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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Statut(e, n.¹ Also: statuit, statutt, statitut, staitut. Pl. also statuides, statuis. [ME and e.m.E. statuit (c1290), statute (Cursor M.), statuz (pl., c1325), statut (1520), OF statut (1250 in Larousse), late L. statutum, f. statuere to establish, decree.] a. A decree, ordinance or law, made by a person or body empowered to legislate, chiefly, an act of the king and his council or parliament, also, of the church, etc. b. An ordinance or regulation enacted by the governing body of a burgh, craft guild, or other institution. Variously const. Also transf. and fig.a., b. (1) 1397 Acts I 208/2.
Apon ther articles the justice in ilke iustice air sal tak knawlage als apon schirefis gif thai do deuly thair det to thair office in the execucioun of this statut c1420 Wynt. v 3860.
[The bishop] sayd … For lauch I will now thow ger dyte [etc.] … The Empryowre … oblysyd hym to fulfill All thir statutis 1427 Acts II 16/1.
Item at the bischoppis officiallis [etc.] … inquire … gif ony be smyttit with lippir … ande that the burgesis ger keip this statute vnder the paynis contenit in the statute of beggaris ande quhat liperous at keipis nocht this statute that he be banyst 1428 Acts II 16/2.
The king of deliuerans of his consale be maner of statute forbidis that na man interprete his statutis vthir wayis than the statutis beris 1447 Aberd. B. Rec. I 15.
The … counsaile has consentit … that … the feit chaplaynis and the feft chaplaynis sall be rewlyt … and trespassouris correct be the sight of the alderman and counsaile forsaid or ellis the agaynstandaris of this statute sall noght be maynetenyt be the maisteres 1448 Acts I 350/2.
Erl Williame of Douglas … gert thai lordis and bordouraris be bodily suorne … that thai … efter thair connyng and knawlege suld decret … and put in wryt the statutis ordinancis and vse of merchis that wes ordanit to be kepit in blak Archibald of Douglas dais 1448 Acts I 350/2.
To do the law vpoun thaim that brak the statutis c1475 Wall. iv 171.
Tithingis come … fra thair consaill. Than statute thai in ilk steide of the west … Wallace suld haiff no rest. … Our wast contre thar statute is so strang, Into the north my purpos is to gang 1483 Haddington Hammermen's Seal of Cause in E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. II 103.
Sic statutes and ordinances as sall be meitt and expedient for the honour of God a1500 Bk. Chess 524. 1513 Doug. iii ii 139.
The ȝong men fortil laubour thar new land … And I thar statutis and seyr lawis thame tawcht, Assyngnand ilkane propir howsis and aucht 1514 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 147.
Quhat persoun of the said craft that beis apprehendit brekand the said statute sall be xx s., xv s. to the kirk werk, and v s. to thair awin altar a1538 Abell 83a.
Keip the stait of religion at we haif tane ws to quhat rewll at euir it be for to that rewll and statutis man we answer quhen the saule departis … before the hie juge 1548 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 134.
That euery baillie of this towne pas throw the same … and se gif the statutes be kepit 1549 Compl. 108/1.
In ald tymis it vas determit in the artiklis of the pace be the tua vardanis of the bordours … that there suld be na familiarite betuix Scottis men and Inglis men … bot thir seuyn ȝeir bygane, thai statutis and artiklis of the pace ar adnullit 1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II 190.
The said Dauid is now intrustit in … the said office and nocht cummyng thairto be the saidis act statute and tennour thairof 1560–1 Inverness Rec. I 52.
Statutt 1574 Conv. Burghs I 26.
The paynis and vnlawis contenit in the statute abouewrittin 1593 Montg. Suppl. 324.
As to the gewing of the confessioun of his fayth, … thair is na statute nor act of parliament … contening ony sic limitatioun 1600 Glasgow Wrights 41.
The cowparis … hes … obtenit ane seuerall lettir of dekinheid contenand thair statutis and rewlis to thame selfis onlie 1609 Acts IV 410/1.
Some provisioun made by statute to dissapoint thame of those thair vnlauchfull hoipis wald mak thame the les curious to offend heirin(2) 1409 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 74.
Remede of lache statute of the kirk made or for to be made to be proponyd 14.. Acts I *89/2.
Heyr begynnis the lawis of the gyld; In the name of the … trinite … begynnis the statutis of the gilde of Scotland 14.. Acts I 380/2.
All tha ar callit infames that aboys or contrariis the reull of cristin law or condampnis the statutis of haly kirk 14.. Acts I 380/2.
Thai that willfully brekis, defoulis, or despisis the statutis of the apostolis 1518–19 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 186.
This frauchting is maid after the form of the statutes of the towne 1571 Lanark B. Rec. 62.
