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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.

Persecut-, Persecucio(u)n(e, n. Also: persequut-, -secuss-, parsecut- and -yo(w)n(e; persecucoune. [ME. and e.m.E. persecucyon, parsecucion (Rolle), persecucioun (Wyclif), OF. persecution, -cucion, -quucion (1190 in Greimas).]

1. The action of pursuing, dealing hostilely with, harassment, oppression, or persecution. b. A specific instance of this.Freq., esp. in early use, in the phr. mak (a) persecutioun, variously const.(1) 1375 Barb. iv. 5.
His fayis … throw thar … powste Maid sic a persecucioune … On thaim [etc.] a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii. 364.
He mad sic persecucione That … gert he sla [20,000] c1420 Wynt. v. 1102.
He made gret persecutyown Off Crystyn men Ib. 2234.
Decyus … made gret persecutyowne Agayne Crystyn men Ib. 1220.
Persecutione 1456 Hay I. 44/20.
The king Nabugadonosor … maid grete persecucioun apon the kingis of Joury 1490 Irland Mir. I. 161/34. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 143.
My Lord of Huntlie maid greit persequutioun vpone thame that adherit to the kingis obedience(2) c1420 Wynt. v. 1177.
Throuch his persecutyown Mony sufferyd … ded throuch martyry 1456 Hay I. 10/18.
Na the haly kirk has bene in grete persecucioun 1530 Rec. Earld. Orkney 212.
Fre fra all molestatioun inquietatioun and persecussioun of ony personis quhatsumeuir 1533 Bell. Livy I. 115/1.
Pepill quhilkis … list defend the barnis fra maist persecucioun of the fader a1538 Abell 26 a.
Domycian … rasit the … sicund persecutioun of Haly Kirk Ib. 9* a.
Persecucyon 1562-3 Winȝet I. 67/3.
In tyme of persequutioun 1558-66 Knox I. 50.
Gif … dredour of persequutioun … had moved me to departe [etc.] Ib. II. 330.
Sche had receaved letteris that persecutioun was begun agane in France c1590 Fowler II. 42/29. 1596 Dalr. I. 167/15.(b) 1549 Compl. 123/25.
That ther can na thing be eikkyt to my parsecutione bot cruel dede(3) 1517–18 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 115.
And to … help … the Erle of Ergile in the persecutioun of the said traitour 1533 Boece ii. xi. 79 b.
His sonnys declynyng persecucioun of the confederatis be freyndis war convoyit to Ireland(4) c1420 Wynt. v. 3420.
Paule and Jhone thare passyowne Tholyt wndyr hys persecutyowne

2. (Legal) prosecution a. of, also agayne, a person, b. (of an action at law), c. of a legal claim (to (of) a property etc.). d. Also, an instance of these.a., b. 1456 Hay I. 166/11.
Quhethir aw I to mak persecucioun agayne him in jugement 1489–90 Acta Conc. I. 129/1.
Nain of thaim … to mak … persecucioune … of the said mater at the court of Rome 1545 Reg. Privy S. III. 193/1.
Sauffand the persecutioun of the caus befor the juge spirituallc. 1466–7 Aberd. B. Rec. MS. V. i. 590 (19 Jan.).
That he purposis him to mak persecucoune of his gudis tane fra him … out of his schip in Inglande 1501–2 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 642.
Adam to decist fra … persecucioun of the sadis landis 1540 Linlithgow B. Ct. 10 Nov.
To persew and follow Robart Cuthtill anent the clame of ane hay stak quhilk clame and persecution he followit and persewit the said Robart beford. 1493 Acts II. 233/1.
Exhorting … thame to leif … thair pleyis persecutiounis and litigatiounis