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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Tret(e, Treit, Treat, v. Also: treitt, treite, triet, treate, treatte, treait, trett, trat(e, trait(t, traite, trayt, trite. P.t. and p.p. also tratit, treictit, tractit, traicted, tret(t, treit, treat. Pres. p. also tretinege. [ME and e.m.E. trety (1297), trete (c1325), treat (1436), trayt (Caxton), OF tretier, traitier, L. tractāre.]

1. a. intr. To hold discussions or negotiations (with another) about (anent, for, of, upon) some matter requiring to be settled. b. tr. To discuss or negotiate (such a matter); to arrange or settle (a matter) by discussion.a. pres. 1375 Barb. xix 129.
In that tyme wes send fra the king Off Scotland messyngeris to trete Off pes a1400 Leg. S. xi 178.
Ger thi fays be Rycht wondir fayne to tret with thé 1386 Rot. Sc. II 85/2.
The commissairs of bathe partys sall mete … for to trete for a pees c1420 Wynt. vii 1974.
Thir twa kyngys ware tretand Off grettare materys, lyk to be Accordyd full 1522–3 Edinb. B. Rec. I 214.
Quhen any persones of the said craft happens to be chargit to forgather with the kirkmaisters and principal maisters af the said craft to treit upon the common weill and profyte thairof a1578 Pitsc. II 206/16.
To pas to Ingland to meit the ambassadouris … in … York and thair for to trett vpone the slauchter of the kingis grace 1648 Hamilton P. (Camden Soc.) 186.
Mr. Ashburnhame is agane tretinege with Crumwell, bot it is half-treson here to speike of it(b) 1587 Burntisland B. Ct. 6 Oct.
That the prowest bailleis and counsall … efter the morninge prayars to traitt wpone sic thingis as concernis the comowne weill of the towne 1599 Dickinson Source-bk. III 451.
Bot itt is to be observed that he trait with thaim bothe warlie & secretlie 1647 Inverness Rec. II 195.
Persones quha sall trait with the merchandis heirannent(c) 1649 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 588.
The commissioners of this kingdome sent to Hollande to treatte with our forsaide kingis majestie 1669 Rothesay B. Rec. 165.
To meit with the commissiouners of the schyre thairanent and to treat anent the towns proportiounep.t. 1375 Barb. iii 741.
Then with thaim tretyt swa the king That thai … Become his men euerilkane 1375 Barb. iv 172.
Bot thai within that swa war stad … Tretyt fyrst and syne thaim ȝauld a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 723.
Sancte Colme thane, that besy was Betwene thame for to mak pece, … tretyt sa, That he betwene thaym pes can ma 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 33.
They had for viii dayis togidder in maner done nathing, but treitit of reversing the judgementp.p. 1558–9 Statut. Sc. Ch. 156.
That poynt [sc. of the reformation of the clergy] has bene treittet of, and sindrie statutis synodale maid therupon 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 55.
The Duck of Lennox, has beine ane eare and eye wittnes to all that was moved or treatted off in consaileb. 1375 Barb. iv 177.
Quhen this cunnand thus tretyt wes And affermyt with sekyrnes 1398–9 Acts I 211/2.
To be deputit with the duc of Rothsay for til trete all thyngis the qwhilkis ar at Edynburgh to be tretit for the peece c1400 Troy-bk. ii 43 (C).
Sche … preyed hym … That he for hyr wald trete the pece With Menelayus c1400 Troy-bk. ii 148.
The place Wher the forsaide spek treted was [L. ubi predictum colloquium tractabatur] c1420 Wynt. viii 40.
Famows … persownys Come chargyd in Scotland wyth message To tret … a maryage 1422 Beauly Chart. 305.
Betuix … Thomas of Dunbar … and Lorde of the Lovet … it is traitit, concordit, and impointit [etc.] 14.. Acts I 329/2.
Till her tret do and vnderly tha thingis the quhilkis of law … ar to be herd tretyt vndergan and done 1476 Swintons App. lxii.
[The] said Alexander sall never tret concorde with Schir Jhone of Swyntoune na his airis 1531 Bell. Boece I 160.
The Romanis … desirit assuverance of the wache to send oratouris … to treit peace 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 43.
Havand his commissioun to trett conclude and end certane grett materis of the realme with my lordis 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 298.
The merschaell of Beruik come … to treat sum bussines 1581 Crim. Trials I ii 114.
Craftelie and secretlie conspirit amangis thame selffis, tratit, devisit, and maliciouslie concludit [etc.]

