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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.

Journe(e, Journa(y, Jurnay, n. Also: journey(e, jowrne(y, jowrnie, -ye; jowrna(y; jurnee, jurney, -ie, -y, jurenay. [ME. iournay, -ey, iourne(e (c 1330), iurnay, -ey, jurne (c 1250), -eie (a 1225), OF. journee, also jornee : cf. also Jorné]

1. A day's travel; the distance travelled in a day or a specified number of days. Freq. as a measurement of distance.(1) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 566.
And so longe went thai one thare way Inne journeis, whill that home come thay 1456 Hay I. 143/28.
The chyftane takis his voyage out of Almayne and cummys resonable grete journeis towarde Britayne, day by day c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxix. 30.
Thow tending to ane uther place, A journay [M. jurnay] going everie day 1533 Boece vi. ii. 188 b.
The Morave with haisty journais sped him to the king(2) 1375 Barb. xiv. 345.
In sic ane place … Quhar of journeis [v. rr. journais, iourneyes] weill twa & mair All the cattell withdrawin war a1400 Leg. S. l. 1182.
That hill … That ix iurnays gret ma be Of Alexandir fra the cite c1420 Wynt. i. 874.
Nynyve, … Quha throwcht it passis the nerrast ways Off leynth he fyndys thre jowrnays [W. jurnayis](3) c1510 Prester John 311 b.
This land lestis xl dayis jurnay on baitht the sidis 1549 Compl. 20/20.
The … cite of Nynyne, quhilk hed thre dais iournais of circuit 1577 Reg. Soltre 233.
Gif he passit forthour, his dayis iurnay to be … payit

2. A journey, excursion, round of travel, generally; the act of travelling. Also in phrases, esp. to tak (one's) jo(u)rnay.(a) 1513 Doug. vi. ix. 7.
Thai, percace, on sik wys mycht haue spent The tyme compleyt was for thar journe grant Ib. x. xiii. 117.
[The ploughman or the traveller] may, when the son schynys agane, Exers his journe or his wark alsfast a1578 Pitsc. I. 257/19.
The king heirand of his wnprosperous iournay 1612 Breadalbane Doc. 18 Nov.
My lord quha tuke journey Twysday last(b) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1613 (B).
I woik, Syne throw the schaw my iurney hamewart tuke 1678 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 344.
The Duck … is to take jurny for London … therefore … [to] make choise … of nighboures … for convoyeing his grace some mylles af the citie in order to his jurney 1694 Annandale Corr. 79.
I am glad to know the chancler is determined to take jurney heir

3. One of the portions, at the end of which new horses were provided, of a posting itinerary or postroad; a ‘stage’ in travelling or posting. b. (To ride) journey and post, = by such stages, by post, with haste. c1610 Melville Mem. 12.
We bocht thre little naigis to pas be journey ryding to Paris 1678 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 342.
John Binning postmaster is obleidged … to furnish his Majesties leidges with sufficient horses and furnitur for accomplishing of ther respective jurnies Ib.
Many horse hirers … doe let for hyre to the leidges many unsufficient horses that are not able to ryd ther jurniesb. 1663–9 Select Biog. (W.S.) I. 192.
I haue sometimes continued reasonable long ryding, both journey and post, without great wearying

c. attrib. Journey hors, a post-horse. Journey maister, the master of a posting station, who provided post-horses for couriers or travellers. Journey coach, a stage-coach. 1616 Haddington Corr. 129.
To conferre concerning this maitter off journaye horsis 1639 Acts V. (1870) 606/1.
That it shall he lawfull … for all persones to keip horsis for hyring. And this act only for journey horsis 1641 Ib. 549/1.
The … priviledges of … Bruntyland and Kinghorne anent ther jurney maisteres and journey horsis for serveing of the leiges 1652 Lamont Diary 45.
Dauid Leslies wyfe … returned from London to St Monence; she came downe in a iourney coach Ib.
Lady Crafoord tooke iourney from Leith for to goe to London … ; she went in the journey coach that comes ordinarilie betuixt England and Scotland

