Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Pastance, -ans, -ence, n. [e.m.E. pastaunce (Skelton), -tance, appar. a phonetic repr. of F. passe-temps, also -tamps, -tans (15–16th c. in Godef.), f. passer Pas v. and temps time. Cf. Pastym(e n.] Recreation, pleasure. = Pastym(e n. 1 a.Also, once, an instance of this.Unlike Pastym(e, occurring only in ‘literary’ (verse and prose) sources, and obsol. by c 1560.(1) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1446.
Plesand pastance and mony lustie sport Thair saw we als Ib. 409. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxix. 12.
Quhen I sett me to sing or dance Or go to plesand pastance [etc.] 1513 Doug. v. Prol. 47. 1533 Bell. Livy I. 7/9.
In quhatsumeuir way it sal happin it will pleis me to haue pastance and consolacioun with my self, to haue in memorie the illustir … dedis of that pepil 1535 Stewart 14942.
He … Dewysit hes for recreation … All kynd of pastance with gude sport and pla To dance and sing and for till hunt ilk da 1549 Compl. 64/25. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i. 196.
I ȝow beseik in sum part tak pastance And ȝow reioyce Ib. 202.
Fra me allone sic pastance is ouirgane Ib. 213.
Sum vther man … That thy lady will hald into pastance 15.. Clar. iv. 1835.
Thus pat thay off the tyme with faire pastance 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6425.
This lady … In companie scho culd mak gud pastance [: dance](2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 526.
I … with my pene did report ther pastance [M. pastyme] most mery 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 212.
Pastans 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 144.
Amang those herbis amyabyll I did remane one space for my pastance Ib. 271.
All thyng terrestryall Ar subiect to thy plesour and pastance a1538 Abell 114 a.
Thai suld tak ane halk or ane hund and pas to thare pastence 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1019. a1568 Wedderburn Bann. MS. 287 b/11.
Quhair is thy pastance and solaciusnes(3) a1568 Scott xxxiv. 15.
Quhat is ȝour lufe bot … Ane pastance [M. pastyme] vnperfyte To smyte ȝow with the glaikis