2. To deal with, discuss, expound. a. intr. Also const. of (a subject). b. tr.a. a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 59.
Syne tuk I one hand to tret Forthire & of the ewangel speke a1400 Leg. S. xiii Prol. 70.
In the ewangel … He treittis of Cristis presthede c1400 Troy-bk. i 492.
The auctore tretys hereof and sais [etc.] c1420 Wynt. i 7.
And the fyrst buke of tha Sall trete fra the begynnyng Off the warlde 1456 Hay II 127/26.
Oure entencioun is … to trete … of the four sesonis of the ȝere 1490 Irland Mir. II 11/7.
For as substaunce is the rute and foundament of all accident as tretis Arestotiles in the predicamentis in metaphesic 1490 Irland Mir. II 61/20.
And of this I haue treit scolastice at lenth vpone the first buk of the sentens 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 243.
Sum [poets] pieteouslie doith treait of tragedeis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2601 (B).
Qui non laborat non menduceth, This bene in Inglis toung to treit [etc.] 1545 Reg. Privy C. I 3.
Ane general conventioun be had to trete … upoun sik effaris and besynes as concernis the commoun wele of the realme 1549 Compl. 46/19.
Jhosephus the historigraphour that treittis of the antiquite of the Jeuis 1600-1610 Melvill 485.
The ancients and neotoriks are full and cleir, when ever they treat of this materb. 1375 Barb. i 35.
Off thaim I thynk this buk to ma, now God gyff grace that I may swa Tret it … That I say nocht bot suthfast thing a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 63.
Tretand … be lele witnes, Hou that Criste rase in to that flesch a1400 Leg. S. xiii Prol. 61.
[Matthew] trettis opynly Cristis manhede maste propyrly c1520-c1535 Nisbet Mark ix 32.
He askit thame, Quhat tretit [P. tretiden; Vulg. tractabatis] ye in the way? 1541 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 106.
Efter the articlis … wes agane red and lang tretit of the staple 1588 King Cat. 60.
The sacraments … haue ane verray highe place in Christiane doctrine, and ar necessarie to be tractit of

3. a. tr. To concern oneself with, become involved in (something). b. intr. To be concerned with or involved in (of) (something).a. 1490 Irland Mir. I 107/10.
The tyme of grace … in the quhilk the fader of hevin send his blist sone in erd, to treit the mater of our redempcioune c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 205/42.
Sen thow seyis mony thingis variand, With all thy hart treit bissines and cureb. 1573 Davidson in Sat. P. xlii 44.
With princes maters for to mell I think it lyis nocht in our gait: Lat courteouris of sic thingis trait c1700 Rait Univ. Aberd. 179.
The nature of the things they [sc. logic and metaphysics] traite of

4. tr. To entreat, beseech, ask (a person) as a favour (to or to do something, or that something be done). Also absol., const. for (a favour). a1400 Leg. S. xliv 16.
Hir modyr … Scho tretyt with hire for to ga c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2155.
All the Argives euerilkane Sche treted so, that Diomeid Suld nocht be thare resaued in deid 1413 Frasers of Philorth 201.
What tyme at the forsayde lady may be tretyt til vpgyf tha landis c1420 Wynt. v 5785.
Tretyd he was to this sa fast That he consentyd at the last c1420 Wynt. ix 2256.
The duke trettyd the priour … The chanownys to call to chaptere a1500 Sir Eger 638.
Treat 1535 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 7 July.
Gud nytburs treited him to haif passet to the tolbuith and obeye the bailȝes 1563 Dumfries B. Ct. 214.
Thai treate the said Johne to forgeve hymabsol. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1047.
I trete for na favour; Do furth thi devoir

b. To beseech, ask for (something). 1625 Linlithgow B. Rec. 11 Feb.
[The Council] ordaines him to pay … ten merkes … and to traite pardoune for his offence