Conform to the akes and statuides of brught 1584 Perth Hammermen iii.
My brether all … That ye will … Consider your statuttis and leir. Set down into this prettie buik … Maid be antient men of auld Quha keipit thame trew 1584–5 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 392.
Sic as sall contravene the statuts of the towne anent myddings, fuilyie, … swyne, … and siclyk 1622-6 Bisset I 67/10.
Nixt followes the statutis of gyld brether 1622-6 Bisset I 68/21.
Thairefter followed the essys or statutis of the said King David a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 16.
The statuts of session anent the order of the house should be read to the lords at the begining of ilk session that they may have them in recent memory 1699 St. A. Baxter Bks. 59 n.
Wee the masters and members of the baxter trade, being legalie calld & c., … statute that [etc.] … under the penaltie of ten pound Scots to be exacted from ebery on who contraveins this our statut 1703 Edinb. Univ. Chart. 151.
That the original constitutione therof with the statuts and ordinances therof and constant practice enshewing theron be dewly observed — 1513 Doug. v xii 176.
And all the hedismen gaderis and set doun, Stabillis thar lawys and statutis for that towntransf. and fig. 1513 Doug. xii xiii 72.
A thing I thé beseik quhilk, weill I wait, is Na wys include in statutis of the fatis. That is to knaw quhen that [etc.] a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxxi 252/22.
My hairt and mynd to thé sall euer bend And to thy lawis and statutis eik attend(3) 1459 Peebles B. Rec. I 132.
Has he [sc. the officer] that pyndyt the gud lauchfully apon the Wenlaw as common statut was ordanit 1490–1 Liber Melros II 600.
Actis nor statutis prywait nor generall 1494 Loutfut MS 1a.
The ald dedis ordinantis & statutis Riaulis 1558–9 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I lxii.
Conform to the statute provinciall 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. (Latin) i 89b marg.
Richard. 2. Ann. 8. c. 4. in the statute at Westminster 1622-6 Bisset I 241/6.
The formare statute abonewrittin 23 Novembris 1613(4) 1398 Acts I 211/2.
It is accordit that the statut made laste at Striuelyn be continwit & hafe force thre yher 1428 Acts II 16/2.
The king and the consale has … declarit at thare be a statute maid in this parliament that na man suld … cum to na courte … with armys 1491 Acts II 226/2.
The … statutis … maid … baith to burgh and to land alswele of mettis and mesuris [etc.] a1500 Bk. Chess 798.
Hie vald nocht brak the statuit hie couth mak Bot tynt his e or hie vald brak his act 1510 Reg. Privy S. I 326/1.
A lettre … ratifiand and approvand ane act and statute maid anent the clengeing of the calsay 1511 Reg. Privy S. I 346/1.
Quhilk resignatioun … sal be na … perell to the said deme Margrete … nochtwithstanding ony … statute maid in the contrare 1521 Liber Melros II 632.
Na remeid of law … aict of parliament statut or constitutioun maid or to be maid 1525 (1527) Reg. Great S. 97/2.
Thair salbe nane innovationis nor statutis brocht up nor maid upon ony nychbouris of this burgh … nor wes maid of ald tyme 1553 Mill Mediæv. Plays 129.
The panes contenit in the statitut maid obefor anent the ordour of craftismen to gang in the processioun a1578 Pitsc. I 39/17.
Thair was ane parlieament at Edinburgh to mak statutis for repairing of the common weill 1607 Glasgow B. Rec. I 270. 1614 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 276.
A statute made … against the bringinge in of Scotts into this realme [sc. Ireland], and marrienge with them 1647 Douglas Bequest 25 Sept.
To mak sic statutes and ordinances as salbe fund necessare meitt and expedient to the honour and glorie of God(b) 1535 Mill Mediæv. Plays 126.
The litsteris … hes vranguslie brokin the staitut maid … for Corpus Christi processioun(5) 1427 Acts II 16/1 (see (1) above). 1428 Acts II 16/1.
The king with consent of the hail consal has continewit the statute of the putting away and distroying of the cruffis [etc.] 1448 Acts I 350/2.
The statutis … of merchis in tym of were 1463 Newburgh B. Ct. 12b.
For the wrangus brekyne off the statuis off the woudrowyff 1584–5 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 392 (see (2) above). 1606–7 Misc. Spald. C. V 80.
The statute concerning the Inglische beir 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. (Latin) i 65 marg.
The statute of doing of homage 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. (Latin) i 66b marg.
The statut anent homage and fealtie 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 141b.
The statuts anent beggers and lipperfolke(6) 1456–7 Reg. Dunferm. 341.
Withoutyn ony ramede of law … or ony statute of law aganis ther presentis