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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.

Grace, n. Also: graice, grayce, grais; grase; grece, gres. [ME. grace (c 1175), OF. grace.]

1. Favourable disposition towards a person desiring help or kindness. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1586.
The king in gret effectioun Resavit him in speciall grace
c1420 Wynt. ii. 787.
Partoloym … besoucht the kyng off gras Tyll tak thame tyll hym off duellyng
Ib. viii. 6053.
The Kyng his malancholy Forgawe and tuk hym till his grace
c1450-2 Howlat 86.
I will go to that gud [sc. the Pope], his grace for to grap
Ib. 863.
Thai wald Natur bespeike, of hir gret grace To discend that samyn hour
c1515 Asl. MS. I. 239/15.
The forsaid erle … put him … in the kingis grace, and the king resauit him till his grace
1535 Stewart 22194.
Of his gude grace gif he wald him dedane In that mater to mak thame sum remeid
Ib. 43907.
Do as ȝe will, I put me in ȝour grace
c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 86.
Blyith in countenance, richt fair of face, And stude weill ay in his Ladies grace
1560 Rolland Seven S. 293.
With ȝour gude grace I saillit the sey vpon

2. Favour, or an instance of this, shown to a person. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2541.
I pray ȝw, … of sum-quhate do grace me till
a1500 Henr. Robin & Mah. 117.
My hairt is on thé sett, … Nevir to faill, … Quhat grace that evir I gett
c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxiv. 19.
Me think my spreit rynnis away full gast Beseikand grace, on kneis ȝow befoir
1570 Sat. P. xiii. 211.
Rune is thair glas, and gone now is thair graces, In to respect of this foule tratorie

b. Favour shown by pardoning, forgiving, or leaving unharmed. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1534.
The seire counsall … decretit that Anthenore Sulde banist be, … As than to pas grauntede hime grace
c1420 Wynt. ii. 176.
The Jubilé Fyrst in his tym fundyn was, And [C. That] nowe we call the yherys [C. ȝhere] off grace
1456 Hay I. 88/27.
Do him grace or punycioun efter his meritis, for merci quilum is mare just na is rigour
Ib. 121/6.
Gif the duk of the bataill be tane, he suld have merci and grace
c1475 Wall. xi. 1382.
Tharfor till ask me think thow suld be bane Grace off our King
a1500 Seven S. 537.
Gentill and sempill als he slewe; Fra he thaim saw thai gat na grace
c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 216.
Quhy … gert [thou] … mercy seme, quhare that I fand no grace?
1513 Doug. iii. ix. 22.
He … sone eftyr cummys … wepyng and askand grace
Ib. xi. xiii. 107.
As he besocht for grace … Scho doublit on hir dyntis
1531 Bell. Boece I. 111.
The Emprioure incontinent gaue pardoun and grace baith to him, his wiffe, and brether
c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii. 819.
To that falt is na grace, Bot eirdit quik, to the laif examplair
1570 Sat. P. xiii. 216.
Syne hangit hie but grace vpon the gallous

c. A special favour, concession, or privilege. 1385 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 410/2.
To prowe gif the forsayde personaris walde seke hym othir with tretys, grace, or lauch
1456 Hay I. 275/4.
Quhat thing that ples the prince in privelegis extraordinaris, and gracis, and remissiouns is tholit and has strenth in the lawe
Ib. II. 93/31.
Gif ony gracis, remissiounis or legitimaciounis was to be done
1498 Acta Conc. II. 202.
The brekin of his actis of Parliament be the … purchesing of ane exhorbitant grace expectative in the Court of Rome

