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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.

Keping, Keiping, vbl. n. Also: keipp-, keyp-, kyp(p)-, ki(e)p-, kaip-, kayp(p)ing, keeping(e, -yng(e, -in, -yn(e, -eing, -eyne, -en(g; also Kepping. [ME. keping (a 1300), f. Kepe v.]

1. Keeping, in ordinary senses of the verb.(1) 1398 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 38.
For the mar sikir kepyng of the trewis 1518 Glenartney Doc.
In the us and keping of the priuelegis(b) 1520 Thanes of Cawdor 138.
For the mayr securyte and keippyn of al poyntis 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 200.
For gud obseruing and keipping of the statutis of this burgh 1648 Stirling B. Rec. I. 194.
For bettir keiping of the Sabothe(c) 1555 Boyd Fam. P. No. 43 (6 Dec.).
And to observing fulfilling and kaiping of this present contract(2) 1598 Aberd. Eccles. Rec. 163.
The maist pairt … is become negligent in keiping and frequenting to the exerceis 1628 Dundonald Par. Rec. 241.
Her euil keiping of the kirk(3) 1573 St. A. Kirk S. 839.
Be superstitius keping of Ȝwill-day haly day 1673 Moray Synod 157.
By disregarding the keeping 29 of May … as a day of thanksgiving(4) 1562 St. A. Kirk S. 149.
The saidis Andro confessis thar cumpany kepyin as said is and allegis thai ar contracked ... of mariaigeIb. 171. 1602 Grant Chart. 200.
For keiping and interteneying of freindschip, amite, guid neychbourheid(5) 1388 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 294.
The keping of the wode sall be thair batheis c1420 Wynt. viii. 3473.
Thai set on thaim na kepyng 1442 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 8.
It is sene speidful … for the kepyng and governance of this burgh that the yattes … be stekit ilke nyght 1490 Irland Mir. I. 104/3.
This lady had a gret multitud of … angellis … deput for hir keping c1500-c1512 Dunb. vii. h.
Lord Barnard Stewart … chamerlane ordinare to the … King of France, … capitane of the kepyng of his body a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 967.
It is evill keiping the lok quhairof ilk man caries the key about with him 1623 Forbes Baron Ct. 277 n.
The saidis tennentis to answer for their servantis and bairnis … for keipinge off the halkis nestis(6) c1500 Makculloch MS. x. 18.
Thow tak ws, lord, in thi keping Fra our ennomiys & al his wratht 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 34.
I praye God hayf your lordschip in his kypyne 1544 Ib. 89, 91.
Kayping, kaypping 1544 Ib. 113.
God, quhom haif yow in kypping(7) c1460 Consail Vys Man 279.
Desyr neuer kepinge of justice In land quhar na law kepyt is 1658 Rothesay B. Rec. 273.
Formar actis maid for ordour keiping(8) 1456 Hay II. 46/11.
In sik keping he suld be garnyst in his armouris and his wapnis(9) a1500 Henr. Robene & M. 88.
My scheip to morne … Will neid of no keping 1556 Reg. Cupar A. II. 261.
The said Johne … sall tak in keping … samony ky 1564 Inv. Q. Mary xc.
To Anthone Guedio for keiping of the Quenis grace doggis(10) 1506 Treas. Acc. III. 197.
To Johne Knox wif for keping, walking and expens of Curry liand seik 1519 Lennox Mun. 215.
Quhilk son and air sal be deliuerit to the said Hew … in nuresene and kepen 1586 Thanes of Cawdor 190.
Bayth the saidis parteis promesis … that in cais thay gett my lord in thair keiping 1600 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 91.
Debursit … in the upbringing and keiping and mantening of thair maiesties childrein(11) c1420 Ratis R. 230.
Thi handis … suld be led with gud keping(12) 1375 Barb. vi. 384.
He valde se his gouernyng, That had the castell in keping 1423 Reg. Great S. 31/1.
Our fader has … grantit til … Michel the Ramsay the keping, governance, and the capitanry of hys castel of Louchmabane 1551–2 Reg. Privy S. IV. 239/1.
The office of sercheorie and keping of the Watter of Tay and all cobillis being thairupoun c1575 Balfour Pract. 250.
The overlord … hes na richt … to the keiping nor ward of the heritage c1610 Melville Mem. 300.
The Erle of Arran obteanit the keping of the castell of Stirling(13) a1400 Leg. S. v. 405.
The bischope … bad hym the depose furth bryng That he lefit in his kepynge c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxiii. 28.
[They] of thair riches bot the keping hes 1570 Inverness Rec. I. 190.
The said Christan … had ane marrow callit Jonat Tomson and left the said clais in keiping wyth hir 1608 Crim. Trials II. 556.
The … abstracting … of our jowellis … by such as ar in trust, or haif the keping of thame 1630 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 316.
Ten thousand punds … quhilk is now in the possessioun and kieping of Marioun Douglas 1646 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 90.
That the haill pouldir … be … put in ther keippeing vpon ther noitts of recaite(14) a 1400 Bute MS. 173.
He aw to do it [the ship's tackle] in gude keping qwhil he wyt the wyl of his maystris 1510 Douglas Chart. 193.
The said sowm … beand pout in guid and sekir keping 1527 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 118.
That the mony … be put in ferme keping 1628 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 280.
To have a care of the saiff keping of it [a ship](15) a1400 Leg. S. xl. 391.
The monk, that keping hade Of the ȝard 1456 Hay II. 66/8.
The teching of the keping of hors and harnais and wapinis 1503 Lanark B. Rec. 12.
For the kepyn off the knok twa markis 1622 M. Works Acc. XVI. 8 b.
To Jerome Murray for ringing the bell and keiping the sandglas 1674 Misc. Spald. C. V. 232.
The keiping of the laird of Leyis smidie … the keiping of the mils and not abstracting no multars(16) 1460 Ayr Charters 34.
As we are informit ye mak you till … oysse the kepyng of the said new fayr with wrangwys customis 1589 Reg. Privy C. IV. 419.
The Sabboth day … violat … be haldingand keiping of the saidis mercattis and fairis(17) 1457 Acts II. 51/2.
Anentis the keping of birdis and wylde foulys that ganis to eit 1614 Highland P. III. 167.
Anent the discharge of having and keiping within the Ile of galayis and birlingis(18) 1521 Acts II. 39/2.
The haisty returnyng of oure said governor to the keping & interteynying of this realme in polecy & justice 1549 Compl. III.
Be the keping of his counsel secret fra his frendis 1623 Forbes Baron Ct. 277 n.
For keiping off the said wood oncuttit(19) 1567 Digest Justiciary Proc. F. 17.
The disobediance … in not keiping of the plaice assignit be [the] maister of watche 1631 Glasgow Burgesses 73.
For not keeping of his awin hous at his returne(20) 1375 Barb. ix. 755.
The King for-out mair delaying Send him to be in ferm keping 1444 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 10.
The deliuerance of certane Inglisemen, the quhilke ar in yhoure warde and keping 1533 Boece v. iv. 175.
Conare king, quhilk … be decrete of the nobillis was in keping throw lang incarceracioun 1551 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 158.
To haue thair stabillis … furnist with … catbandis on thair duris for sure keping of the hors 1657 Balfour Ann. I. 368.
Anent the kipinng of his maiesties persone within the castell of Striuilinge(21) c1420 Ratis R. 679.
[Riches] Tynsell of thaim is dolorus, Kepinge of thaim is curaious a1500 Colk. Sow I. 29.
Thir thre peruerst propirteis I find in skars keping And auaritious wynnyng 1622-6 Bisset I. 85/3.
Of lauchfull conquesing keiping and annalying of landis gudis and geir(22) 1456 Hay II. 152/5.
Counsail is … gude avis of provisioun … put in secrete repos and keping 1477 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 460.
That the said sovm … be laid in depois & keping … til the behwyf … of me 1503 Treas. Acc. II. 210.
For lynnyne clath for the keping of the said cote 1569-73 Bann. Memor 335.
Cofferis … that the erle … had my geir in keiping in a1578 Pitsc. I. 196/30.
Makgregour, quha happnit … to spye and perceave quhair ane Inglisman set the croun vp in keiping 1673 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I. 352.
Seweral of my kists … quhair my wryts … was in keiping

