Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Courch(e, Courtch(e, n. Also: cowrche, cowrsch, cour(t)sche. [Reduced form of Courchef (cf. Courchay,n.), prob. through the pl. courcheis, OF. couvrechiés, -chés, pl. of couvrechef. Cf. Curch(e.] A kerchief.See also brest-, hand-, nek-, nicht-courch. The forms with final -e (also pl. courcheis) may in some instances represent courché.(a) 1478 Acta Aud. 67/1.
A courche of hollande clatht, a courche of braide clatht, a courche of husymaking c1475 Wall. i. 241.
Scho … A soudly courche our [his] hed and nek leit fall Ib. xi. 1060.
A courch with slycht apon his handys thai laid a1500 Seven S. 208.
Madynnis with courche and with kell a1500 Prestis of Peblis 1305.
Than quhair is thy cod, courche, or cap? 1517 Fam. Rose 189.
xviij womenis courcheis 1525 Stirling B. Rec. I. 24.
Robe Murra and Jame Mur had theftusly stouin … ane sertane of sarkis, courcheis, and colares 1533 Boece xv. iii. 578 b.
Edwerd … causit his folk haue ane quhite courche knytt about thare armys 1546 Acta Conc. MS. XX. 116 b.
xxx cowrsches of holland claith (1553) Doug. vii. vii. 26 (R).
The grisly serpent … sum tyme of hyr coursche lap with ane waif 15.. Clar. i. 891.
Unto hir … present, … This courche of plesance 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii. 326.
Courche, coller, cloik, belt, braislets & rings a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xciv. 93.
Thair camreche courcheis ar als deir 1589 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 127.
For streking of the said Jonete Bogyll on the halfatt and ruiging of hir courch af hir heid 1605 Crim. Trials II. 463.
The said Johnne … strak and dang hir in the face … raif hir courche and remanent ornamentis of hir heid(b) 15.. Clar. i. 29.
Ane courtche of plesance, of gold all browderit bricht, Quhilk waifit lyke ane streimer castine licht 1598 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 236.
[The council] ordanis him to gif the auld clayth to the puir wemen in the hospitall to be thair courtches 1610 Edinb. Test. XLVI. 172 b.
Als meikill campraige to be hir tua ruffis and tua courtscheis 1643 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 174.
Knowe ȝe not quhat becam of the kow, quhilk did eat my courtch