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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hap, n.¹ Also: happe, hape. [ME. happ(e, hap (c 1205), ON. happ.] .

l. The fortune (good or bad) falling to one; one's lot or luck, fate or destiny.(1) c1420 Wynt. viii. 2572.
Lyppnys nocht … A better hape till have than dey 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2254.
Perchance ȝe sall vpon war hap cum to, Than chancit ane knicht 1567 Reg. Privy C. I. 545.
Seing the murtherare … fund sic hap in ane unhappy interpryise that [etc.] a1586 Lindsay MS. 78.
Diuinouris that say that it is ewill happe to se ane woman discouerit in the morning a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae. 498.
Fear not thir, For hope gude hap hes heichte(2) 1456 Hay I. 182/15.
Sen he has tane sauf condyt of him that na power has, lat him stand till his hap 1513 Doug. ii. iv. 53.
Laocon justly, sik was his hap, Has deir ybocht his … deid 1535 Stewart 31674.
He … slew him thair, sic wes his hap and werd c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 471.
Our ȝoung Squyer, sic was his hap, Was first on fute 1570 Sat. P. xi. 21.
My hawie hap and piteous plicht c1590 Fowler II. 99/7.
Then began there [= their] wounted … gudhap to decay a1605 Montg. Son. xvi. 8.
Houbeit my hap be ill

b. Fortune or chance, in general sense. 14.. Acts I. 85*/2.
Gif … , throw hap, the defendour deis ?1438 Alex. ii. 4103.
It was bot hap that helpit thare, That he na was deid Ib. 8480.
‘Sik is hap [F. la destinée], dam,’ quod Ydeas 1513 Doug. x. v. 175.
Hap helpis hardy men, be myne avys 15.. Christis Kirk 98.
Bot lo, as fortoun was and hap, His doublat … sauft him 1558-66 Knox II. 321.
But as hap was, the inner yett … keapt him that nycht a1598 Ferg. Prov. 8 b.
Hanging ganges be hap

2. Good fortune, good luck; advantage or success resulting from this. Frequently, To have (the) hap to (accomplish or experience something).(1) 1375 Barb. xii. 273.
Gif that vs fallis … Hap to vencus the gret battale Ib. xv. 392.
Hap him fell, that he did swa a1400 Leg. S. xxxvii. 216.
Men als wele erande [= hearing] Sal haf na hape til vndirstande c1420 Wynt. iv. 2073.
Thai ware lyk gret skath to ta, Na ware the hape it sessyd sone c1420 Ratis R. 764.
Sa lang sall he … neuer have hap to met with seill a1500 Henr. Fab. 676.
Weill war him, that … Had hap to ȝow his sinnis for to schriue 1535 Stewart 48110.
And [= if] he haif hap to ring 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2137.
Sa I had hap to gar that dum beist die a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxii. 26.
In sik a shappe as hes no hape To further weill 1600-1610 Melvill 81.
He … haid the hape never … to haiff his blud schede(2) c1420 Wynt. iv. 780.
On the nycht gywe we can se That the hape [in battle] mycht owrys be Ib. 796.
Efftyr hope hape hapnys quhille 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8044.
Gif thow hes hap, now hit hir on the heill a1570-86 Maitl. F. xlvii. 68.
And haue thow hap, the better luffit c1590 J. Stewart 21/231.
Quhat auails formosetie or hap Quhan that hir honor is suppressit doune?(3) 1600-1610 Melvill 14.
Haiffing the happe of sic maisters as war the graittest lights of that age

b. In phrases or proverbial sayings.(1) c1420 Wynt. i. 1566.
Thai … honowryd hyr … , as scho sulde be Thare hope, thare hape, and thare awowe a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 217.
Oure hope, oure hap, we set in wardlynes 1611-57 Mure Sonn. vii. 2.
Adieu! my loue, … My hope, my hape, my joy, my all, adieu(2) 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 102.
Thocht it bene better, as sayis the wyse, Hape to the court nor gude seruyce c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS. 94 a/5. Ib. 35.
He can nevir win na grace nowdir throw hap nor gud seruis(3) a1500 Prestis of Peblis 184.
Thar faderis purely can begyn With hap and halfpenny & a lam skyn a1598 Ferg. Prov. 9.
Hap and a half-pennie, is warlds geir enough