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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.

Mot, Mote, Moit, v. Also: mott(e, moitt, moyt, mat. [ME. mot (pl. mote(n, subj. sing. mote), mote (14th c.), moot(e (14–15th c.), mott(e (15–16th c.), OE. (pret.-pres.) mót, pl. móton, subj. móte, pl. móten: see also Most v.¹ and v.²]

1. Expressing hypothetical or contingent possibility or permissibility. = May v.¹ 8–10. 14.. Edinb. Univ. MS. La.ii.318.
Al illic … Off body & saule that gretly grevis And at thai mot dreid that here levis 1562-3 Winȝet I. 54/30.
We mot knaw his … religioun be his fidelitie (I will nocht say be his leis) Ib. II. 30/25.
As it is nocht lesum to ony man to prouoke an wthir … sua it mot nocht be lesum to ony man to [etc.] 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 9 a.
Quha so ewer yow finde, yow mot spolȝe him, mank him & rywe him 1581-1623 James VI Poems II. 86/153.
But onlie mot I conquered be And onelie will I yeelde To Cupids shott

2. As an auxiliary forming a periphrastic optative or subjunctive. a. In subordinate clauses of desired result (or the reverse). = May v.¹ 11 a–d.Very common in Winȝet. a1500 Henr. III. 93/94.
I pray to Jesu every day Mot eik thair cairis cauld, That [etc.] ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 127.
Grant me … to meik me vnder the band of haly matrimone … and I mot cum to the kinrik of hevin c1515 Asl. MS. I. 299/11.
Bot rather than thai mot be participant of His infinit … grace 1513 Doug. x. viii. 63.
I thé beseik … That Turnus in the ded thraw may me se … And ȝaldand vp the breth … Mot with hys eyn behald me hym befor 1521 Douglas Corr. 82.
I … wald gladly … that it mot playse ȝow to schaw me [etc.] c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS. 252 a/23. 1541 Linlithgow B. Ct. 7 Oct.
Besekand Thame [God and Our Lady] for the common weill of this burgh quhilk be thair grace mot incres 1540 Lynd. Sat. Procl. 192.
Ipray … That all the warld & mae mot on thame wounder a1540 Freiris Berw. 49.
We ar … evill disposit To luge owt of the toun, bot gif that we In sume gud hous this nycht mot herbryt be a1568 Bann. MS. p. 13/12. 1562-3 Winȝet II. 43/16.
God forbid that be this dissaitful maner the Sone of God mot be beleuit to [etc.] Ib. 48/18.
Quhat thingis difficil to be done dressit he nocht that thai mot appere maist facil Ib. 72/13.
Thairfor it behuifis that the vnderstanding [etc.] … mot be directit to only ane ecclesiastical reul Ib. 75/15.
Leste … that it mot hef bene iugeit to hef bene the doctrine of ane toun Ib. I. 6/11, 10/24, II. 43/19, 22, 46/6, 53/31, 57/26, 29; etc.