2. a. To go, or run, upon one's keeping, to save oneself by flight or hiding, to abscond; to be on one's keeping, to be a fugitive or in hiding.[In Ireland, keepings = places of refuge or retreat, ‘hide-outs’: 1615 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 279.]
Certayn … outlawes [in Ireland] … had betaken themselues to their keepinges (as they term it), and out of the woods and othir places of strenth did … roob … the passengers that way — 1627 Bk. Carlaverock II. 98.
The newis of my warrant to presse beeing divulged, hath made all the idle and suspected people to goe vpon their keeping Ib. 99.
The divulging of my warrant to presse … made all run vpon their keeping to deserts 1706 A. Reid Autob. 38.
I escaped their hands at that time … and I withdrew, and was on my keeping till after harvest a 1644 Spottiswoode Misc. I. 119.
The bishop's lettre … was showed by … his servant to James Galbrathe, who presently wrote to his brothers to be upon their keeping

b. Keeping in food and shelter, entertainment or upkeep (of a person or animal). 1448 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 17.
John Stephinson is obleiste … to keipe the said plegis, for quhais costis and kepyng he sal haue euery dai v schillingis 1589 Exck. R. XXII. 70.
For keping, nurisment, and intertenement of the Kingis grace lioun, tyger, and lutervis, being in his custodie thair [13/4d. daily] 1616 Reg. Privy C. X. 556.
The executioun … hes … bene postponit … sua that the saidis lymmaris ar putt in hoip of impunitie … and the magistrattis … ar troublit … with the keiping and enterteyning of thame

c. Preserving, preservation. attrib. 1665 Galloway P. 20 Sept.
The said Robert oblisse himself to pay out of the yeards a thousand of good keeping frout ilk year

d. concr. (?). 1638 Old Ross-shire 124.
Ane fair cop almrie haiffing tua keepings with ther loks and keyis

e. concr. Some form of restraint or fastening to keep pigs from wandering. 14.. Burgh Laws xci (B).
Bot gyf he hafe kepyng on thaim [swine] or fede thaim in a crufe