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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Malan-, Melancoly, n. Also: -l(i)e, -lye, -kolie, -kolye, -choly, -lie, mallan-, mellencoly, maloncolie, melancollie and Merancolie. [ME. malyncoly (c 1303), malencolye, e.m.E. melancoly(e (1477), -choly (1578), OF. melancolie, malencollie, etc., L. melancholia.]Many verse examples indicate stress on the second and fourth syllables.

1. The physical or mental condition resulting from an excess of ‘black bile’. b. concr. The ‘humour’ or fluid of ‘black bile’ itself. 1456 Hay II. 131/8.
[In winter] haboundis in men a thing callit colare nygre that drawis to melancoly Ib. /15.
Malancoly a1500 Bk. Chess 10.
Jubiter … Causit … ane … influens Throw the quhilk generit was a pestilens … Of the grevous passioun malancoly c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxiii. 85. 1528 Lynd. Dreme 58.
Because I se thy spreit … perturbit be malancolye, Causyng thy corps to vaxin cauld and drye 1535 Stewart 673.
Mortiferous melancolie, That horribill edder with vipros invie c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 28.
Melancolyb. 1581-1623 James VI Poems II. 151/30.
This claiey dregg & thicc Is blake melankolie [etc.] Id. Dæmonol. 30.
As the humor of melancholie in the selfe is blacke, heauie and terrene [etc.]

2. Hot or violent temper, rage, anger, sullenness, resentment.To maik melancholy, to be angry or resentful.(1) 1375 Barb. xvi. 128.
Vith that the king come hastely, And in his gret malancoly, With ane trunsioune in[till] his nave, To schir Colyne sic dusche he gave, That he dynnyt on his arsoune c1420 Wynt. viii. 6052.
The Kyng his malancoly Forgawe c1420 Ratis R. 827.
Yre That byrnis in thi thocht as fyr For malancoly and disspyte c1475 Wall. vii. 179. 1492 Myll Spect. 288/31. 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. ii. Arundel MS. 252/422.
In malancoly and glutony(b) 1460 Hay I. 287/8. Alex. (c 1580) i. 2941, ii. 3828, etc.
For na wordis of hete and sudane ire of chaudecole or of chaude mellencoly 1535 Stewart 14108. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 213.
Ane meik answer slokins melancolie Ib. 1299.
Malice, wodnes and greit melancholie Id. Ct. Venus iii. 266. 1567 Sat. P. vii. 191.
Quha slew him self of proude melancolie(2) (c 1580) Alex. ii. 5652.
Na for the King of Greces saik Sall na man melancoly maik

3. Deep dejection or sadness, mental depression, either habitual or contracted.Also to tak (= contract) malancoly.(a) 1492 Myll Spect. 285/5.
For gret malancoly and displesour this noble king deit Ib. 273/10. a1500 Colk. Sow i. 490 (Bann. MS.). 1494 Loutfut MS. 37 b.
Bourevische … is gud aganis malancolie and giffis blythnes a1500 Bk. Chess 14.
This dedlie passioun malancoly a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1059. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxiii. 21. Ib. lxiii. 76.
For truble in erd tak no mallancoly 1513 Doug. ii. Prol. 13.
Saturn, thou auld fader of malancoly 1531 Bell. Boece I. 179, 219, etc. Id. Livy I. 221/30. 1533 Boece viii. iv. 256 b.
This prince … schewe neuer signe of glaidnes … bot erare of tristis and malancolie Abell 89 b, 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 562.
Deit King Johne mair be malancole na seiknes a1568 Scott iv. 58, xxviii. 18. a1568 Wedderburn Bann. MS. 287 b/5.
Mallancoly 1570 Leslie 268.
Throuche gret maloncolie 1672 Wemyss Corr. 115.
The malincolie I contracted by it [a disappointment] … hes so affected my weak bodie as [etc.](b) 1549 Compl. 25/23.
Lyike to dee in melancolie c1552 Lynd. Mon. 116. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxi. 49. a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxxix. 9.
Langour breidis melancolie a1578 Pitsc. I. 406/28.
He tuik sic melancollie … that no confort … might satisfie him a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 316. 1596 Dalr. I. 89/6.
Melankolie 1665 Highland P. III. 34.
In deape fit of melancholie and destraction