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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
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Scule-maister, Scuilmaister, n. Also: skule-, scul-, scwl-, skul-, schul-, scuile-, scwil-, scuill-, skuil(l)-, schuil(l)-, scole-, schole-, shole-, scoil(l)-, skoill-, schoil-, shoill-, scol-, scol(l)-, scoll-, scoul-, scoule-, skowll-, schoul-, scool(l)-, scoole-, school(e)-, schoolle-, shool-, scull-, skwll-, schwll-, schuel-, schoale- and -maistir, -re, -mayster, -mester, -measter, -master, -ir, maister schowill. [ME and e.m.E. scolemaistre (a1225), scol-meistre (Ancr. R.), schole-maister (1521); Scule n.¹ and Maister n.]Written as one or two words.

1. The master of a school, esp. of a grammar school; one of the male teachers in a school. b. A qualified or experienced teacher. Also transf., fig. and attrib.For further examples, see Scule n.¹ 1. 1359 Exch. R. I 601.]
[Compotum Nicholai, magistri scolarum de Cupro in Fyff(1) 1459–60 Ayr B. Ct. 4 Jan.
Matthew the skul maister 1464 Peebles B. Rec. I 152.
Schyr Wylyam Blaklok to haf the scule and to be sculmaster and tyll teche the chylder 1468 Peebles B. Rec. I 157.
Chosyn scwlmaster for a yeir 1475 Peebles B. Rec. I 172.
Schyr Lowrans Johnson, sculmaster … besocht the balyeis … that thai walde … gyf to hym a seruis in Haly Kyrk that wakis ande fallis in thair gewyn 1526 Alloway Baron Ct. in Innes Rev. X 89.
Maister Gawyne Ross feit to be scule master for all the daes of his lyve and to mak serwice at the trinite altar and in the queyr as he wes wont to do c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4154.
Scule maister 1562 Inverness Rec. I 92.
Scule maister 1583 Stirling Presb. in Mill Mediæv. Plays 289.
Ane summondis … indorsit vpone Johnne Wod & Johnne Broun schulmaistiris … for playing of clark playis on the Sabboth day 1603 Irvine Mun. I 224.
Mr. William Wallace skulemaister 1620 Crim. Trials III 486.
Airthour Meldrum, scule-maister and reidar, at Kintor(b) 1551 Hamilton Cat. 60.
Scuile master 1565 Peebles B. Rec. I 299.
The scuill master to provid ane doctur to tech the scuill … the said master to wait himself better on the bairnis nor he doid affor tyme 1565 Peebles B. Rec. I 299. 1567 Lanark B. Rec. 36.
Scuilmaster 1570 Lanark B. Rec. 53.
Skuillmaster 1570–1 Lanark B. Rec. 54.
Skuilmaster 1573 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. 3 Ser. XXI 113.
Niniane Dalȝell minister and scwilmaister of Drumfres 1578 Rec. Earld. Orkney 354.
Prebendair of Sanct Peteris stuik and scuill master of the towne of Kyrkwall 1591 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 268.
Mr. Dauid Blythe minister is conducit and feit schuillmaister … quha oblisses him to sufficientlie instruct the yeuth and avait on the shuill 1596 Dalr. II 465/1.
[He and] Robert Maxual baith scuil maisteris 1607 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 25.
Mr. James Glen is chosin and electit schuillmaister for ane ȝeir 1620 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 258.
Mr. Thomas Lamb … schuillmaister … to bring vp the ȝeuthe in musik 1627 Edgar Old Church Life I 59 n.
[A fourth part of all kirk penalties] to the use of the reidar and schuilmaster of this clachan 1654 Cramond Kirk S. 20 Aug.
Except that they found ane ȝoung boy playing the schuilm^r 1654 Cramond Kirk S. 8 Oct.
The elderis … found no thing in the schuilmaister or subdoctor to be reproued 1658 Rothesay B. Rec. 21.
He … undertakes to be skuillmaister at Rothesay for educatioun and upbringing of the youthe in literatour(c) 1526 Wigtown B. Ct. fol. 177a.
Master Johne M^cByrne is feyt wyth the comunte of Wigtoune wyth consent of the haill consale to be scole master 1576 Reg. Privy S. VII 101/1.
Scolemaister 1590–1 Edinb. B. Rec. V 33.
Licence to Tobias Maxwell, schole master, to hald ane lecture schole of bairnis 1618 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 172.
David King, scholemaister, … dimittit … the place he had of thame in the hie schole for teiching of the bairnis thair to wrett 1633 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 137.
The whole parochen … to pay to Maister Johne Lilly present scholemaister at the said kirk and his successors scholemaisters thair, yearly, ane firlott of ait meall for ilk pleugh of land they possess 1649 Lamont Diary 9.
The parish … buelt a house for the sholemeaster 1698 Strathendrick 30.
To provyde and setle a scholemester in a fitt and commodious place for the convenient education of the children(d) 1554 Rec. Earld. Orkney 254.
Scoill maister 1554 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 48.
Skoill maister 1555 Peebles B. Rec. I 209.
Maister William Newdry, scoilmaister, confessit that he band Thome Alexander handis in way of correctioun 1562 Peebles B. Rec. I 287.
[They] ordanis the scoill maister … to wait on the teching of the barneis and exoner him of all vtheris pleasouris 1572–3 Peebles B. Rec. I 352.
Ane qualifiit scoilmaister 1594 Prot. Bk. T. Auchinlek 35.
Mr. Jhone Howstoun schoil maister 1606 Inverurie 171.
