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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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Cors, Corce, Corse, n.² Also: corsce, cowrs. [Variant of Cros, Croce, with metathesis of r, as in Norw., Dan., Sw. kors.]

1. The cross on which Christ, or one of the saints, was crucified. (See also Haly cors.)a1400 Legends of the Saints i. 621.
To Rome I ga, agane to be One the corse ȝet eft-sone done a1400 Ib. iii. 414.
Prechand the turment of the corse c1420 Wynt. v. 2648.
Scho hat Elane, that syne fand The cors into the Haly Land 1450 Peebles B. Rec. 15.
The ferd mes sal be of the Cors c1450 Craft of Deyng 224.
Our lord … the quhilk tholyt ded one the cors 1490 Acts Lords Auditors 142/1.
Betuix this and the fest of the Cors callit beltane nixt tocum c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxii. 77.
Thai leit him fall doune … Quhill cors and corps and all did crak 1535 Stewart 50159.
Beteichand thame in his cuir to gyde, Quhilk on that cors deit for thair trespas 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 2678.
Imp of the Deuill, cairis nouther cors nor creid

b. The form of a (or the) cross; the sign of the cross.a1400 Legends of the Saints xx. 312.
He in hy Ȝed one the watyre … Fra he the cowrs on it had maida1400 Ib. xxv. 602.
This Iulyane … wist that with sorcery He mycht nocht wyrk quhare corce ware by a1400 Ib. xxvii. 1546.
The takine of the cors to mak one thar froynttis 14.. Acts I. 323/2.
He aw till mak a cors in till the erde … quhar the bestis ar fundyn a1500 Henr. Fab. 305/25 (B).
I … maid a cors, and closit baith myne ene 1535 Stewart 31077.
Sanct Androis corce apperit in the air 1535 Ib. 31084.
The watchis … Grit wonder had vpone that cors to luke 1614 Criminal Trials III. 295.
The depouner ressauit lykewayes ane letter, without subscriptioun or directioun, saulf onlie ane corse, that it might be knowne frome the other letter

c. A model of the cross made of wood or metal.c 1450 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 201.
A corse of tre and ane salter in the Provest c1460 Thewis Wysmen 129.
Thai … Nocht our oft creip the cors one kneis 1535 Stewart 53348.
Chaleis, crowat and censuris also, Corsis, chandillaris, and mony relictis mo

d. A wooden cross sent round as a signal for assembling. (Cf. Firy a.)1615 Misc. Maitl. C. II. 180.
It is statut … that ilk hous … sall carefullie direct the corse … to his nixt nichtbour with ane … bearer for admonishing the people … to convein to kirk

2. A stone cross or pillar erected in the centre or market-place of a town, or as a boundary mark. (Cf. Mercat cors.)(1) 1436 Ayr Burgh Ct. Bk. 26 Dec.
Tha na wif sal by malt til it cum to the cors 1456 Peebles B. Rec. 117.
His land liand on the south rau anenttis the cors 1464 Ib. 151.
The land of Georg Dawysounis anorththalf the cors 1488 Paisley B. Rec. 27.
At the cors of Paslays side of the dike … be adnullit and put away c1515 Asloan MS I. 241/16.
Schir James of Douglas … schewe all thair seles at the cors on ane letter with thair handis subscriuit c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 211.
Thow bringis the Carrik clay to Edinburgh corse, Upoun thy botingis 1536 Dunferm. B. Rec. 17.
Gif thai by othir hyd or skyn and offer it nocht to the Cors, it sal be mayd chayt 1561–2 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 374.
For ane lok to the schenȝe at the cors to chenȝe ane theiff thairwith a1578 Pitsc. II. 42/18.
He caussit ane herald to pase to the corse and maid oppin procliematiounis that [etc.] 1586–7 Dundee B. Acc. MS.
For pynor-fe of the stone to be the heid of the cors 1605–19 Paisley B. Rec. 134.
The tenement besouth the Cors perteining to Robert Montgomerie of Skelmorlie(2) 1446 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 247.
Sua vp endlang that burn and about Tulyschetir … and syne on … to the cors of Brechmont 1456 Liber Aberbr. 89.
Throuout the myre linialy fra the est cors to the west cors 1510 Reg. Great S. 755/2.
Inter viam tendentem per le Pikit-cors et aquam de Nyth 1555 Melrose R. Rec. III. 224.
Fra the yet to the Hakkerstane corce 1595 Bamff Chart. 143.
Fra the said cairne passand south west to ane uther cairne of stanes callit the Reid Corse 1610 Rep. Milne Home MSS. 81.
Wp the cleugh a straight lyn to Lowkie Scheill cors

3. A small ornamental cross for wearing on the person.1471 Acts Lords Auditors 14/1.
A chene of gold and a cors price xxx li 1488 Treasurer's Accounts I. 81.
In a round buste within the said box, a cors of gold 1497 Ib. 379.
To by ane rabene to the Kingis cors 1506 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 434.
Ane cors of gold, weyand half ane unce 1540 Maxwell Mem. I. 411.
Ane cors of gold, and ane goldin ring

4. A cross made of two bands of cloth.1507 Treasurer's Accounts III. 293.
Ane cheseb and tunicales maid of the kingis goun of tanne wellus, and the corses of … dames rede engraned 1531 Ib. V. 433.
For ane quarter quhite taffatis to be corsis to the said baner 1531–2 Ib. VI. 22.
iij quartaris crammasy satyn to be ane corse to the said chesaple

5. A coin having a cross on one side. Cors and pile, pitch and toss.c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxix. 22.
My purs is maid of sic ane skyn, Thair will na cors byd it within c1500-c1512 Ib. lxxix. 4.
For left is nether corce nor cunȝie Off all that I tuik in the ȝeir 1506 Treasurer's Accounts III. 376.
In Wigtoun to the King, quhilk he tynt with Dauid Craufurd at cors and pile

6. A set of four leaves forming a cross.1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 91.
Thair scho suld find … thrie cors of clewir girs, and cast the sam in the fyir

7. A part of a sail.1614 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries X. 224.
For xxv dussoun of canues to be cors and bonet of ane main saill, and cors and bonnet of a foir saill

8. Attrib. and comb. (freq. in adjectival sense = crossing, lying across), with banding, bar, bot (bolt), chamber, feld, ford, gutter, ile (aisle), linkit, peice, stane.1645 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 110 b.
For 6 skoups eyrining and corsbanding —1587 Acts III. 522/1.
A prik of irne … passing throw … the said ovir cors bar 1629 Master of Works Accounts XXIV. 20 b.
Ane stapill to the corsbar of the new ȝet —1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 142.
Ane meikill cors bot and xij nallis —1686 Brechin Testaments VII. 162 b.
Ane table in the cors chamber —1553 Protocol Book of R. Lumsdane 15.
The cassay betuix the faldis of Pit and the corsfeld of Auchercowl —1483 Acts Lords Auditors 118*/2.
Anent the richt of the fery bait of the cors ford of Clide —1577 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 63.
It is ordanit that the … crames thairfoir be put betuix the cors gutter and the gibbet —a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 39.
This Ladie … biggit the north cors yle of the collage kirk of Seytoun —1587 Edinburgh Testaments XVII. 242 b.
Ane … cheinȝie corslinkit with fyve knappis —1471 Acts Lords Auditors 14/1.
A chene of gold & a cors peice —1458 Liber Aberbr. 104.
Haldand eist to the corsstane abwne Cargfuryngis … and eist the north part of Tarrak tyl ane othyr corsstane