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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Errour, n. Also: errowre, -oure, -ore, -ure, -wre, erour, arror, -our. [ME. errour(e, -owre, errur(e, etc. (a 1300), OF. errour, -ur, -or, L. error.]

1. Erroneous beliefs or opinions in matters of faith or morals; the currency or prevalence of these. a1400 Leg. S. vii. 844.
Gyfe thai will Lewe thare erroure & turne hym till Ib. xl. 182.
He … wiste weile mony he suld wyne Fra errure & fra dedly syne 1456 Hay I. 23/12.
In the tyme of ane othir pape Benait, was grete errour in haly kirk c1460 Thewis Wysmen 29.
We find … That men suld prech, … Raprufand erour, foly and wyce 1562-3 Winȝet I. 54/6.
A manifest aduersar … to all schisme, seditioun. errour and heresie a1578 Pitsc. I. 105/27.
It becomes ane that is fallin in errour … to becume penetent

2. A mistaken belief or principle. c1420 Wynt. vi. 32.
This Leo yhit Empryowre Lyvand in hys fals erroure Ib. 49.
He … deyd curst in that errure 1456 Hay I. 12/16.
A man that … takis to his fude the sedis of errouris and herisy 1490 Irland Mir. I. 48/14.
That was the erroure of Pelagius, … and incontrare of this errour has determyt mony haly counsalis of the vniuersall kyrk 1513 Doug. vi. Prol. 155.
I favour nocht the errour of Maniche 1562-3 Winȝet II. 60/15.
A bordal of abominable and filthy errouris 1596 Dalr. I. 1/17.
I hoped … the radier walde thay ryse frome thair darke errouris 1608 Bk. Univ. Kirk III. 1050.
They could sie no appeirance in his Lordship of conversioun from his errours

3. A mistake as to fact. 1392 Lennox Mun. 48.
Nouther throw dowte na forse led, na throw errour sclyddyn, bot of our cler and fre wyll c1420 Wynt. v. 4306.
Huchowne bath and the autore Gyltles ar of gret errore Ib. vii. 2178.
This I wrat noucht in errwre ?1438 Alex. ii. 2526.
Thre thingis I pray thé nemmin heir Of quhilkis sum men in errour ar

b. A mistaken or wrongful decision on a brieve of inquest. 1494 Treas. Acc. I. 210.
Ane composicione maid with the Lard of Dary convict of errour 1516 Reg. Privy S. I. 422/2.
The eschete of all thair gudis … for errour that thai … being apone the inqueist in serving of ane breif of inqueist [etc.] 1539 Treas. Acc. VII. 185.
To … seik the lard of Suentonis gudis … being convik of errour for serving of the lard of Nesbettis brevis

c. Assise of errour, an assize appointed to reduce an erroneous service of heirship. 1494 Treas. Acc. I. 214.
For the superseding of the assis of errour, xl li. 1504–5 Ib. III. 129.
To Ormund pursewant, to pas to summond the assise of errour apon the servyng of Mungo Homes breves 1516–7 Ib. v. 113.
To somond the assys of arror for serving of the landis of Drummond 1570 Leslie 63.
Considering the ignorance that wes amangis landit men quhen they past apoun inqueistis & briefis … beand convict in assyissis of errour [etc.] 1669 Rec. Justiciary Ct. I. 322.
And if the Assise should proceed notwithstanding of the legall evidence … , that they are liable to be punished and tried by an Assise of Error 1689 Acts IX. 45/1.
That Assyses of Error are a greivance, and that juries be considered by Parliament

4. Wandering, straying. 1513 Doug. ii. v. 88.
Eftir lang wandryng and errour our the see 1533 Bell. Livy I. 14/3.
This new affinite … gaif ferme esperance to Troianis to finis al thare errouris [v.r. arrouris] with ane stabill … duelling