3. The favour, benevolence, or kindness of God.Freq. in Goddis grace, the grace of God.(1) 1375 Barb. iv. 456.
His menȝe, throu goddis grace, War weill releyit with armyng
a1400 Leg. S. xix. 560.
Ȝet that stule, be godis grace, Vndir hyme as vax moltine was
1456 Hay II. 64/10.
All sik folyis … castis men of Goddis grace
c1475 Wall. ix. 811.
Throw Goddis grace we sall bettir eschew
c1500-c1512 Dunb. xviii. 51.
And so I sall, with Goddis grace, Keip his command in to that cace
1591 Reg. Morton I. 177.
I sall be at hame, vith Goddis graice, on Vedinsday at ewin
(2) 1447 Edinb. Chart. 68.
James be the grace of God King of Scottis
c1515 Asl. MS. I. 287/27.
It is mervell, except the grace of god, & he part hym thairfra
c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlvii. 85.
Is none but grace of God That can in ȝewth considdir this
1518 Glenartney Doc.
James be the grace of God King of Scottis
(3) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 1430.
His servand Sanct Morise … throu his grace Benefice has ekit to the place
c1420 Wynt. i. 618.
Syne god … inclynyd was Thus tyll a pagane of hys gras
Ib. v. Prol. 34.
Gywe god wyll grawnt hys grace thar till
1456 Hay I. 70/30.
Off quhilk. bot god of his hye grace set remede, I se na way [etc.]
a1500 Henr. III. 147/53.
The hie God of his gracis Him self dispisit ws to speid
c1515 Asl. MS. I. 229/21.
With helpe & grace of the haly gast
c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1153.
Quhow god, of his speciall grace, Send thame the thrid sonne
a1578 Pitsc. I. 192/34.
Prayand to his Lord God, thankand him of his greit graice and mercie and benefeittis

b. In the phrase the ȝere of grace. 1391 14th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. iii. 13.
This endentoure mayd … the yere off gras [1391] witnes that it is accordit [etc.]
1402 Dundee Chart. No. 22.
The yhere of grace Mill' fourehundreth and the seconde
1421 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 45.
The yer of grace a thousand four hundreth and ellewin

4. Divine favour bringing help or good fortune. 1375 Barb. i. 450.
Our lord sic grace thaim sent That thai … Come till gret hycht
Ib. xiv. 361.
Thai … held thair livis, as god gaf grace
1456 Hay I. 80/27.
Thai have the hert and the curage grete, and that is a grace of God
1549 Compl. 97/21.
Their gryt pouer had na grace to fulfil there enterprise

5. A complimentary title or form of address used of or to a king, queen, or regent. In phrases, as his, ȝour, the Kingis grace etc., his gude grace.(a) 1507 Reg. Privy S. I. 226/1.
The gift of the feuferm aucht to his gude grace of the landis of Cullard
c1500-c1512 Dunb. lix. 14.
Ȝour Grace beseik I of remeid
1535 Treas. Acc. VI. 260.
Clippand the Kingis gracis scheip
1539 Ib. VII. 64.
To be his grace ane riding coit
1568 Fleming Q. Mary 511.
The inventar of the Quenis graces cleithing … send to hir grace furth of Loch Leuin
1569-73 Bann. Memor. 122.
This day the Regentis grace, with his cumpany, come to the Cannongait
a1578 Pitsc. II. 50/25.
Thay besocht the governouris grace to continew the erle of Angus
1590–1 Exch. R. XXII. 133.
Item, … for malt gevin to the kingis grace hors
(b) 1518–9 Acta Conc. MS. XXXII. 83.
To caus the quenis graice anneird to him
1524 Douglas Corr. 95.
Ambaxater to the Kingis grais of England
1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 49.
I trast ȝour grays hes hard how [etc.]
1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 189.
Apprewit be all hir graissis predicessouris sinsyne
a1578 Pitsc. I. 90/3.
For luife he buire to the kingis graice
(c) 1547 Corr. M. Lorraine 185.
Your gras sall wit
c 1548 Ib. 225.
Wretis to my lord protaktwris gres
Ib.
Hys gres has sad that we sall be na lesars

6. Grace before or after meat. In phrases, as to begin, say grace. c1450-2 Howlat 848.
The Pape begynnis the grace, as greably ganit
a1500 Henr. Fab. 270.
Withouttin grace thay wesche and went to meit
a1500 Prestis of Peblis 27.
The eldest than began the grace & said
1567 G. Ball. 18.
Certane gracis to be sung or said befoir meit or efter
1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 11.
At xi ryng to the dennar; at grace knel; to repetition eftyr grace ring
a1578 Pitsc. I. 249/4.
He that aught the house and maid the bankit sould say the grace and blise the meate

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"Grace n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Nov 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/grace>

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