4. a. A day's work; a spell of work or business. c1420 Wynt. vi. 1923.
Fra this persowne wyth hyr had playd, And had the jowrne [C. iourne] wytht hyr done, That he had gottyne on hyr a sone

b. One minting or portion of work in coinage, orig. the work of one day; the quantity of coins produced in one minting. 1582–3 Cunȝiehous Acc. 6.
For [132] assayis for [132] jurnayis ilk ane weyand [¼] wnce … at xl s. ilk vnce Ib.
For xl goldin assayis as for fourttie journayis ilkane ane lyoun nobill 1673 Mint-Melting Journal MS. .
The last sueep & remander of the last journay, st. 00, lib. 05, vn. 00, dr. 00 Ib.
Jan. 10th, … This journay beginns 1674 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. IV. 175.
They found the saides haill essay peices to aggrie … with the severall dayes journeyes thereinmentioned 1682 Cochran-Patrick Rec. Sc. Coinage II. 183.
The asseymaster ought to make proof both of weight and fynes … and to put into the pix at least on peece of each journey

c. ? A day appointed for one's appearance in court following a summons.Cf. OF. journée in this sense, and Journay v. 2. 1533 Bell. Livy II. 318.
This cruelte … attempit be Appius beand for this jurney delait

5. A day's performance in battle or tournament, a battle, a combat; a warlike expedition or excursion, a campaign; a feat of arms or action of war, generally.(a) 1375 Barb. xiii. 323.
He did mony a fair iourne; On Sarisenis thre derenȝeis did he Ib. xvi. 22.
He … sperit of his brotheris fair, And of iourneis that he had thair Ib. 670.
The bischop … That throu his pris Has eschevit sa gret iournee c1420 Wynt. iv. 2266.
Twenty thousand off his men Wes slayne in to that jowrne [W. iurnay] then Ib. v. 122.
He … dyde gret prowes … In all kyn were or jowrne [W. iurnee] 1513 Doug. x. viii. 59.
Assist to me, … To perform this excellent fyrst journe 1533 Bell. Livy I. 115/30.
He behauit him self at all journeis sa craftelie that he was chosin finalie gouernoure of all the Gabinis army(b) 1375 Barb. xiii. 480.
Him [war] levar that iournye [E. journay] Wndone, than he swa ded had bene a1500 Sir Eger 1319.
A journey I must take for him, Whether that I must tine or wine c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 673.
Of this journey I mak ane end, Quhilk euerie nobill did commend(c) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 789.
Than Schir Gawine the gay Prayt for the iournay, That he myght furth weynd 1513 Doug. ix. iii. 192.
I hald it for the best Eftir this gud journay ȝe tak ȝou rest 1533 Bell. Livy II. 80/4.
Thus succedit the maist glore of this journay to Cossus 1533 Boece iii. xx. 120.
It was oure dangerus to iupert the chance of the haill kinrik to ane onlie iournay be Scottis Ib. viii. vii. 263 b.
Nor Galane … in this anterous journay omyttit na thing quhilk mycht rais the hartis of his army 1549 Compl. 103/25.
Til hef hangit sa mony Scottis men as thai purposit til hef venquest at that iournay(d) c1420 Wynt. v. 2792.
The victor … Efftyre hend his gre is qwyte In till hys jurnay discumfyt [etc.] 1531 Bell. Boece II. 492.
Thairfor this jurnay wes callit the Dirtin Raid 1533 Boece 27.
Of ane jurnay betuix xxx Hielandmen on the party

6. A kind of cloak worn over the armour, as when travelling. Also attrib. with cote (coat). = 15–16th c. F. jo(u)rnee, also jo(u)rnade, whence appar. e.m.E. jornet (1502). 1495 Treas. Acc. I. 226.
To the King agane his passage in the Ilis … ij ellis of crammesy vellous, to be a jurenay abone his harnes 1529 Ib. V. 366.
Ane journay of purpoure veluot 1531 Ib. VI. 20.
vij … elnis … of the samyn satyn … to be the king ane jurney cote 1538 Ib. 413.
For vij elnis … of Franche reid to be ane jurnay and comparalioun