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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.

Clerk, Clark, n. Also: clerc, clerke, cleirk, cleark; clar(c)ke. [ME. clerk(e, clark(e, e.m.E. cleark(e, ME. and late OE. clerc, OF. clerc, L. clēricus.]

1. A member of the clergy; a cleric. Sometimes spec., a member of one of the minor orders.See also chapell clerk. 1360 Rotuli Sc. 849/1.]
[Dedimus licentiam Duncano Clerc & duobus sociis suis de Scotia clericis a1400 Leg. S. i. 162.
Efterwart he ordanyt swa, At all clerkis sic crownis suld ta c1420 Wynt. v. 3887.
The qwere … For prestys is ordanyt specyally, And to clerkys Ib. vii. 820.
Luwand he wes … Till clerkys and all relygyus 1427 Acts II. 16/1.
That na clerk … pas oute of the realme bot gif he cum to his ordinare first … & mak faith … that he do na baratry 1456 Hay I. 131/17.
I say that a clerk is … mare behaldin till his carnale fader, na till his spirituale Ib. 143/3.
The Pape … is prince … atour all clerkis in Crisyndome c1420 Ratis R. 739.
A clerk gif that thow bee, I pray thé reid the buk … And gif thow be a lawit man [etc.] c1460 Thewis Wysmen 62.
Sa dois … clerkis, that to the puple prechis 1477 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 35.
Wilȝam Ȝong, ane of the clerkis, sal haue the … Galowgate til his fee … , and Andro Ettale, the ferd clerc, sal hafe the Gaistraw c1475 Wall. viii. 4.
In Sanct Ihonstoun … Assemblit thar clerk, barown, and bowrugie Ib. x. 1006.
Salysbery oys our clerkis than has tan 1490 Irland Mir. I. 44/17.
Quhen … a clerk [desires] to be honorit as a prelat c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 435.
I … castis kynd lukis To knychtis and to cleirkis and courtly personis Ib. xvii. 6.
The clerkis takis beneficis with brawlis, Sum of Sanct Petir, and sum of Sanct Pawlis 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 130.
All the Lordis of religioun, And princes of the preistis venerable, … With all the cunnyng clerkis honorable 1546 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 228.
The said Maister Jerome and James allegit that tha aucht not to ansuer in the court … becaus tha ar clerkis and within ordouris 1567 G. Ball. 190.
Quhome suld we wyte … Bot preistis and clerkis, and thair euil warkis? a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xvi. 28.
Preistis and clerkis and men of religioun With devote mynd gang in processioun

2. A man of learning; a scholar. Sometimes spec., a theologian.(a) 1375 Barb. i. 249.
Than mays clerkis questioun, Quhen thai fall in disputacioun, That gyff [etc.] c1400 Troy-bk. i. 510.
Of this the gret Ptholomeus, This wise clerk, wrait & sais thus Of this eclyps c1420 Wynt. iv. 293.
As the clerk Orosyus In-tyll hys cornykyll tellys ws Ib. vi. 1.
Clerkys sayis that prolixyte … Gendrys leth mare than delyte 1456 Hay I. 45/10.
[There] was in that tyme ane notable clerk callit Pictagoras Ib. 256/4.
The grettest clerkis ar in grete dout … in that mater a1500 Henr. Fab. 57.
This nobill clerk Esope … Be figure wrait his buik 1490 Irland Mir. I. 16/6.
In the haly science of the diuinite thon sall knaw mony … questioune that clerkis determys of c1500-c1512 Dunb. iv. 34.
He spairis no lord for his piscence, Na clerk for his intelligence 1513 Doug. ii. Prol. 2.
Melpomene, on thé wald clerkis call Ib. vii. Prol. 14.
Tha schort days that clerkis clepe brumaill 1531 Bell. Boece I. 112.
About this time was mony nobill clerkis, as Persius, Iuvenale, Senica Ib. II. 105.
He was richt resolute in devine letteris, and was ane profound clerk 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5250.
The michtie towre … Quhilk was buyldit be clerkis sa bounteous 1567 G. Ball. 16.
Mony cunning clerk of it dois wryte Full christynlie 1573 Sat. P. xlii. 18.
The tane of thame appeirit to be Ane cunning clerk of greit clergie a1585 Polwart Flyt. 636 (T).
Ane counterfute cuistroun that clerkis dois not cair(b) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4928.
Thair was ane maister clark Dwelling in Rome, … Callit Virgill a1578 Pitsc. I. 249/20.
The bischope schew the paipe … that he was not ane good clark Ib. II. 315/18.
The clairk of Sanctandros quha had set furth the dialog … callit ‘The clairk and the courtiour’ a1585 Polwart Flyt. 636 (H).
Wnto that capped clarke, … That bitterlie doth barke, I may this reply

