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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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Lurdan(e, Lourdane, n. Also: lurdain, -en, -oun, -un, -on; lordane, -ain. [ME. and e.m.E. lurdan (Cursor M.), -ain, -en, lordan (Manning), -eyne, -en, lourdeine rascal, sponger, appar. f. OF. lourdin dullard.]

1. A miscreant, cut-throat, ruffian. b. An overbearing and parasitical ruffian, an oppressor or bully; a sponger.Also etymologized as ‘Lord Dane’: see also Lord n. 22 e. So also in e.m.E. (1529).(a) 1375 Barb. iv. 108 (E).
For thar with thaim wes a tratour, A fals lourdane [C. lurdane], a losyngeour, … maid the tresoun a1400 Legends of the Saints xxii. 469.
& lourdanis mad thame al bowne With scharpe forkis & hald hym done 1456 Hay II. 46/22.
Quhen the king or his contree is oursett with lourdanis and revaris or traytouris or other wikkit misdoaris(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints xii. 119.
[Judas] as a lurdane for inwy The Kyngis sone slew priwely a1400 Ib. l. 976. c1420 Wynt. vi. 1094. 1456 Hay I. 150/35. 1456 Ib. II. 156/4.
For he takis away a lurdan and puttis in a gude man, the king is the better and all the company 1514 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 90.
At the quhilkis portis … salbe tua keparis … with vappinnis according to thame, … to resist the incummaris and lurdanis that wald mak ony demand(c) 1526 H. Boece Scotorum Historia (ed. 1) ccxlviii.
Dictus est is explorator dominus Danus, vulgo Lordain. Quod nomen nostrates & populi nunc Angli dicti deinceps ita vsurpauerunt, vt quem viderint ociosum et inutilem nebulonem [etc.] … Lordain vel hac ætate appellitent 1533 Boece xi. xvii. 441 b.
Quhare thai saw ane idil vane harlot … liffand apoun the industrie of vthir men … thai call him ȝit in oure dayis ane lordane

c. As a term of reproach applied to men: Blackguard, villain, rogue, rascal.c1420 Wynt. vi. 2236.
Makbeth turnyd hym agayne, And sayd, ‘Lurdane, thow prykys in wayne, [etc.]’ a1500 King Hart 524.
Now on my saule ȝe ar but lurdanis all And sum of ȝow be God sall haue ane fall c1500-c1512 Dunb. vi. 87 (Ch. & M.).
Master Johne Clerk, … War I a dog and he a swyne … Bot I suld ger that lurdane [B. lurdoun] quhryne Scribendo dentes sine de c1500-c1512 Id. l. 37.
Thairfoir Quhentyne was bot ane lurdane That callit him ane full plum jurdane 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2473 (B).
Ryis vp, Lowry, ȝe luik evin lyk a lurdane [Ch. lurden], Ȝour mowth war meit evin to drink owt a jurdane a1578 Pitsc. I. 220/25, 28.
Ȝe ar all lurdanis, I say, ȝe, and fallis tratouris to ȝour prince … for ȝe fallis lurdanis and tratouris hes caussit the king … to come aganis his father a1578 Ib. 222/13.
Thow art ower pairt, lurdane [1728, lown], and sad to strampt on my fute 1670–80 Dauney Anc. Sc. Melodies 58.
Care for thy wyndingsheet, false lurdan

d. Attrib. with -loun.Only in the Ch. text of Lynd. Sat.: cf. Ladron(e attrib.1540 Lynd. Sat. 1014 (Ch.).
It was ane laidlie lurdan loun Cumde to break buithis into this toun 1540 Ib. 2779.
Quhy do ȝe thoil that lurdun loun Of kirk-men to speik sic detractioun

2. Applied to a woman: A drab; a whore, a strumpet; a slattern, a slut. Also attrib. with -las.a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxvi. 632.
Ȝet he [St. John Baptist] that of sic uertu wes Wes gefine til a lurdan las [L. incestuousæ, … adulteræ, … saltatrici] 1513 Doug. vi. viii. 82.
That strang lurdane [sc. Helen] 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4146.
A culroun quene, a laithly lurdane a1598 Ferg. Prov. (1641) No. 598.
Let alone makes mony lurdon 1603 Philotus cxi (see Hous n.¹ 4).
Houselurdane 1608 Paisley B. Rec. 285.
Agnes Nesbit … slanderit … the said Elizabithe … utterand the words following, to wit, ‘Thou art ane tryet lurdane’ and ‘a blind lurdane,’ and ‘ane missel lurdane’ 1683 Lauder Notices Affairs II. 473.
Bailȝie Fairholme had … ungentilely called his wife a lurdain and a truiker

3. adj. Wretched, mean, base.a1585 Maitland Quarto MS xl. 108.
Ane lurdane spreit can not attein To ȝour graces divyne