Dictionaries of the Scots Language
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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.

Lous, n. Also: louse, louce, lows, lowis, lowce. Plur. lys(e, lyis, lice, lice. [ME. lous, lows(e, lowce, pl. lys(e, lyes(e, lyce, lise, e.m.E. lice, OE. lús pl. lýs, ON. lús pl. lýss.] A louse. 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 237.
Thay … wald not suffre to slay ony beast, ȝea nocht a louce a1585 Polwart Flyt. 539 (H).
Athort [h]is neatie nowe Ilk lous lyes lucked lyk a lardge lint bowplur. c1420 Wynt. vi. 749.
Arnwlphus … Syn byttyne he wes wyth lyis to dede c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxix. 27.
Honest ȝemen … War wont to weir baith reid and broun Ar now arrayit in raggis with lyce a1538 Abell 67 b.
Arnulphy Impriour … wes consumit sauf reuerence with wermyon callit lice a1568 Montg. Bann. MS. 163 a/6.
For lyce in ȝour lunschoch ȝe haif na inlaik a1585 Polwart Flyt. 217.
Over laidnit loune with lang taillit lyse a1605 Montg. Ib. 512.
Sum, luiking lyce, in the croun of it keikis

b. In proverbs and allusively.(1) With reference to a tailor as one who pricks or kills lice: see also Priklous.(2) As a type of something worthless or contemptible. With the Dunb. Flyt. quot. cf. the Da. saying have intet andet end (= to have nothing but), or være rig paa (= to be rich in), lus og lange negle (= lice and long nails), to be destitute: see V. Dahlerup Ordbog over det Danske Sprog s.v. Lus, and E. T. Kristensen Danske Ordsprog (1890) Nos. 15, 5208.(3) In other proverbs.(1) c1500 Rowll Cursing 220 (B).
Gif thair be ony in this hous That beiris the nedill gorrit the lows, I thame beseik thay be nocht wraith a1568 Bann. MS. 140 a/24.
Breik bowchour, … wirriar of lyce Ib. 144 b/8.
Betuix twa telȝeouris a lowis Ib. 145 a/4.
Telȝeouris ar tyrranis in kelling of lyis Ib. 144 b/2, 4.(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 148.
Thair is bot lyse [M. lys] and lang nailis ȝow amang Id. Maitl. F. lxii. 59.
Sic store of lyce, so mony wittis vnwyse 1558-66 Glencairn in Knox I. 74.
Thay kettereles though they had but lyse, The twa part to us they will bring 1611-57 Mure Misc. P. xiv. 12.
Till contrarie fortoun, by turning the dyce, Metamorphos'd his thowsands [sc. of pounds] in milleounes of lyce c1578 Reid Swire 36.
Because we were not men enough He counted us not worth a lowce [: house](3) a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS. No. 1276.
Thair is lairds as ther is lyce, pairt grit pairt small a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1088.
Love beginnis with a louse, lass come luke my head Ib. No. 1147.
Manie seims manie lice, manie furris meikle corne Ib. No. 1355.