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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.

Pensio(u)n, n. Also: penss-, pen(s)ch-, penc-, pent- and -io(u)ne, -iowne, -youn(e, -ieoun, -eoun; -oine. [ME. and e.m.E. pencion (Piers Plowman A), -sioun, -cyone, -tion, also pensone (15th c.), F. pension (c 1225 in Hatz.-Darm.), L. pensio payment, rent.] A pension.

1. A regular, usu. monetary, payment, made to a person, freq. for past or present services, but also ex gratia; a stipend or allowance.Also, once, comb. with -fe.(1) 1399 Acts I. 212/1.
Anentis hyr [the queen's] pension of [2500] marce yher be yher for the terme of hyr lyfyng to be raysit of the custumes of syndry bowrous c 1489 Liber Aberbr. II. 263.
Quhilk [meal] extendis in the yeir to xl chalder except bowmenis feis and pensionis 1498–9 Acta Conc. II. 324. 1505 Treas. Acc. III. 151.
Laid doun to Besse Hag … or scho enterit to hir pensioun c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxiii. 27. 1528 Acta Conc. MS. XXXVIII. 152.
Accepe [= except] penciones of our ordinar officaris 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 272.
Gart pay me weill my pentioun 1546 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 231.
Pentioun 1548 Cal. Sc. P. I. 141.
The rest of my pure pentioun sence Januari & ane yeiris frutt … thairof 1548–9 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 584. 1552–3 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 71.
Item to James Marioribanks for his penschioun in the queir x li. 1554 Holyrood Chart. 294. 1570 Reg. Episc. Morav. App. 419.
Payand … to the vicar pensionar of Keitht his yeirlie pensioun and that in consideratioun of the inlaik of corps presents … and utheris profeittis of the said vicarage 1570–1 Inverness Rec. I. 198.
x merkis monye of his pentioun of the scule 1570–1 Lanark B. Rec. 54.
Penteoun 1621 Melville Chart. 156.
Penchioun 1647 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 84.
And if any of the touns pensioners sall recept hir they to amit and lose thair pension and benefit quhilk they haue from the toun 1649–50 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III. 575.
Penssioune 1654 Dumfries Council Min. 3 Jul.
Fynit the said Henry in the halfe of his pensioune 1661 Nicolson Diurnals Oct.
To Mr. Millne for his pensione for the knock dressing 1 li. 6. 8 1677 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS. 21 May.
In compleit payment of his bygaine penssoine(2) 1431 Reg. Great S. 45/2.
Till hald … als frely … as ony pensioun or annuale is giffyn 1494 Acta Aud. 200/2.
For ane ȝe[re]ly pension aucht to him for his thankis done & to be done 1508 Mill Mediæv. Plays 137.
Ony man haffand takis of … landis or ony pensioun or proffit of the towne 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 38.
The father of fameill … Quhilk for ane certane pentioun Feit men to wyrk in his wyne ȝaird 15.. Black Bk. Taymouth 155. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 99.
That the kepar of the said benefice sall haif bot ane sober pensioun that the giffar … may get in the laif to thame self 1557 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 10 Dec.
Thai sall not gyf na maner of pensioun to ony persoun of thair comone guds 1562-3 Winȝet I. 101/13.
A fair wyfe and ane fatt pensioun a1568 Scott . 73.
Thai lost baith benefice and pentioun that mareit 1570 Leslie 143.
Sindrye uderis … gat certaine pensiones assinit to thame be King Henry of Ingland 1575 Bk. Univ. Kirk I. 342.
Mr. Patrick Dowglas … gave out a pension to a bearn to hold him at the school 1595 Banff Ann. II. 403.
Ane yeirlie pentioun and stipend to ane maister of scole 1597 Skene Verb. S. (1599) s.v. Pension. 1662 Nicolson Diurnals 23 July.
To Mr. James Chalmers [writer] for ane years pensione 40 lib. 1681 Stair Inst. ii. v. § 16. (1832) 282.(3) 1475 Exch. R. VIII. 311 n.
The said pensioune of fyve merkis 1492 Acta Conc. I. 275/1. 1517–18 Reg. Privy S. I. 464/2.
Ane pensioun and feale of thre pundis … every moneth 1549 Misc. Bann. C. III. 412.
Pencion 1578 Reg. Privy C. III. 36.
That na pensionis of victuall be gevin in tyme cuming furth of the said superplus 1578 Acts III. 107/1.
[He] salbe lawfullie providit … of ane ȝeirlie pensioun of tua thowsand merkis 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 444.
Ane pensione of a chalder of meill 1585 Reg. Great S. 292/1.
Ane yeirlie pensioun of 200 pundis to be taikin furth of our said abbay of Kelso(4) 1460 Exch. R. VI. 590 n.
The sowme of twenty pwndis of pensiowne 1526 Reg. Privy S. I. 545/2.(5) 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 95.
To Johne Steil, tailȝour, his pensioun of the Whitsonday terme bipast 1505 Ib. III. 117.
Thare feis and pensionis of the said terme 1506 Ib. 327. 1525 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 223.
For thair pensioun and annuell of the Witsounday terme(6) 1423 Holyrood Chart. 127.
The canoune millis the quhilk ar assignit to hym in his pensione 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 93.
Giffin to Alexander Stewart … in his pensioun fra Witsonday tocum 1556 Liber Calchou 482.
Be deliuerance maid to the fiw pensionaris of Lesmahago ilkane of the brethir and pensionaris takkand in anno for thair pensioun habit siluer [etc.] 1622-6 Bisset I. 92/27.
The said sowme … to be devyded for thair pensionis 1656 Misc. 3 Spald. C. II. 188. — 1680 Lauderdale P. III. 197 (see Locality n. 2).
My lord McDonele … demanded his munny of his pention(7) 1546 Reg. Privy C. I. 41.
To be maid sure of als meikile proffett yeirlie in pentioun as [etc.] 1556–7 Inverness Rec. I. 5.
Fowyr pundis moné in pencion … for techyn of the scull 1561 Reg. Dunferm. App. ii. 453.
To Ser Adam Kinghorne in pensioun 1562 Reg. Cupar A. I. 362.
In pensioun to John Scot 1575–6 Reg. Privy C. II. 496.
Yit wes it nevir menit … that the thridis of lawit patronages salbe gevin in pensioun for terme of lyff without consent of the … patroun 1581 Acts III. 244/2.
All the saidis giftis feis or frie dispositionis … in pensioun or frilie dischargit 1596 Dalr. II. 137/3.
The tent parte to the Pape in pensione — 1562 Reg. Cupar A. I. 362.
In pensiounis ȝeirlie to the abbay of Restennett [etc.] — 1692 Conv. Burghs IV. 587.
To the lockman of pension and cloaths(8) 1553 Perth Guildry 510 (13 Sept.).
Thir our present lettris of pensioun 1578 Acts III. 106/2.
Ane letre of pensioun grantit to the Comitesse of Mar 1592 Ib. 594/1.(9) comb. 1612 Conv. Burghs II. 346.
Of pensione feyes to the procurator xxiiij li.

