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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.

Lesing, n. Also: lesin(e, -yn(g, lessing; leis(s)ing(e, leys(s)ing, -ynge; leesing; liesing, lising; leasing. [ME. and e.m.E. lesing, leesing, leasing, OE. léasung f. léasian v. (see Les n.).]

1. The action of telling lies, lying, falsehood. Also to mak lesing, to tell lies.(1) ?1438 Alex. ii. 5312.
Quha-sa haldis this for lesing [F. gas] c1460 Consail Vys Man 61.
Lesing is sa foul a smyt That [etc.] a1570-86 Maitl. F. xlvii. 46.
Ane or twa Richt with thy leising sall thé ta And say thow leis a1500 K. Hart 451.
That taill I traist be na leissing c1500-c1512 Dunb. ix. 106.
I knaw me vicious … In aithis sweiring, leising and blaspheming Id. xli. 14.
Be nevir he that lesing sall proclame 1551 Hamilton Cat. 40. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3252.
My pyat can not … Ony lesing into hir hart deuine a1570-86 Maitl. F. lv. 39.
A Rome rynnar without leissing or fabill Brus v. 510 (H).
[Forsuth this wes na] leesing(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxv. 227.
That na man durst lesine make To thai sanctis a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 425.
I mak you na lesing It war his maist yarnyng Your grant for to get 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 262 b.
Sene it is inpossible that God be fals … ore mak lesing

b. But, forout(in, without(in (mor) lesing, na lesing: truthfully, candidly; in truth, truly, assuredly, certainly. Only in verse and sometimes as a mere expletlve tag.(1) 1375 Barb. xvi. 23; Ib. xix. 123.
He him tald all but lesyng c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2139.
It was told hir but lesing That throw Dyomedis compassing Hir brothir was slayne ?1438 Alex. ii. 9887.
Forout lesing [F. se on ne veut mentir] to say schortly Gif he avowit hes foly 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2905.
For that caus, I say without leising, Thay haue thair teinds 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1515.
Schaw me the caus thairof without lesing(2) 1375 Barb. iii. 521.
Bot I wate weill, but lesyng, … That [etc.] Ib. xiii. 231. a1400 Leg. S. xl. 941.
This wes done but lessinge Quhen Sir Davi Bruys ves king c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2564.
Pirrus him askit but mor lesing Quhare that Acastrus was but weire a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 318 (Arund.).
Vertu and deuocioun … The quhilk but lessing causis gret delit a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 49.
Confort thi hert but lesing of His meid c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1965.
Nynus, but lesing Off Assiria the secund king — ?1438 Alex. ii. 5980.
Foroutin lesing Of sic ferlys hard neuer nane Ib. 6865.
I put me in ȝour courtasy All that I haue vtarly … Body and hart forout lesing Ib. 9887.
Forout lesing to say schortly Gif he avowit hes foly … At the last for the best doere Men suld him hald baith far and neir — 1375 Barb. vii. 77.
As I tald first … I wat it weill without lesyng At that burn eschapit the king c1420 Wynt. i. 1473.
Tha ilke woycys sykyrly Thai had before all generaly Remaynyde styll wytht-owtyn lesyng a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 338.
And shir Lancelot de Lake, without lesing c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlii. 99.
Syne Matremony, that nobill king … without lesing Chest Sklander to the west se cost — a1400 Leg. S. l. 395.
[This] is bot foly, na lesyng!

2. An instance of this, a lie, an untruth. sing. and plur. Also to mak ane lesing, lesingis, to lie.(1) sing. c1460 Consail Vys Man 60.
Kep thé our al thinge Thou be neuir taynt with a leisinge 1533 Bell. Livy II. 237/33.
War nocht Quintius, the consul, be ane proffittabil lesing cryit that the inemyis war fleand 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2704.
Thow can sa weill ane lesing clek 1584 Calderwood IV. 127.
The letter itself bewrayed you of a manifest leasing a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1710.
A lising to the laird and ane other to the ladie 1638 Adamson Muses Thr.155.
You know the cloister monkes write nev'r a leasingplur. (a) c1450-2 Howlat 810.
The ravyn … Bad him his lesingis leif befor thai lordingis 1456 Hay I. 28/36.
Thai have contrufit sa mony lesingis, cautelis and fals instrumentis Ib. II. 156/18.
That he be nocht a mowar … to speke janglyngis na lesingis 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 159.
The auld innemy of hell be his fals lesynnis … dissavis the pepil of the waurld a1568 Weddirburn Bann. MS. 260 a/3.
My luve was fals … With cullerit lesingis full of dowbilnes Id. Ib. 288 a/53.
Quhan men of riches … Vsit to lie lesingis detestable 1570 Misc. Bann. C. I. 50*.
Ane capitane … suld … use subtilitie, lesingis, sum suith sayingis [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I. 137. h. of ch.
Hou ane man met the King and causit him to reteire … be his lesingis(b) c1450 Cr. Deyng 65.
The deuill … is our auld enemye and father of leisingis 1596 Dalr. I. 68/23.
We, thair for, abhorring nocht onlie frome fables and frome leisings [etc.](c) a1570-86 Maitl. F. xliv. 62.
Thai war bot leesingis all and ane a1598 Ferg. Prov. (1641) 17.
His womb is full of leesings [v.r. lesings](d) 1558-66 Knox II. 142.
Who can correct the leasingis of such? a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1125 (Wr.).
Since Adam and since Eve, Who first thy leasings did believe Id. Misc. P. xxxiii. 36.
Let not sik louns with leasings ȝou allure 1618 Crim. Trials III. 451.
Ye haiff sett doun … ten seuerall fals reasones, leasingis and vntreuthis(2) c1450-2 Howlat 807.
Mony lesingis he maid 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 57.
Wald ye … that I suld mak a manifest leising for your pleasour 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 891.
What ane leesing maid he heir … Without respect of honestie 1598 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 91.
I heir ane liar makand ane loud lesing 1611 Crim. Trials III. 142.
Becaus, gifand … that the pairtie pannellit had maid ane leising … or waverit in his depositioun

