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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.

Notour, a. (adv.). Also: nott- and -oure, -or(e, -oir(e, -ur(e, -ar. [Med. L. notorius, F. notoire (OF. also notore), late ME. and e.m.E. notoire (a 1470), -oyre (Caxton), otherwise appar. only Sc.]

1. Used attributively with nouns denoting wrongdoers: Known by common knowledge, notorious. Also, openly admitted (bankrupt). 1424 Acts II. 3/2.
Till infors the Kyng aganis notour rebellouris aganis his persone 1425 Ib. 11/1. 1443 Ib. 33/1.
Na personis the quhilkis ar notour spulȝearis, distrubillaris or inuasaris of haly kirk 1485 Ib. 170/2. 1563 Ib. 539/2.
Notoure and manifest committaris of adulterie 1585 Warrender P. I. 194.
Notoir 1591 Crim. Trials I. ii. 244.
Rychard Grahame, notoure and knawin nigromancear 1675 Old Ross-shire I. 94.
And being a notour thief 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i. xviii. 2 (1678) 186.
Notour adulterers 1685 Decis. Lords F. 68.
A disposition from a nottour bankrupt 1696 Acts X. 34.
Or forcible defending to be a nottour bankrupt

2. That is a matter of common knowledge; well known; manifest, patent, evident. a. Said of crimes, faults, guilt, discreditable circumstances, and the like.attrib. c 1490 Reg. Panmure I. xxv.
Ane innocent voman, and to quhome no man could reproche any notoure fault 1514 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 16.
Quhar notour inmitie or feid is knawin betwix the [etc.] 1580 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I. 129. 1581 Acts III. 213/1.
It salbe judgit in law notoure and manifest adulterie worthie of … deith quhair thair is bairnis … procreat betuix the personis adulteraris or [etc.] 1628 Justiciary Cases I. 95.
Thairby committand nottour and manifest incest 1629 Ib. 125. 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 54.
Full of notour and tumultuary disorder 1669 Jus Populi 28.
If it be lawfull to resist habited, notour and complete tyranny 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i. xvii. 3 (1678) 171.
Our law divides adultery in that which is notour adultery and single adultery 1685 Nat. Reg. Archives (Scotl.) Rep. (Ewart Lib., Dumfries) 33.
As if they were evidently guilty of notor resett 1696 Acts X. 33/2.
Act for declaring nottour bankruptpredic. (1) 1456 Hay II. 109/5.
[Women's treachery] is thing knawin of lang tyme syne and notoire till all men 1563–4 Reg. Privy C.I. 272.
Althocht the deid be notour and certane to the said Colene 1571 Bann. Memor. 143.
The people, to whome thy franticke nature is notoure 1583 Reg. Privy C. III. 592.
Heirschippis and birningis committit upoun the said complinar, notour to the Kingis majestie 1585 Misc. Spald. C. I. 3.
For satisfactioun … of the effairis notour to yow c1610 Jok Uplandis Newis 2 a.
The fault being soe notar and manifest to all that had eyes or eares 1671 Lauder Notices Affairs I. 12.
The saids acts of treason … unles they had bein nottor to the wholle country(2) 1587 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 17.
The said Jonet … refusit that she was than with bairn (the same being maist notar and evident) 1603 Crim. Trials II. 407.
Nottour a1650 Row 29.
That no excommunicate persone have personam standi in judicio, especiallie when the excommunication is notoure or objected 1659 Review of ‘Protesters No Subverters’ 34.
That … presbyteries … tuke upon them the power of a general assembly is but too notour 1673 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II. 171.
Breaking of the King's prison … is a crime so attrocious and so nottour that there needs neither a proposition nor a condescending on particular laws [etc.] 1673 Aberd. Council Lett. V. 251.
Notor 1681 Stair Inst. iv. xlv. 4.
A decreet will not be found null for want of probation when judges sustain the point to be notour Ib.
What is done in presence of the judge in judgment, as what he sees and hears, … these are counted as notour 1690 Cramond Kirk S. III. 23 Jan.
This parosh, where the whoredom is most notour 1692 Acts Sederunt i. 198.
If the defender … alledge that he is not bankrupt and that the same is not nottour

b. Also said of facts, circumstances etc. which do not involve discredit or imply disparagement.The fact that our collections contain only predic. instances is presumably accidental. 1560 Admir. Ct. Bk. 156.
As to the use of jurisdictioun … be the said Arthoure Forbes … the samyn is notour and knawin, and Richard Trohope juge knawis the samyn 1573 Calderwood III. 254.
What diligence is commanded by the mouth of God … is more than notour a1650 Row 67.
Whill his repentance be as notoure as his apostasie is 1650 Falkirk Par. Rec. I. 172.
The haill eldars quhais knowledge wes not notor ather to all or to sum of the brethren 1660 Aberd. Council Lett. IV. 55.
To pay what is constant and notar to them 1675 Accompt of dispute betwixt the students of divinity and Quakers at Aberdene 30.
This answer is so notour that it became a proverb among the people 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i. xvii. § v. (1678) 175.
Without which [marriage] be proved or be notour to the assize Id. Affairs 127.