2. A fixed payment out of the revenues of an ecclesiastical benefice.(1) 1406 Facs. Nat. MSS. II. lx.
The pension of a hundre punde aucht til vs yherly of the forsaide priorie of Coldinghame 1424 Acts II. 5/2.
The king forbiddis that ony clerk … purches ony pensione out of ony benifice secular or religious Ib. 6/2.
That he purchest in the court of Rome ane pensione out of the denry of Abirdene in dismembring of his benifice … the parliament thinkis that sik purchessing of pensionys ande dismembring of benificis ar agane the cours of common lawe 1466 Ib. 85/2; 1482 Ib. 144/1. 1506 Orkney & Shetl. Rec. I. 247, 248.
The penchione of Dingvell and the Red Castell paiis thar dettis this yeir … the penchione of Yetland for this yeir present 1507 Reg. Episc. Brechin. II. 157.
That we have … assignit our pensyoune till us acht of your toune till our chaplanis 1572 Acts III. 74/2.
Aganis the possessouris of benefices pensionis portionis or vther sic ecclesiasticall rentes 1574 Reg. Privy C. II. 414.
The gift of the pensioun of the thrid of the victuall and money of the abbay of Halyruidhous 1584 Acts III. 355/2.
The saidis pensionis remanis as ane burding vpoun the said archiebishoprik of Sanctandrois and bishoprik off Aberdene 1587 Ib. 454/2.
Sindry benefices … hes [bene] burdenit with … giftis of pensionis of victuall or siluer [etc.] 1592 Ib. 546/1. c 1607–15 Goudie Shetl. Antiq. 156.
This benefice [is] evil spilt be ane forcit pensiowne taine from it be my Lord of Orknay(2) c 1522 Doug. in Doug. (Sm.) I. xc.
With the freir that seykis pensyoun apon my benefice of Dunkeld

3. A payment or charge due to an authority or overlord; a tax, tribute or imposition. 1441 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 7.
Except the rentaile that the balyes sal haue to free anerly the pensiones of the toune 1509 Perth Guildry 475 (26 May).
And herof sall pay ȝerly the kingis pensionis befor the tovnnis day of the chekker & deliuer thaim to the officiaris 1513 Doug. xi. Prol. 24.
Wrangis to reddres suld wer be vndertane For na conquest, reif, skat, nor pensioun 1550 Reg. Privy C. I. 86.
The grete offeris of Ingland maid to him anent the quyting of thair pensioun randaring of Boulongue [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I. 250/16. Ib. 254/11.
The King of Ingland had also send his ambassadouris desyrand his pensieoun to be payit or ellis [etc.]

4. Payment for board and lodgings. 1564 Laing MSS. I. 20.
For that I am best cheip in pensioun as your lordship sall understand … of Alexander Moreis … quho was factour … to ane Mr. James Hammiltoun and thairfor hes the knawlege quhat he payit for him and quhatt is the leist pensioun in this universitie