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

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

Quotation dates: 1375-1689

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Here, Heir, adv. Also: her, heire, heyr(e, heer(e, heare, hier, hire. [ME. heer(e, heir, here, her, OE. hér.]

1. Here, in this place.(a) 1375 Barb. vi. 60 (E).
Her may ȝe mak abaid
a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 337.
The quhilk we saw her with ȝou now
c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 424.
Her in this fals regioun
1489 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 545 A.
With the witnes that ar her present
1513 Doug. i. i. 29.
Thar war hir armys, and here stude eik hir chair
(b)c 1380 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 76.
Heyr lyis Ingram of Kethenys
c1420 Wynt. vi. 1419.
In to this graffe heyr dede he lyis
c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 305.
Thi modyr and thow rycht heir with me sall bide
a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 66.
I wait na worthie herberie heir neir hand
c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxv. 1.
We that ar heir in hevins glory
a1540 Freiris Berw. 317 (M).
'Heir is aneuche forsuth of Goddis gude'
1545 Liber Coll. Glasg. 224.
The Blakfreris of Glasgw hes bene heir at ws
1612 Breadalbane Lett. (Reg. H.) 28th Nov.
All … duel weidis sall ceas at court and heir
1682 Brodie Diary 471.
The young man was heir last night
(c) 1662 Carstairs Lett. 80.
Methaught to have had your daughter hear
1689 Melville Corr. 138.
I cannot find pen to wrett heare at present
(d) 1666 Laing MSS. I. 350.
My lord, heer is my cosen Siforth, who is verie disayrous to ... kis the King's hand

b. With ellipsis of the verb.1385 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. 410/1.
Lo, here my witnez, Robyn Jonson … and Richard of Pentland [etc.]
1590 Criminal Trials I. ii. 239.
Ewerie ane ansuerit, 'Heir, Mr.'

2. With verbs of coming, bringing, or sending: To this place, hither.Sometimes not clearly distinct from sense 1.1375 Barb. i. 416.
Schir, heyr to ȝow I bryng This child
a1400 Legends of the Saints xv. 69.
Quarefor we cum her
c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 218.
Heir cumis our awin queir clerk
1540 Lynd. Sat. 4390.
Cum heir, gude Glaiks; … Cum hidder, Stult
1569 Protocol Book of Gilbert Grote 81.
He come heer at that present tyme
1590 Reg. Morton I. 169.
Send ane of ȝour awin serwandis to me heir
1623 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 205.
Till ye might send advertisement hier

3. In this world, on this earth, in this life. See also Here-doun adv. b.a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxvi. 71.
As Hely did til [= while] he here was
c1460 Wisdom of Solomon 405.
That euery man hav in mynd … the schort tyme that he has hire to byd
a1500 Bk. Chess 1587.
Efter his deid leiffand his gudis heire
c1500 Rowll Cursing 237 (M).
[Tailors] to schaip thair grayth In hell for steiling heir of clayth
c1500-c1512 Dunb. iv. 5.
Our plesance heir is all vane glory
1562-3 Winȝet I. 40/20.
That we … be not repellit fra our natiue possessionis heir, and efter fra our kingdome eternale
a1605 Montg. Sonn. xxi. 10.
The tym sall come vhen ȝe sall be accusit, For mony hundreth ȝe haif herryit heir

4. a. At this point or juncture, in this case, now.1375 Barb. iv. 125 (E).
Na mar may na man [fyr] sa cowyr Than … rek sall it discowyr. So fell it her
?1438 Alex. ii. 2267.
Ane vthir grant heir mak I thé
c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iv. 593.
Her is no chos, bot owdir do or de
a1508 Kennedy Flyting 41.
Heir I put sylence to thé in all partis
1513 Doug. ii. ix. 80.
Fortone heir endit his gloryus estait
c1552 Lynd. Mon. 103.
Off rethorick heir I proclame thé quyte
1562-3 Winȝet I. 106/28.
Ȝowr anser heir schaw
1585 James VI Ess. 9.
O Phœbus, for thy help heir might I call

b. At this point in a narrative; in this passage of a writing.a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 510.
Quhow he conuertit wes I sall tell her
14.. Acts I. 5/2.
Heyr begynnis the lawys of the Kyng David
c1420 Wynt. II. 1064.
Othir fenyheid fabyllis sere I wyll forbere to wryt in here
a1500 Bk. Chess 90.
Quha sa sayis … vther weye it is Than heir is said, forsuth he goith mys
a1500 Ib. *2192.
Heir endis the buke of the ches
1533 Gau 4/12.
The quhilk ver lang to vrit heir
1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 1.
We haue heir ane plane text

c. Heir a dayis, in these days, nowadays.1572 Sempill Sat. P. xxx. 186.
Quhilk will be found na fault now heir a dayis

5. In contrast to hyne and thare, in literal or transf. senses.a. a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxvi. 638.
Of mony merakilis sere, That thru hym ware wrocht hyne and here
?1438 Alex. ii. 3730.
The sing of lufe will I nocht tyne, For all is hirris, here and hyne
1529 Lynd. Complaynt 315.
So sall thow be [punished] … Baith heir and hyne … And want the euerlesting glore
c1550 Rolland Court of Venus i. 442.
God ordanit lufe to be baith heir and hyne
1562-3 Winȝet I. 127/28.
Feir ȝe nocht siklyke punisment heir or hyne to cum on tha religious persones quha now gredelie embrassis the warld agane
a1568 Bannatyne MS 224 b/49.
Quhither scho be heir or hyne, I salbe fane to leif in luvis lyne
b. 1375 Barb. ii. 307.
[They] skalyt to loge thaim her & thar
1375 Ib. iii. 699.
Wavys wyd … Weltryt as hillys her and thar
a1400 Legends of the Saints xxvi. 691.
He … traylyt hyme … Our al the floure here & thare
?1438 Alex. ii. 3583.
He thinkis here and answres thare
1513 Doug. i. iv. 11.
Baith heir and thair stant large craggis and brais
1513 Ib. xii. xi. 7.
The stampand stedis, … Now thrympand heir, now thar
1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 208.
Say weill hes freindis baith heir and thair
1596 Dalr. I. 7/8.
Heir agane sall ȝe se … heir a dry knowe … , thair a thick wodd
a 1620 Marischal Coll. Rec. I. 77.
All things ar confuisit and sparplit heir and thair

6. In comb. with adverbs or prepositions, as here-afoir, -after, -before, -fyrth, -into. See also Here-Anent, -Apon, -At, etc.a1578 Pitsc. II. 71/10.
As I have oftymes said heirafoir
1567 Acts (1597) ii. 16.
Gif ony seising beis vtherwaies given heirafter
1600 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 135.
Gif the lyk [offence] be fund in hir heirafter
?1438 Alex. i. 2249.
As heir befoir to ȝow said I
c1420 Ratis Raving 114.
The … tressour That God gaf mankynd herebefore
1573 Satirical Poems xl. 314.
This propheit … Quhome heir befoir we breuit in this bill
?1438 Alex. ii. 2015.
Now may ȝe se him … That iustit herefurth sa fare
a1578 Pitsc. II. 34/18.
[They] past to Hadingtoun and heirfourth to Edinburgh
a1578 Ib. I. 284/18.
The lord Home … sett his intent to put remeid heir into
a1578 Ib. II. 114/16.
Money of the lordis … consentit gladlie herinto

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