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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.

Linage, n. Also: lin(n)-, lyn(n)ag(e, -aige, -ege, -ige and Lenage. [ME. (c 1303) and e.m.E. linage, lynage, OF. linage var. of lignage Lignage.]

1. Lineal descent from an ancestor, succession, inheritance. c1420 Wynt. vi. 1784.
All that.Wes to the crowne nere be lynage He gert be slayne Ib. 2100.
Thare herytage That to thame fell be rycht lynage Ib. 2471.
Be Isle lynage Ib. vii. 564.
All kyngis … Be lyne and lynage discendand Ib. vii. 5884.
A yhowng clerk … Off lynage a gret gentillman c1475 Wall. i. 22.
His forbearis … Of hale lynage and trew lyne of Scotland

b. Ancestry, familial origin, extraction, or the rank deriving from this.(a) c1420 Wynt. viii. 2587.
Yhe ar all cummyn off aulde lynage, Off lordis off fe and herytage c1420 Ratis R. 938.
Quharfor a wyf gyf thow wyll haf … Of gud lynag and gud renown Ib. 1544.
Bot lyf and lordschip and lynag War hail our-done with gret outrag c1475 Wall. v. 649.
The trewth I knaw off this, and hyr lynage 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 60.
Hir hie lynage 1593 Misc. 3 Spald. C. II. 23.
Discendit of honest lynage and progenie(b) 1531 Bell. Boece II. 372.
That a man of sobir linage and small beginning suld be preferrit to thaim in dignite(c) c1515 Asl. MS. I. 197/24.
To mak ȝow till wnderstand ȝour awne vnhappynes and cursit lynnage 1513 Doug. ii. ii. 30.
We hym exort rehers … Of quhat lynnage he was 1533 Bell. Livy II. 37/10.
Thai chesit two men of the lynnage patriciane 1583 Misc. Bann. C. I. 58.
His lynnige ancient a1568 Bann. MS. 244 b/4.
Oft syis for lufe the lynnage lichtis law 1622-6 Bisset I. 33/14.
Ane man of puir lynnaige

c. Family connection, kinship. 15.. Clar. v. 2840.
Clariodus … Of lordis he had diverse mariagis, For to inforce with Irland his linagis

2. The stock or progeny descended from a particular ancestor.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxix. 254.
That herytag That to man I hicht and his lynag c1420 Wynt. iv. 1244.
Fra thine he and his lynage als … callid were Lasyd Romanys Ib. vi. Prol. 13.
Nowthyre remanys off thame lynage Na nakyn takyn off thare langage c1420 Ratis R. 1584.
To sum lynage, ay nobiltee … To sum vthir powert al-wayis 1513 Doug. vi. xiii. h. of ch.
Anchises schawis Eneas to the end Alhail the lynage sal fra hym descend 1533 Bell. Livy L 17/7.
Amulus … slew all the lynage mail of his brother c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii. 800.
The thre kingis quhilk war befoir denude Out of this clan and linage successiue ?1549 Monro W. Isles 9.
Within this sanctuarie [of Iona] also lyis for the maist the Lords of the Iles with thair linages(b) 1513 Doug. iii. iv. 75.
Theyfage lynnage of fals Laomedon Ib. vi. Prol. 72.
The Maide cummyth bringis new lynnage fra hevyn Ib. xiii. ii. 88.
Lavinia … to me as spous … Sal ȝeld lynnage 1531 Bell. Boece I. 18.
Thir armis … war ay the armes of all kingis discending of his linnaige a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxx. 11; Ib. 107.
Withe los allace sa lairge of ȝour linnage

b. A body of kindred of common ancestry, a family, tribe or race. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 285.
Thair gat he nane homage … Of lord of yone lynage 1490 Irland Mir. I. 123/21.
The … lettir of perdicioune of human linage c1500-c1512 Dunb. vii. 13.
Welcum moste lusti branche of our linnage Id. xlii. 101.
Syne Matremony … Chest Sklander to the west … Than wes he and his linege lost 1513 Doug. i. viii. 58.
Haue reuth apon our petuus auld lynage [Sm. lynaige] Ib. x. 9.
For in hir mynd scho had a maner feir Of this lynnage waverand and ontrew 1533 Bell. Livy II. 198/29.
The Ethruschis … occupijt all the landis … with als mony sindry colonyes as thare was sindri clannys of thare lynnage 1561 Cal. Sc. P. I. 587.
[Such title as by birth and natural descent of your own] lynage [may fall to us]

3. One's ancestors collectively. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 402.
My linage and forebearis war ay lele 1513 Doug. iv. i. 7.
The large wirschip feill sys remembris sche Of his lynnage and folkis