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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
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Vesitatioun, Visitatioun, n. Also: vesitatione, visitatioune, -ation(e, -acio(u)n, -acon, visetatioun, wisitation, wisitetion. [ME and e.m.E. vysytacyun (Manning), vesytacyon (Rolle), visitacioun (Wyclif), AF visitacioun, L. vīsitātio.]

1. a. (A time of) tribulation or disaster, freq. viewed as an action by God. b. specif. Serious or (potentially) fatal illness. c. Const. def. art.: An episode of the plague.a. c1520-c1535 Nisbet 1 Peter ii 12.
That in that thing that thai bacbite of you … thai behald you of gude werkis, and glorifie God in the day of visitacioun [P. visitacioun] [marg. In the day of visitaciounn. That is … quhan God sal brynge it to the lycht.] c1520-c1535 Nisbet 1 Peter v 6.
That he raase you in the tyme of visitatioun 1551 Hamilton Cat. 53.
Quharfor was … Jerusalem uterlie destroyit … for na uther cause … bot that thai wald nocht knaw the tyme of thair visitation c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3849.
Jerusalem, and thow knew Thy gret rewyne … The veritie thow wyll nocht knaw, Nor hes in consydderatioun Thy holy visitatioun 1614 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 159.
My laite visitatioun in the loise of my bedfellow 1659 S. Ronaldshay 26.
Visitation befallen Adam Hay … by fyre, his barne and cornes brunteb. a1568 Norvell in Bann. MS 20b/70.
The Lord hes sic compassioun … call vpoun Him … Quhen ȝe haif visitatioun: He that wold leif most lerne to dy a1578 Pitsc. II 295/3.
Johne Knox … depairted … this … lyff quhilk was ane gret los [etc.] … for in the tyme of his visitatioun he send [etc.] 1586 St. A. Test. II 68b.
Dettis awand … be the said William for furnising of him in quheit bred tyme of his visitatioun in the pest 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 164.
The Lord … deviseth new botches and plagues to punish thir new sins … But surely it is a wonderfull matter that he should have visited so godly a king with so terrible a botch … This visitation of the king's [etc.] 1601 Misc. Bann. C. II 232.
Eduard Cathkin … having considerit Godis mercifull and luifing visitatioun of him mair nor this half yeir bygane and that be seiknes of bodie [etc.] 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1671) 200.
I am sorry for that lingering and longsome visitation that is upon your wifec. 1645 Gunn Cross Kirk, Peebles 130.
Those who were put forth in the visitation 1646 S. Leith Rec. 71/1.
The visitatione [pr. visitaone] of the plague of pestilence c1646 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. 74.
William Portes merchant dying of the visitation left to the colledge 1000 merks 1649 Dumbarton Treas. Acc.
The ȝung woman … quho died … of the visitatioune 1651 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 118.
His bygane service in visiting and curing the poor people … and in speciall the tyme of the visitatioun

2. The action or an act of charitable visiting of the sick or poor. 1583 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 460.
As tuitching the visitatioun of the seik, he declairit he was … glad to wissie the puirest creatour 1595 Strong Sc. Second. Educ. 70.
Anent the puirs it is thoght meit that a visitation shall be 1596 St. A. Kirk S. 817 marg.
Anent the visitatione of the seik

3. The Vesitatione of Our Ladye, the religious festival commemorating the visit of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth.(a) 1506 Orkney & Shetl. Rec. I 250.
Giffin at Tyngwell … the aucht daye of the Vesitatione of Our Ladye 1525 Misc. Bann. C. III 110.
Vesitatione 1562 Reeves Sc. Prose bef. 1600 79.
Vesitatioun(b) 1505 Treas. Acc. III 61.
The secund day of Julij, the Visitatioun of Our Lady 1588 King Kal. in Forbes Kal. Sc. Saints 156.
The visitatione of Our Lady institut festual be Pape Vrbanus 6