3. spec. Lying accusation of another; malicious lying against another, slandering, backbiting. a1400 Leg. S. xxxi. 626.
Gyf scho has witnesing Of hyre controwit fals lesyng c1420 Wynt. vii. 2368.
To gere hym on a gallows hyng For caus off that gret lesyng [C.leyssynge] c1460 Consail Vys Man 391.
Ill neuer na servand to thar lord … Fore he wyll traist it is leisinge 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1375.
This quene … Willing put doun this proper chyle Be cursit consait and lesing strang 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 61.
Tormentit with inwart terrouris of gyltie conscience, to sclandering, cavilling and lesing

b. An instance of this, a lying or calumnious accusation, a slander. sing. and plur. and to mak ane lesing, lesingis, to backbite.(1) sing 1551 Hamilton Cat. 62.
Quhen the verite and rycht is confermit be it, the lesing is confoundit, men is brocht to peace and rest 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8203.
Quhair scho sayis that I wald hir opprest That is in treuth ane lesing manifestplur. a1500 Seven S. 2053.
With thi lesingis thow has maid stryf Our oft betuix me & my wyf c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvi. 52.
Rownaris of fals lesingis 1533 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 407.
The saidis lordis … has fund all the said Wallace sayingis frivoll and vayne and mair to be veray as he schew lesingis 1549 Compl. 45/28.
There is nothir detraction, leysingis nor calumniations amang vs a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. cv. 3.
Sa that all lesingis that can be inventit Thai put in writt … To gar the people ewill opinioun taik Off thame [etc] Ib. 16. 1596 Dalr. II. 356/13.
To ladne him with deceitful leisingis, criminable crymes [etc.](2) c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 67/23.
Makand lesingis and detractionis, spekand evill of other personis Ib. 70/26. 1535 Stewart 23109.
Quhairfoir richt loud of him I trow tha le And I am laith ane lesing for to mak 1547 Corr. M. Lorraine 184.
I suspect thir lesyngis be maid to put ws out of consate with France

c. With specification of the party traduced. Chiefly to mak(e a lesing (lesingis) of, on, upoun etc.(1) 1456 Hay I. 273/10.
That he had maid a lesing of the said knycht, and that all that he had said was … feynyt thing for … invy 1531 Bell. Boece II.163.
He that makis ane lesing in dammage of his nichtbour a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxx. 46; 1535 Stewart 16411.
In thi court na bakbyteris resawe That will of thame at quhome thai malice haife To thi hienes mony lowd lising make 1572 Waus Corr. 82.
I wald wis that he suld nocht bayth hald my silver fra me, and mak lesingis of me to 1578 Reg. Privy C. III. 40.
He would not avow ane lesing maid upoun Johnne Schortrig 1596 Dalr. I. 121/10.
Quha beis conuicte of a leising to the hurt … of his nychtbour 1631 Justiciary Cases I. 176.
Delaitit of the making of leasings … and sclanderous speiches againes James Marques of Hammiltone 1595 Anderson Winter Night (1713)17.
What ever leasings these lyars make On me(2) 1533 Boece x. xi. 372 b.
Quha of ane lesing in hurte of his nychtboure is convictit 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1972.
Thocht scho be diligent Aganis ȝour sone greit lesingis to inuent a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. cix. 37.
Mony lesingis … War of me tald 1631 Justiciary Cass I. 188.
Ȝour malicious leasingis and calumneis againes the said loird Marques

d. Calumnious accusations, slanders, false rumours, as prohibited by law: see Lesing-makar n., -making vbl. n. 2.1540 Acts II. 360/2 (see Lesing-makar n. 1 (a)). 1582–83 Reg. Privy C. III. 550; 1586 Ib. IV. 108; 1593 Ib. V. 91.
The makers of lesingis betuix the King and his people 1594 Acts IV. 65/2.
Quha euir hearis the saidis lesingis, calumnies or slanderous speichis or wreittis to be maid 1631 Justiciary Cases I. 192.
Speciallie seing the leasings mentionat in the saidis actis are leasings tending to discoird betuixt the King and his people