymmeris and thevis 1590 Rec. Privy C. IV. 800.
Efter all diligence done alsweil aganis landislordis and baillies as aganis the chiftennes and principallis of clannis 1635 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 310.
Acts of Parliament made aganis landislordis and chiftanis of clanis 1667 Highland P. II. 45.
They rowed to the Kyle most boldlie, having no chiftan

3. The commanding officer of a war-ship. 1622-6 Bisset II. 220/18.
The admirall sall cause all chiftannis of weir schipis sweir that they sall governe their schipis but hurte to subiectis