4. The action or duty of inspecting or examining a. An ecclesiastical institution, esp. in the post-Reformation period, school or university, etc. Also buik of visitatione, a record of such inspections. b. A place, as to its state of repair, etc. Also buik of vesitatioun, the record of (? the mapping of) the boundaries (of Orkney). c. The action of investigating (a matter).a. (1) 1516 Reg. Privy S. I 441/2.
Ane levin abbayis [etc.] … for the reformatioun of the quhilkis and visitatioun of the said abbot generall … hes send … his … commissioun to the abbot of Melros 1558 Rentale Dunkeld. (SHS) 353.
To mak the freiris expensis in the visitatione, 40 s. 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 75.
Sa mony ministeris, exhortaris, or readeris as ar alredy placed in kyrkis detfullie that the superintendent in his visitacion tak tryall of every ane particularlie 1562 St. A. Kirk S. 145.
Visitacion 1580 Reg. Privy S. VII 380/2.
[Alexander, Bishop of Brechine, or the superintendent or commissioner] within the boundis of quhais visitatioun the said vicarage lyis 1580 Craven Argyll Diocese 28.
To summound the visitour of Argyle … to answer upon the usurpation of the office of visitatioun within the said bounds 1600 St. A. Kirk S. 920 marg.
Visitatioun of this citie 1600-1610 Melvill 418.
They intendit a visitatioun and reformatioun of the universitie 1604 Boyd Fam. P. No. 92 (16 Jan.).
Commissioners of the Presbiterie of Air … past to the said paroche kirk and eftir visetatioun thair of funding the said compleiner to be destituit of ane mans and gleib 1621 Dumbarton Kirk S. 4.
Visitatioune 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 46.
An act concerning the visitacon of particular churches, schooles, and colledges a1650 Row 213.
The forme of the tryell of presbyteries, whilk may be made use of at visitation of kirks c1650 Spalding II 157.
This presbiteriall visitatioun 1659 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 182.
That there sall be foure solemne visitatiouns of the grammar scool ewerie yeir … at which visitatiouns the scollars are to be tryit by macking themes [etc.] … That there sall be ane register … for the visitations … wherinto he who at the quarterlie visitatioune sall gaine the premium sall insert his name … that at ewerie quarterly visitatioun ther may be some publict actione … what will be most proper … to the Lambes visitatioune [etc.] 1663 Cullen Kirk S. 20 Dec.
Wisitation off famelies to be the nixt week 1672 Dunkeld Presb. II 52.
Visitaciounes 1674 Edinb. B. Rec. X 167.
What is done at everey visitation by the maisters [of Trinity Hospital] [shall] be insert [in a register](2) 1573 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 271.
The Assembly appointed John Durie [etc.] … to visite the books of visitations of Bishops … and Commissioners to plant kirks, and to report what they find 1592 Logie Par. Hist. 33.
The brethrein … reported thair diligence as the samen is at lenth saet doun in the bwik of visitationeb. (1) 1583 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 310.
For the better ordour to be tayne in visitatioun of the mairches of thair commoun lands 1611 Crim. Trials III 204.
Visitatioun of the samyn [sc. hawk's nest] 1636 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 58.
That ther be a visitation of the librarie and that ane inventar of them be drawen up and that … the … councell do yearly visit them to see if ther be any moulded riven or wanting 1653–7 Irvine Mun. II 254.
When Johne Ride baley … was send to the Lerges … when the wisitetion was in the Lerges to get five bots to goe about to Moule … For … horse hyre when the wisitetion was in Glesgoue 1671 Dunferm. Coal Acc. 1a.
Item spent at the visitation of the wark 1681 Stair Inst. iv xli § 7.
If any point to be proved require ocular inspection and visitation, the Lords use to give commission to some of their number to visit the ground 1698 Foulis Acc. Bk. 235.
For copie of Hugh Brounes bill for visitatioun for carieing up a lum in my gavell(2) 1593 Bk. Univ. Kirk III 799.
Ordanes Mr. Robert Hepburne [etc.] … to vesit and sycht the buik of vesitatioun of the boundis of Orknay … presentit be Mr. Robert Pontc. 1636 Edinb. Surgeons 121.
Ordinit that quhatsumever visitatioun salbe maid be thaim heirefter anent murthers [etc.] … salbe reportit be thaime to ane ordinar juge