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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.

Persuasio(u)n(e, n. Also: persuac-, -suat-, -swac-, -swas-, -swat-; parsuatioun. [ME. and e.m.E. persuacioun (Wyclif), -suasion (Chaucer), -swasion, -suation (16th c.), L. persuāsiōn-, AF. persuacioun (Gower), OF. persuacion (14th c. in Hatz.-Darm.).] Persuasion, in the usual senses.

1. The action of persuading, in the various senses of Persuade v. b. A particular instance of this; an argument or inducement; arguments, collectively.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxii. 215.
Ane vthir feynd … mad hyr persuacione … lust to fulfil a1500 Henr. Orph. 471 (Asl.).
Quhen that ressoun and intelligens … makis perswasioun To draw our … affectioun c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1836.
He maid thame gret perswasioun(2) c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 61/26.
Be perswasioun of other seruandis of the enemy 1531 Bell. Boece II. 283. Id. Livy I. 194/21.
Be persuasioun [v.r. parsuatioun] of Tullus 1567 G. Ball. 159.
Be Antichristis fals persuatioun [v.rr. perswasioun, perswasion] 1570 Leslie 175.
Perswatione a1585 Maitland Maitl. Q. lix. 62.
Doe na thing … Be persuasioun of euill tailles nottrew 1590–1 Crim. Trials I. ii. 218.
By the Divels perswasionb. (1) c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 4/18.
And … I propone to perswade aganis the perswasioun of the enemy that all personis … in syn suld do pennance 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (S.T.S.) 399.
At the perswasioun of certane monkis he was slaine c1615 Chron. Kings 194.
Persuatioune(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1134 (Ch.).
Temptationis … Assaultand men with sweit persuasionis [H. perswationis] 1490 Irland Mir. II. 78/1.
For the verite of the final resurreccioun … the doctouris makis certane persuasiouns c1515 Asl. MS. I. 318/10.
Criste … confoundit … feyndly perswasiones 1533 Boece v. i. 163.
With mony persuasiouns 1560 Cal. Sc. P. I. 503.
I have swa used my Lord Seton with gentyll perswacionis … that [etc.] 1573 Inv. Q. Mary App. cliii. a1578 Pitsc. I. 101 heading.
Persuationis to the Erlle of Douglas 1589 Crim. Trials I. ii. 175.
Ȝe … maid oressounes and gaif persuasiounis to thame c1600 Montg. Suppl. v. 29.
Na … perswationis slie Sell newer mouf my mynd(3) 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 171/40.
I will geif ȝou ane persuasioun contenand thre heidis

2. The condition of being persuaded; conviction, assurance. 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 161/17.
To geif ȝou ferther persuasioun ȝe sall consider that [etc.] 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 142.
Would thou know … quhither thy persuasion of God's mercie be starke or not? Ib.
I cannot have a starke persuasion that He will be mercifull to me