A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Subcharge, Sucharge, Sudcharge, Surcharg(e, n. Also: such(e)ardis, sudchargis, sowrchargis, surharg. [e.m.E. sucharge (Cath. Angl.); cf. also later e.m.E. surcharge (from 1601) a pecuniary charge, etc. F. surcharge (early 16th c. in Larousse), f. surcharger to impose an extra weight on (something). The variety of spellings in the prefix suggests some confusion between sub- and sur-. The forms in -is, although apparently plural, are grammatically singular. Cf. Charge n. 1.]
1. A second or additional course of food. Chiefly fig.a1500 Henr. Fab. 281.
Till eik thair cheir ane subcharge [Bann. sur[c]harg] furth scho brocht, Ane plait of grottis [etc.] a1500 Henr. Fab. 346.
Thy guse is gude thy gansell sour as gall The subcharge [Asl. suchardis] off thy seruice is bot sair 1513 Doug. xiii ix 118.
All ar expert, eftir new mariage, On the first nycht quhat suld be the subchargefig. 1375 Barb. xvi 462.
Thai had a felloun efter mes That sowrchargis to chargand wes
2. In fig. contexts, more generally: An additional amount, load or burden (also, of something, or till someone).a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 32 (Arund.).
O wofull warld … With dred, dollour and eik dowbill diseis … Sa is thair subcharge [Asl. sucharge, Harl. sucheardis], this warld quha list compleis a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 36 (Asl.).
Syland thair sicht with gleme of thi glyding And solace semblit with surchargis [Arund. sudchargis, H. sucheardis] of scharpe schouris a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 466 (Asl.).
Suppos of syne the syte in sawys schort Can na man schaw the sucharge [Arund. sudcharge, Harl. sucheardis] is sa saire a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1123 (Asl.).
Fleme fra me fraude & fals effectioun With the sowre surcharge of carnale insolens a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 258.
Till all his sair he soucht na saw bot ane, The quhilk wes ded, as sudcharge till his sorrow 1653 Binning Wks. 236.
Here is an overplus, and, as it were, a surcharge of consolation
