Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Insicht, Insycht, n.¹ Also: insich, -sight, -syth, -seich(t, -seycht, -seith, -seght. [Of uncertain derivation. North. e.m.E. insight (1522, appar. common in the 16th c.). A synonym (of more restricted currency) was Inspreth.]

1. Furnishings of all kinds in a dwelling-house or other building or room; furniture. Often coupled with plenissing.Comprising draperies, carpeting, and utensils as well as furniture proper.(a) 14.. Acts I. 346/2.
The crownaris sall haue … all the insicht within the inpert of the hous 1456 Hay I. 114/3.
[A knight] sould nocht dresse nane insicht in housis 1497 Crim. Trials I. 99.
For the reif … of the gudis and insicht being in the sammyn [house] 1533 Boece v. iii. 167 b.
Scottis and Pichtis … disturssit the cuntre of insicht & victualis sa mekil as thai mycht cary Ib. viii. xii. 276 b.
Thay askit … bot the insicht and gudis left to thame in Kent 1574 Edinb. Test. III. 48.
I leve to … my gude sister … the schyre & cuscheonis & vther small insicht of the chalmer 1647 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 85.
All the inhabitantis … who hade any … suspect guds, geir, insicht, and plenishing, within thair houssis 1650 Strathbogie Presb. 129.
He touk fywe horses out of his stable, loadined them with the insicht of his housse(b) 1554 Grant Chart. 113.
That scho sall leif in the sam [house] all the treyne insycht and brewe lwmes 1581–2 Waus Corr. 238.
Giff he knawis that he man flit, he vill care all avay, and leff the hows bare off insycht and loftein 1608 Melrose Reg. Rec. I. 75.
To … strenȝie … the reddiest guids, geir, insycht, … or lands pertening to the said George 1628 Dundonald Par. Rec. 258.
Archibal M^cSpedden … going to … intromet with the insycht of Jhone Blaks hous(c) 1652 Edinb. Test. LXVI. 4 b.
The insight of the defuncts smydie 1671 Ib. LXXIV. 142 b.
The inseght and plenesching of his duelling hous 1683 Misc. Bann. C. II. 290.
Insight(d) 1571 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 119 b.
The haill inseith and plenissing in the saidis housis

b. In the phr. insicht of houshald (also, house). 1473 Acta Aud. 24/2.
To restore … x s. for the insicht of houshald that was takin be the said Johne 1491 Acta Conc. 172/2.
For the takin fra him of … insicht of houshald pertening to him be ressoune of areschip of … his faider 1492 Ib. 252/1.
His gudis and insich of houshald 1551 Prot. Bk. W. Corbet 14.
[The officer] lychtit doune to haiff laid furth thair gwiddis and insycht of house

c. In plur. Cf. insicht gudis below. 1522 Acta Conc. MS. XXXIII. 5 b.
The wranguis … taking & withalding fra him of … vittalis, insichtis … and gudis

2. Attrib. (or quasi-adj., = household-), with gudis, geir or plenissing.(1) 1497 Acta Conc. II. 57.
The … spoleatione … of thre horse … with al his insycht gudis 1504 Stewart Mem. 86.
For the … distruction of diuers wittalis, insicht gudis and vther gudis 1546 Reg. Privy C. I. 47.
All the … veschell, cleithing, abulyeamentis and all uthair insycht gudis and geir 1569 Glasgow Prot. IV. 6.
Quhatsumevyr inseicht gudis spwilȝeit … of the saidis manir place 1581 Montgomery Mem. 220.
Sic inspreth, bedding and insyth guydis as beis ressanit be the said … Erllis seruandis 1606 Edinb. Test. XLII. 202 b.
[To his wife] the insycht guidis of his hous(2) 1535 Stewart 53391.
[They] spulȝeit hes about thame all the land Of corne and cattell and of insicht geir 1550 Rec. Earld. Orkney 104.
Of all landis … , gudis movable and unmovable, … and of all inseycht geir 1568 Edinb. Test. 165.
In insycht geir … ane cadroun, ane kettill 1582 Laing Chart. 258.
[The widow to have] the haill insycht geir except only ane furneist bed 1596 Black Bk. Taymouth 418.
Quhilk insicht geir the said … mair … put furth of the said Malcolmis hous(3) 1605 Crim. Trials II. 451.
Burning of the haill insicht pleneissing being thairin 1640 Black Bk. Taymouth 346.
Inventars of the jewells, silver plaitt … , insight plenisching, steilbow corne and beir 1652 Edinb. Test. LXV. 253.
The insight plenisching of his dwelling hous

3. Coupled with outsicht (= movable goods, as implements, etc., out of doors). 1482 Reg. Morton II. 244.
Full compt … of … inseicht & outseicht or ȝhit movable guddis quhatsumeuer … intromittyt wyth be the saide … erle Ib. 245.
Inseich or outseich or ȝhit movable guddis quhatsumener 1550 Prot. Bk. J. Cristisone 100.
[All right] to … all his insycht and outsycht and all his guidis movable and immovable 1568 Grant Chart. 284.
The abbaye and duelling place off Kinlos … insicht and outsicht plenissing off the samyn 1584 Argyll Lett. 64.
It is my will that my sone Colling haif na pairtage of geir, insycht or outsycht, except samekle as is vpoun his awin rowmes plenesit 1637 Stirlings of Keir 449.
The haill plennischeing alsweill outsicht as insicht plennischeing c1650 Spalding II. 417.
Cornefeild landis, outsicht, insicht, … and all vther goodis thay plunderit