And obleises them to giff yearlie twenty punds money to help to pay the scoillmaister's buird 1650 Caldwell P. 104.
Shoillmaster(e) 1588 King Cat. 140.
Maisters and scolmaisters … be ouer mekle … indulgence in bringing vp thay mar thame quha ar committit to thair chairge 1600-1610 Melvill 50.
The scolmaister of the town, Mr. Patrik Scharpe 1642 Orkney Rentals iii 6.
Ane scolmr. 1653 Peebles B. Rec. II 11.
The magistrattes and counsell to provyd for ane scollmaister 1653 Peebles B. Rec. II 12.
Such parentes as are able shall satisfie the scolmaister and scool-doctor their quarter paymentis 1656 Rothesay B. Rec. 13.
Scholmaister 1671 Kingarth Par. Rec. 68.
Scholmaster 1679 Cunningham Diary 112.
Payd as my half of the scholmaster's fie in Kilbarchen 1683 Misc. Bann. C. II 291.
Schollmaster 1684 Lanark B. Rec. 222.
Scolmaister 1688 Misc. Bann. C. II 293.
Scholmester(f) 1620 Sc. Ant. I 93.
The scoulmester 1626 Brechin Test. IV 245.
Mr. James Fargassoun schoulmastir at Barvie 1637 Brechin Test. V 242b.
Schoulmaister 1663 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 155 (1 Jan.).
Skowll maister — 1551 Banff Ann. II 166.
The maister schowill of Banff, Sir Wm. Clark(g) 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 221.
Schoole maister a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 65.
Wha then was scoolemaster at Dumbar 1630 Edinb. B. Rec. VII 71.
Ressavis David Phorbous Dutche scoolemaister for teaching the Dutch language within this burgh 1636 Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall 27.
All schoole-masters shall teach in Scotish or Latine … the Catechisme 1638 Alyth Kirk S. in Sc. N. & Q. 1 Ser. XII 45.
Giffin to ane poore man, ane reader and scoolemaister in Irland as his testimonial schew 1638 Peebles Gleanings 243.
To Mr. William Martine, schoolemaister, … for his chalmer maill 1639 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 266.
Preachers, readers, and ignorant schoollemasters 1642 Dunferm. Kirk S. 11.
Mr. James Reddy schoolemaister was chosen moderator c1650 Spalding II 89.
Scoolmaister 1658 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 176.
He haid bein doctour in John Broune, scooll maister, his scooll 1662 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 8.
Shoolmaster 1663 S. Ronaldshay 42.
[William Henderson was] settled as schoolmaister [at Windwick] after Lambmess 1670 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 12 March.
Twentie punds Scots … as schoole maister his fies 1671 Inverness Rec. II 248.
The shoolmaister of the gramer shoole 1674 Moray Synod 159.
No pedagogue, schoolmaister or chepland [shall] be permitted to officiat in anie publicke charge or office without licence granted by the bishop 1680 Cunningham Diary 116.
For a poor man, once landward schoolmaster 1680 Foulis Acc. Bk. 55.
To the little scoolm[aste]r 8 s. 1699 Banff Ann. II 177.
The magistrats … consent to the choiseing of any schoolmaister in tyme comeing [etc.](h) 1569–70 Haddington Treas. Acc.
Gewyn the skwll master for his stepand 1649 Dumfries Treas. Acc. MS p. 29.
Master John Moore scullmaster for his quarters pension 1679 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 23 July.
Schwll master(i) 1613 Cranna Fraserburgh 208.
The schuelmaysters provisions(j) 1651–2 Peebles B. Rec. II 192.
Mr. William Purdie, schoale maister(2) 1674 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 28 Nov.
James Clerk under scoolemaster of Kirkcudbrughttransf. and fig. (1) 1554 Knox III 128.
Onlesse we have another scoolmaster then manlie reason 1554 Knox III 203.
God wald that the lyfe and conversatioun of the fatheris suld be ane sculemaister to the children 1571 Sat. P. xxix 28.
Evin as Meffan, his scuill maistre, thai se, schew him the way a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 188 (W²).
To late Experience dois teiche—The skuill-maister of fuillis ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. III 185.
Ther wer severall members sitting in the Parliament, … who now wer growne wyser by experience, scoolemaister to none of the wysest(2) 1571 Cal. Sc. P. III 540.
[Mr. Adley] lennit [me] Maister [Estham's book called] ‘The Scole Maister’attrib. 1650 Brechin Presb. 29.
Thair shall be such increase of scholers as the scholemaister stipend will requyr more, to augment the samen at thair sight

2. A private tutor. 1522 Mar & Kellie MSS 11.
The Lord Erskin … sall be his scoule master that sall wait on his grace, and instruct him in all gude vertuis, to reid and write and to speke Latin and Fransh 1593 Haddington Presb. Rec. in Hist. Fam. Seton I 212.
Steine Ballantayne scullmaister to me L. Setonnes bairnes, ane papist or atheist, is dischairged from teiching of onie youthe or scoll 1661 Maxwell Mem. II 306.
I haue had a scoulmester who lets non of his scollers go ignorant

3. A scholar of distinction.Cf. sculeman Scule n.¹ 10 c and Maister n. 17 a. 1596 Dalr. I 254/15.
Madulphie skuilmaistir was that same tyme: quha of a singular ingine, hiche in theologie, notable baith in Greik and Latine