3. A scribe, secretary, or clerk.Originally implying senses 1 and 2. Freq. with additions denoting special functions, as clerk of the coket, compts, expensis, justiciarie, register or registry, stable: see these words and justice clerk, scheriff clerk.(a) 1375 Barb. ii. 9.
He wald in his chambre be … , With him a clerk forowtyn ma Ib. 14.
He and the clerk … Lap on, forowtyn persawyng 1424 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 14.
Lettrez presentit til vs … be yhour clerk maister Alexander of Foulerton 1450 Exch. R. V. 399.
Per solucionem factam Thome Broune, clerc, pro scriptura rotulorum, 1 s. c1450-2 Howlat 204.
Thar come the curlewe a clerk, and that full cunnand Ib. 222. 1478 Acta Conc. 8/1.
Thai war nocht sworne thaim self to the office, the tyme that thai made ther sergiand clerc and soytoure [in serving a brief] a1500 Henr. Fab. 1166.
The foxe was clerk and noter in the cause 1480 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 38.
The customes of Leith … with all lawfull dewteis, after the tenour of the clerks buik to be gevin in writt 1497 Acta Conc. II. 74.
To call the clerc that wrate the sade retoure 1522 Fife Sheriff Ct. 176.
Our said clerk … is ordanit … for besynes he hes ado to remane in Edinburgh 1525 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 221.
That the commoun clerk nor his deputtis gif nocht this writting without thai haif command thairto 1554 Peebles B. Rec. 411.
Deliuerit at command of the prowest and bailyes, quhan they wer at the scheker, to the clerkis and to the portowr 1570 Ib. 319.
Dauid Creichtoun to remane within the tolbuth vnto the tyme he deliueris all the scrowis that is in his hand kepand to the commoun clerk 1597 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 121.
To … prouyd for ane hous … to be ane vreting buyth to … thair servitour and clerk 1606 S. Leith Rec. 4.
Mr Williame Strang, reader and clerke to the Sessioune 1658 Nicoll Diary 210.
A long call … maid be the Judges of the Court of Sessioun, and of the laweiris, clerkis, and writeris a1686 Turner Mem. 119.
William Bruce, … Cleark of the Bills, was likewise a passenger 1690 Edinb. Marriages 42.
Andrew Balfour, W. S., clerk to the Bills(b) 1457 Peebles B. Rec. 123.
The auditoris chargit … the custumaris to gyf John Donal, clark, xx^ti s. 1527 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 248.
Gewand our full power … clarkis, dempstaris [etc.] … to creat 1560 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 116.
Louk Wilsoun, with my hand led be Alexr Guthre, clark 1563–4 Ib. 191.
The resort of the assassoris to the clarkis chalmer 1579 Conv. Burghs I. 94.
Drink syluer to the clarkis seruandis 1613–4 Misc. Spald. C. V. 94.
For ane efternunes drink … to the clarkis that tuik up the inventar of his bukis 1625 Haddington Corr. 145.
I haue sent yow … the stent quhich your lordship directed me to get from the clark of this toune 1667 St. A. Baxter Bks. 134.
Thir presenttis to be insert in the severall traidis buikis … wnder the subscriptione of Patrik Reid, thair clark

b. Clerk Register, the Clerk of Register. 1622-6 Bisset I. 242/5.
The act … is of new maid & acted in favouris of the clerk register 1638 J. Row Sermon 8.
Get your Clerk Register and look over your Rolls, and see if ever the Town of Edinburgh suffered for joining the Kirk of Scotland 1661 Acts VII. App. 68/1.
The Clerk Register did move before your Lo[rdshi]ps … the anciety of his place a1686 Turner Mem. 220.
I was … orderd to give in my accounts to the Cleark Register