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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Palȝard, -ȝart, n. and a. Also: pall-, paill- and -ȝeart, -iard, -yard. [e.m.E. palyard (c 1500), palyarte, palliard (16th c.), a professional beggar or vagabond, OF. paillard, -art (13th c.), f. paille straw. Cf. Paillard n.] a. A scoundrel or rascal; an impostor; a cheat. b. A fornicator, lecher or whoremonger. c. adj.a., b. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2692.
He pat the comoun peple in beleue That blynd gat seycht … The quhilk that palȝard no way can appreue 1567 Sempill Sat. P. viii. 46.
Palȝart! war nocht our faith defendit [etc.] c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 526.
And so as palȝeartis in peltrie perseueiris 1573 Tyrie in Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 29/9.
Perrolus tymes, in the quhilkis salbe … trucebrekers, fals accusars, palliards [etc.] 1611-57 Mure Sonnets (Ser. i) xii. i.
Puir perjurd palliard … punisht with the palsie & the poxe 1638 Bk. Pasquils 42.
Frome … devout palyards by the scoare … deliver us! c1679 Kirkton Hist. 84.
Not only a debauched pailliard, but a cruel murthererc. 1581 Burne Disput. 188.
This quhais usurpit bischopis … and palliard ministeris professis procreatione of adulterous childrene Id. in Cath. Tr. 144/10. c1590 Fowler I. 48/23.
That … paliard preist 1638 Bk. Pasquils 42.
A palyard drunkard charlitan — a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xviii. 70.
The kyt wes palȝard and perjure