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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.

Count, Cownt, n.¹ Also: counte, countt, cownte, kownt. [ME. count, counte (a 1325), OF. conte, cunte. Cf. Cont, Cunt, and Compt.]

1. An account or reckoning (of money, etc.).(a) c1420 Wynt. vii. 1339.
Off cownte and charge he suld be … fre 1445 Melville Chart. 31.
Al malis, cowntis, and rekynnyngis betwex thaim 1447 Rec. Earld. Orkney 189.
Be it made kende ... me ... till haff bene at kownt and reknyng with ... my full brothir, off all my faddir eritage, off the quhilkis he hasse gyffyin me lele kownt and reknyng and ful pament 1488 Lanark B. Rec. 2.
The cownt of William Foster, rentmaister, herd of twa termys in the yer bigane 1491 Dunferm. B. Rec. 33.
That wrangwisly he haldis fra hym ane unicorne to gud cownt and reknyn(b) 1456 Hay I. 167/4.
It suld nocht be put in my count … that is nocht delyverit me in payment 1476 Acta Aud. 55/1.
A count & reknyng writtin with schir Dauid Lutherdalis hand 1507 Reg. Episc. Brechin II. 157.
The quhilk [payment] we sall ger alow to yhw at tyme of ȝoure counttis 1542 Soc. Ant. II. 400.
A officiar to pound Robyn Turnor for xxii s. vi d. for three playe cottis, because it was assignit to him to pa, and to be inlowit in his count 1588 Events Mary & James 56.
This sevint day of Marche, efter ȝour new count, 1588 1627 Elgin Rec. II. 186.
Johne Leslie, collector appointed for bigging of the hospitall … having givin in a fitted count [etc.] 1643 Mun. Univ. Glasg. III. 532.
The count of buirds receaved fra buirdours extends to sevine hundreth thretteine lib. 1679 Foulis Acc. Bk. 15.
To my wife to pay Hodger her count for eall

2. fig. An account of conduct or belief. 1533 Gau 17/9. Ib. 53/18.
The time sal cum quhen thay sal giff scherp count thairfor 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 304.
Ȝe sall be callit to ȝour count Off euerilk thyng belanging to ȝour curis 1596 Dalr. II. 449/10.
To rander and gyue counte of thair faith and religioune