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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.

Faith, Fayth, Fath(e, n. Also: faithe, faythe; faitht, faytht, fatht; faicht, facht. [ME. faith, fayth, varr. of feith, feyth, OF feit, feid. The forms with final -tht and -cht are partly editorial expansions of scribal contractions, as fayt.]

1. Religious belief. a1400 Leg. S. xliii. 528.
Of conscience gud & clere, & fath vnfenȝet 1456 Hay II. 52/31.
Be faith men has all gude knawlage … of God … , and but faith man is wer na nocht c1450 Cr. Deyng 51.
Thai suld rehers to hym the gret faith and paciens of marteris ande vthire haly men c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxviii. 28.
Our fayth is now refoundit c1552 Lynd. Mon. 476.
Without that we, throw lack of faith, Of his godheid incur the wraith c1552 Ib. 480.
Quhat faith is that that ȝe call ferme? 1562-3 Winȝet II. 30/24.
The wtheris [precepts], quhilkis ar decretit of fayth a1578 Pitsc. II. 239/28.
We aucht to pray … that we may have ane trew fervent constant fayth in him

b. With various qualifications, or absolutely: The Christian religion.(1) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 130.
He … besyly gert sek all thai, That Cristine fath before can ta c1450 Cr. Deyng 53.
How wychtly thai sustenyt al tormentis … for the faith of haly kyrke 1467 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 403.
Quhasa euir brakis in ony of thir condicionis sall be haldyn … [to] ranunce the fatht of Criste 1490 Irland I. 21/21.
To … be ferme in our mynd throu the faith catholic 1551 Hamilton Cat. 4.
The doctrine of our christian faith & religioun 1562-3 Winȝet II. 23/29.
Be thame he … wald cal agane almaist the hail warld … to the auld faith 1596 Dalr. I. 210/15.
To instruck the rude and barbarous people in the christine faythe(2) 1456 Hay I. 74/16.
It is ane of the principale poyntis of oure faithc1550 Lynd. Meldrum 413.
Think Ȝe not schame For to gif credence till ane dreame? ȝe knaw it is aganis our faith 1596 Dalr. II. 382/18.
The deuises of sum limmeris, quhilkes the artikelis of thair faith commounlie tha call(3) c1450-2 Howlat 486.
Thus in defence of the faith he fure to the fecht c1450 Cr. Deyng 25.
Sa thai that … deis in the faithe … suld nocht dreid thare ded 1490 Irland Mir. 11/27.
He had gret victorye agane the innemeis of God and the faithe c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2331.
Quhow, the faith for to fortifye, Thay sufferit pane rycht pacientlye

c. A statement of belief. a1578 Pitsc. II. 143, n.¹
They … gart prent thir actis and constitutionis … and sealled [= sold] thame … for twa pennyes, quhilk eftirward was callit the twa penny faith

2. Belief, credence. a1400 Leg. S. xxiii. 393.
Thocht na fath to me ȝe gefe, Ma fal to thame ȝe wil belif 1490 Irland Mir. I. 136/4.
That this lady suld traist this weraly; and gif ferme credens and faithe thar till

b. Credit, validity. 1492 Acta Conc. 249/2.
The said Instrument is false and aucht nocht to haf na faithe in iugement nor vtouth 1535 Grant Chart. 79.
Vnder the pane of cursing … and tinsale of perpetuale faytht, lawte, and cridence 1626 Aboyne Rec. 261.
Therefter all wrytis … maid to me … sall have no faythe nor crydet quhaire evir they be fand 1615 Misc. Spalding C. v. 218.
It is ordanit, that all the old actis that beis not put to executioun sall be annullit heireftir and haif no fayth

3. Observance of promises or obligations; good faith, faithfulness, fidelity. ?1438 Alex. i. 371.
Be the faith I to ȝow aw, … Behind [me] thair sall nocht leif ane 1456 Hay I. 248/10.
A reugle generale is that quha brekis faith, faith suld nocht be kepit to thame a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 138.
Quhare that kingis & ledaris of the law Brekis faith to God be lost allegians c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W.460.
Faith hes ane fair name bot falset faris better a1578 Pitsc. I. 43/25.
He had experience of the governouris … faitht and lawtie in sic caces 1596 Dalr. II. 372/13.
Concerningthe gude wil and fathe of the Scotis toward the Frenche

b. Qualified by gude, rarely evil. 1446 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 105.
Oblysande me straitly & fermly undyr ony gud fath and undyr the payn of al my gudis [etc.] 1456 Hay I. 164/21.
I brek my law and brevis myn honour, again God and gude faith Ib. II. 159/7.
Have na traist in man of evill fayth