In c. impersonal, and d. parenthetic (quasi-impersonal), constructions. e. To make (it) notour, to make known, to make clear, also, to declare.c. (1) 1456 Hay I. 173/27.
Sen it is notour thing that he had maid that promes throu fors 1544–5 Acts & Decr. II. 30 b.
It is notoure that … Thomas ressauit the said soum 1559 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 47.
It is na new thing bot mair nor notoir that … the maist pairt of men hes euer bene aganis God 1560 Knox II. 123.
Be the quhilk it is notour and perfitlie knawin that the sacramentis … hes bene … corrupted be the papisticall Kirk 1564 Warrender P. I. 42.
Notour it is how in hir hienes minoritie a proces of forfaltour wes deduced aganis my Lord of Lennox 1571 Bann. Memor. 114.
It is notore what enimitie the Erle of Lennox … beiris [etc.] 1629 Justiciary Cases I. 136.
Nottour 1596 James VI in Row 170.
And becaus the Kirk hes but a part of the thirds, and it is noture the wholl thirds will not doe that turn 1654 Aberd. Council Lett. III. 244.
Notar 1657 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 239.
Finding it manifestlie notour that the said Mr. Jhon Steward … was guiltie off ane unparalleled intrusion 1678 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II. 315.
Nottar 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i. xxiv. 3. (1678) 241.
And it was very notour that … there was nothing more ordinar then for … just men … to take annualrent before the term 1689 Representation to Parliament of Some Grievances in the Colledge of Justice 5.
Itis notture … that when there are several points to be considered, some of them are omitted 1700 D. Hume Accompt of Estate App. 98.
It is nottour that the said Sir David Home is a person of eminent and unquestionable integrity 1732 Stirling B. Rec. II. 223.(2) 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV. ii. 64.
It is notour to all men how umquhile K. Henry … was horribly murdered in his bed a1633 Hope Major Pract. II. 120.
Notur 1631 Dumbarton B. Rec. 36.
Seeing it is notour to the proveist [etc.] … that thair was na particular quarrel betuix them a1650 Row 304.
That he was a vyld filthie bellie-god beast is notoure to all 1660 Melrose Reg. Rec. I. 324.
Noture 1665 Butler Leighton 373.
It being very notour to the bishope … that people … does not frequent ordinancesd. 1558 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 168.
Of the quhilks the said toll beir is na pairt as is notour to the lordis of our consall 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary I. 106.
As is notour aneuch, his formar marriage wes dissolvit 1590 Conv. Burghs I. 326.
That the cheif … burrowes of this realme, notour to your wisdomis, hes [etc.] 1640 Kirkcaldy Presb. 179. 1686 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 4.
Your petitioner … hes hade ane very considerable proces at law … which is very nottour 1688 Edinb. B. Rec. XI. 230.
Nottare. 1610 Inverurie B. Ct. 18 Dec.
He beinge occupiet in his maisteris effairis as was maid notour to the bailleis in judgement 1640 Spalding I. 266.
Whiche we desyre to be ingraved and maid notour to the whole worlde 1649 Cramond Ch. Boyndie 13.
& he sall make it noture when & where it sall be paid

f. adv. = Noto(u)rly adv. 1. — 1541 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. vi. Scott v. Scott & McDowell.
As for the blanche landis it is notour knawin in the cuntre that Hew Pastlot tuk up his blanche landis

3. Famous, renowned, celebrated. 1626 Garden Worthies 49.
Yet remaines Notor, renown'd & notable thy name a1657 Balfour Her. Tracts 1.
One beyond wthers remarkable, perspicous, famous, illustrious, conspicous, noture 1679 J. Somerville Mem. I. 10.
It is nottour to the greatest part of Scotland for liberalitie and good intertainement c 1680 Coll. Aberd. & B. 96.
Several towns and villages, notour and famous enough