5. To behave or act towards (people) in some specified way. Also absol. 1375 Barb. i 222.
That folk that euer wes fre … War tretyt than sa wykkytly That thar fays thar iugis war 1375 Barb. xx 522.
He wes swete and debonar And weill couth trete hys frendis far a1400 Leg. S. v 394.
[St. John] to a bischope hym betaucht, To trete hym wele fore all his maucht c1420 Ratis R. 952.
Treit thi wyf rycht tendyrly c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 280.
Trouand me with trew lufe to treit him so fair 1524 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXVIII 62.
Nocht tretand hir as a man aucht to do his wife 1525 St. P. Henry VIII IV 355.
We ar bundin of dett, because we wer sa hartlie resawit, wele cherist, treictit, and rewardit 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 332.
Trait ilk trew barroun as he war thy brother 1543–4 Corr. M. Lorraine 436.
Bot wauld ye … cum to me … ye selbe als weyll tratyt as I may mak yow c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 852.
With euerie man he was sa treitit, That … Thay bankettit him fra hand to hand a1568 Scott i 166.
Thy nobillis … Treit tendir 1568 Hist. Fam. Kennedy App. 12.
Traicted 1570 Black Bk. Taymouth 429.
The rest to your wisdoum and to treit yourself weill and be mirrie 1570 Leslie 43.
Treat 1572 Sempill in Sat. P. xxx 79.
Thy houshald trim and treit weill, thay confest 1580 Misc. Spald. C. II 110.
He sall be no oder wayis vsit and tratit thane my selff 1584 Sempill in Sat. P. xlv 592.
Fra my lord he gat a letter To cause him to be treat the betterabsol. 1639 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 215.
Nothing can be justlie expected from his majestie bot to use his royall power and force: ȝitt still, such is his guidnes and clemencie as that will be the last way he will trite

b. To regard, consider. 1456 Hay I 122/31.
Gif thare be ony thing … that may be possible to be done, he sall nocht trait it to be impossible till him at his powar

6. To deal kindly with, show respect to; to honour; to flatter. 1498 Acta Conc. II 258.
The sade umquhile Cuthbert has nocht cherist and tretit hir sen the tyme of the contract … bot has lichtleit and dishonourit hir 1559–60 St. A. Kirk S. 19.
I … mariet … Elizabeth Gedde … , and, … did my devour and dewtie to triet and intertiney hir, according … to Goddis law 1560 St. A. Kirk S. 37.
We beand copuled and juned in lauchfull mariage … , I treatet, obeyed and served the said Williame 1561 Dumfries B. Ct. in Mill Mediæv. Plays 297.
Thai ar maisterfull begaris nocht lesum to resawe admytit or treitt as the actis of parliament beris 1562 St. A. Kirk S. 151.
Trayt c1568 Lauder Minor P. ii 45.
Loude leand lowreis, for thair sleuth, Was treatit … Upon trew preacheouris few hes reuth 1573 Sempill in Sat. P. xxxix 321.
And he, sa cairfull for oure countrie men, For wit and wisdome worthie to be tret 1596 Dalr. I 136/18.
He mekle delyted in hunting, and … he trett mekle the seikeris of wylde beistes 1596 Dalr. I 343/1.
The king alluret with fair promises, and trett with the sueit wordes of the Bailie [sc. Balliol] decernes that the realme be committet to him

7. To entertain with food and drink, show hospitality to. 1600-1610 Melvill 121.
Wharat Jhone Dury was sa rejoysit, that he treated him in hous 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 453.
His … house of Calder, where we were treated at a singular rate. The kingdom could not afford better wines than was drunk

8. ? To manage, deal with, handle or ? to minister to an ailment. 1571 Misc. Bann. C. III 146.
Wille Lesllie to remayne with a horse cosar [? erron. for copar (Hors-cowper n.)] to learne to treate horses