c. In the phrase be the faith or faithis of or in (his, thair, etc.) body or bodeis, used in solemn assurances of good faith or loyalty.(1) 1472 Liber Aberbr. 168.
[I] Nicholl Monypenny … oblisis me be the fath off my body … in the sowme off fowrty s. 1478 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 339.
The said Alexander Irwin … bindis and oblissis him and his airis be the fatht of thair bodiis [etc.] 1481 Ib. II. 331.
The sade Williame is bundin be the faytht in his body and lawete neuer to disheres forther than is forsaide 1520 Maxwell Mem. I. 245.
I bynd and oblis me to kep this forsaid constablery … be the fayth and trewth in my body c 1532 Breadalbane P. (Reg. H.) Doc. No. 43.
Athir of the saidis parteis ar bund and oblist till vtheris be the faith and treutht in thair bodeis(2) 1420 Reg. Great S. 30/1.
The forsaid lord and his forsaid squyar ar oblist ilkane til other be the faythis of thair boiddis 1463–4 Cal. Chart. (Reg. H.) Suppl. 22 Mar.
The saidis … bindis and oblis thaim … be thir present endenturis and the faithis in thair bodyis 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 455.
The said Patry and his ayres salbe bundin and oblist be the fathis of thar bodiis to the said knycht 1554 Misc. Spalding C. II. 276.
This band of manrent … to remane and induir perpetualie … be the faythtis and trewthtis of our bodyis

4. Declaration of good faith, fidelity, or loyalty. With the verbs make, give, and take.(1) 1385 Red Bk. Grandtully I. 138*.
I made bodely fayth it ryhtwysle to dome Ib.
Bodely makand gude fayth that [etc.] 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 1466 Acta Aud. 5/1.
The quhilk Robert … deponit and made faith that the said Ranald … gafe our the said office to him 1520 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 198.
Iames Wardlaw maid fayth in jugement that he sould lelelie … keip the premissis 1562 Prestwick B. Rec. 66.
The sad Jhone Ondirwod mad fath at [he] gayf the copy one morne, quhilk was xv days & ane day rynand betuene 1600 Crim. Trials II. 200.
Ruthvene … wald nocht depairt, quhill his wyff maid faith that they had na powder 1622-6 Bisset I. 244/10.
Gif any man … makis faith or offerris to mak faith that the guidis poynded … pertenis to him 1707 Corshill Baron Ct. 234.
Witnesses … made faith to depone as follows(2) 1405 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 201.
At all this … be yemit and kepit in fourme and effect, bath … partiis hase gifin bodily fayth 1456 Hay I. 87/12.
Sen … he has maid him athe, and gevin him his faith, than suld he stand with him to the utterest(3) 1456 Hay I. 120/30.
For war it nocht his will to save in tyme, he had nocht tane fayth of him c1515 Asl. MS. I. 243/29.
He … tuke faith of all the gentillis clerlie

b. Allegiance to a ruler or sovereign. c1475 Wall. vii. 869.
The blessit men, that was off Scotland borne, Fwnde at his faith Wallace gert thaim be sworn 1494 Dunferm. B. Rec. 52.
It is found that the said Thomas deit at the faith and pece of … the king 1537 Colquhoun Chart. II. 342.
Iohnne Colquhone … died vest and seased of Saulnte myln, with the pertinence, at the faytht and pex of our souerane lord

c. Confirmation. 1437 Reg. Panmure II. 231.
In faitht and witnes of the quhilk thing to this my letter my seil is affixit 1454 7th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 720/2.
In fath and wytnes hereof, the seile of the office of the schirefdome of Forfare [etc.] … ar appendit

5. In faith (also in gude faith), assuredly.(1) a1400 Leg. S. vii. 608.
Wil thu vndirta That I and thai that are with me In gud fath sal vnschait be? c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 10.
I haue followit the Court so lang, Quhill in gude faith I may no mair a1540 Freiris Berw. 93.
In gud faith, we will both be deid or day 1578 Events Q. Mary & Jas. VI 42.
In gud fayth it is the thing in erd I desyre maist(2) 1398 Bower Chron. II. 423.
Quha so pykkis at her, I sal pyk at his nese, in faith 1456 Hay I. 281/24.
In faith, I traist that the king, … aw to punys him be law of armes c1475 Wall. i. 433.
This day for me, in faith, he beis nocht socht c1500-c1512 Dunb. vi. 75.
In faith I am mair fule than he c1550 Rolland C. Venus iii. 124.
Gif sa fall, in faith I hald thé fey