b. In principal clauses, in expressions of a wish, supplication, request, proposal or suggestion. = May v.¹ 11 e, f.Much the most frequently recorded use.Variously const., as with active or passive infin., with inversion of the word order, and in impersonal constructions. Common in certain asseverative phrases.(1) c1420 Wynt. viii. 6588.
Thare sawlys till Paradys mot pas Ib. 5188. 1433 Swintons xxxviii.
Yhoure universite mot wit that [etc.] c1475 Wall. ix. 120.
Sanct Androw mot ws speid 1492 Myll Spect. 298/6. c1500 Rowll Cursing 66. a1500 Lanc. 314, 316.
Bot stil he mot rycht with the lady duell, Quhill tyme cum eft that we schal of hym spek. This proces mot closine bene and stek (a1570-86 Dunb.) Maitl. F. xxxii. 32.
The sowter sayis … The dewill mot hang him be the nek Gif [etc.] 1513 Doug. xi. xv. 56.
I ask na trophe … ; My other dedis syne mot mak me bovn To report honour and lawd efter this; Bot at this tyme [etc.] Ib. i. ix. 45, iv. xi. 85, 91. 1525 St. A. Formulare I. 269. 1528 Douglas Corr. 17. 1533 Boece iv. vii. 135. a1538 Abell 83 b.
The Sone of God at I haif betwix my handis mot now ascend to His Fadir and with Him He mot tak my spret 1540 Lynd. Sat. Procl. 53; etc. Arundel MS. 243/147.
I mot behald na thing bot Thé, O Lord Ib. 281/80; etc. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 143. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 13/32. Ib. II. 60/17. 1570 Sat. P. xv. 55.
Ȝe gleds … Thair gutts mot be among ȝour cluikis That [etc.] 1575–6 Waus Corr. 116.
Motte 1585–7 Cal. Sc. P. IX. 248.
Mott 1581-1623 James VI Poems II. 24/14. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlviii. 2. 1605 Melvill 599.
And quho mot happily reigne a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 490.
Eild wae mot worth yow(b) c1420 Ratis R. 1810.
God … Tyll His blis his saul mote bringe That [etc.] 1456 Hay I. 25/29
Sorrowe mote fall till all induellaris of the erde a1500 Quare Jel. 66, 73. 1581-1623 James VI Poems I. 31/244. 1622-6 Bisset I. 18/12.
Quha God mote prosper(c) 1468 Smit Bronnen I. ii. 1019.
The glorious Wirgyn moyt haff Ȝow in hir kepyn 1573 Anal. Scot. I. 281.
[The] minister of the said burgh quhome God moitt contenue in the trewe prechin to the pepill thairof(d) 1563 Davidson in Misc. Wodrow Soc. 197.
The poete mat not judge betuix us, bot the prophet 1574 Reg. Morton I. 80.
As knawis God quhae ma thaf ȝour la. in protectioune(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 1171.
To quham be honoure … euire al tyme so mot it be Ib. xl. 1125.
Mot weile thu fare! ?1438 Alex. i. 1080, ii. 6127. c1500 Makc. MS. vii. 3.
Come mot thi kynrik c1475 Wall. viii. 1237.
Madam … rycht welcum mot ȝe be a1500 Prestis of Peblis 562. a1500 Lanc. 1909.
Mot euery king have this wice in mynd c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxv. 64.
In Edinburght ioy sone mot ȝe dwell Ib. xxxiv. 62.
In till a gallowis mot I gaip Gif [etc.] —c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiv. 68 (See Hardely adv. 3 b (2)). —1513 Doug. i. xi. 101, ii. iii. 32. 1530 St. A. Formulare I. 271. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 20/5.
The quhilk mott grant the gracious God c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS. 252 a/25. a1538 Abell 1 b.
Jhesu Christ to quhem mot honour and glore be 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3551. 1560 St. A. Kirk S. 32.
Mekle joy mott ye haif of him a1568 Bann. MS. 145 b/19. a1570-86 Maitl. F. xxxv. 60. 1581-1623 James VI Poems I. 108/43.
Mot thou win home thy crowne againe Ib. II. 34/1. 1600 Misc. Bann. C. I. 153.
Sa mot he gif us the proif of the uther(b) 1456 Hay II. 165/8.
And rycht sa mote it be of oure worthy king 1650 Stirling Ant. IV. 159.
Mote(c) 1573 Sat. P. xxxix. 271.
Long moit thir countreis leue in pace togidder(3) ?1438 Alex. ii. 3897.
Sa mot I thé, I hald me pait Ib. 3802; etc. a1500 Rauf C. 53.
‘Sa mot I thrife’, said the King, ‘I speir for nane ill’ Ib. 130; etc. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 28. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxi. 91. 1513 Doug. v. xii. 107.
My child, derrer, so mot I thrive, … than myne awin lyve Ib. vi. vii. 74. a1540 Freiris Berw. 464.
Nay, so mot I haif hevynis blis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9601.
Bot I wald not, sa mot my saull haue seill(4) ?1438 Alex. ii. 2326.
Richt thus mot fall ȝow haistaly! c1475 Wall. i. 430.
Foule mot yow fall a1500 Seven S. 2073. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxii. 20.
Scho fled him nocht; fair mot hir fall! 1567 Sat. P. iii. 229.(5) 1375 Barb. iv. 26.
In hell condampnyt mot he be! Ib. v. 649.
Our lord mot lovit be a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 322, xxii. 493. ?1438 Alex. i. 951.
Bot I thé venge, shent mot I be! Ib. 2574, ii. 5696; etc. c1450-2 Howlat 727.
Haile! blissit mot thow be [etc.] c1500 Rowll Cursing 226. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxx. 17.
And thankit mot thow be of thy gude will 1533 Gau 32/33.
Thy nayme mot be halowit 1551 Hamilton Cat. 249. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5021. 1567 G. Ball. 119. 1567 Sat. P. iii. 160.
Sa mot hir hart be fillit full of syte 1572 Buch. Detect. G. vii. b.
Waryit mot this pokische man be 1587-99 Hume 59/254.(6) 1566 St. A. Kirk S. 288.
It mot be sperit at every ane of the wytnes gif [etc.] —[See also Ken v. 22 b (3).]

3. Expressing necessity or inevitability: To be bound or certain to, cannot avoid, must of necessity.

Cf. Man v.¹ 1 and 1 b and Mon v. and Most v.¹ 2. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 2486.
And in sa mekill I haue mare gold and geir Euirilk thing mot thair awin charge bere a1500 Lanc. 188.
Quhat loue hyme [a lover] chargit he mot tak one honde Ib. 195.
For to fulfyll, for ned I mot do so 1562-3 Winȝet II. 30/12.
Lest the contagious scab of ane scheip be pestiferous accumpaniing mot smit the hail innocent flok of Christe