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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Professio(u)n, n. Also: professiowne, -yown(e, -ione, proffessioun. [Early ME, ME and e.m.E. professi(o)un (Ancr. R.), OF professiun public declaration of faith (1155 in Wartburg), profession act of making religious vows (1174 ib.), L. professiōn- a public acknowledgment, declaration, promise, also a business or profession which one publicly follows, (med. L.) profession of vows (c1100), admission to teach, subject taught (1302), n. of action f. profess- Profes v.]

1. The solemn undertaking, declaration or vow made by one entering a religious order or some other dedicated mode of life.(1) c1420 Wynt. vi 974.
Silvestyr … Wes pape … A Frankys man be natyowne … A mownk yhit be professyowne Off the Abbay Floryacens Ib. 1826.
Crystyane chesyd to led hyr lyff In habyte off relygyowne, A nwn mad be professyown(2) c1420 Wynt. v 1593.
And he to be the fyrst off tha He made full professiowne, And hecht wyth gud devotyown a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxiv 19.
Sum [judges] nocht sa cuning … As thair befoir … hes bein Quhilk to do justice kepit thair profession(3) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 67 (Harl.).
Now to ȝou kingis I cry … Think on ȝoure band and hie professioun How ȝe suld kepe … Pece in ȝour pepill Ib. 107 (Asl.).
Men of suffisans Quhilk treuly kepit thair stait and professioun Seikand saull hele without dissimilans 1492 Myll Spect. 294/14.
Gyf thar be mony … that entrys in the habit of relegioun for sic causis … the quhilkis [MS quhilk is] lyk vnto thare intentioun kepis thar proffessioun c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiii 47 (B).
Baith Carmeleitis and Cordilleris Cumis thair to genner & get ma freiris, And ar vnmyndfull of thair professioun [M. As is the use of thair professioun] 1549 Compl. 164/6.
Preistis or freris … sayand that there professione oblicis them to sing … and praye [etc.] Ib. 163/33. a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xxi 55.
The kirkmen keipis na professioun

b. (The formal doing of) homage. c1420 Wynt. iv 2541, 2543.
That [thai] suld have bene in knawlage … Off thare homage That thai suld aw to Rome … And that sum callyd professyowne; … Professiowne in propyrte Mouth grawntyng suld callyd be; For … Wyth mowth thai grawntyt thare homage Ib. 2636.
For-thi thare his professyowne For tyll have made he sped hym yharne

2. One's declaration or avowal of religious faith and principles; one's confession of religion. Also plur.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 696.
George wes the trewest knycht To Crist ymang al … That vndir knychtly habit kyd Cristis professione had vnhyde 1490 Irland Mir. II 50/30.
Quhethir the apostlis of Jhesu maid this creid in professioun of the faith of Jhesu or nocht 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (S.T.S.) 400.
And thair gaif ane resoun & declaratioun of thair faith and doctrine: fra the constant professioun quhairof … thai culd nocht be disswadit 1572–3 Acts III 72/2.
That nane salbe repute as loyall … subiectis … quhilk sall not gif thair confessioun and mak thair professioun of the said trew religioun 1585 Reg. Privy C. IV 2. 1597 Old Ross-shire I 28.
And hes resavit the professioun of his faith a1650 Row 73.
To keep still the profession and practise of that true religion … whilk … true members of this reformed kirk did professe and daylie practise 1653 Nicoll Diary 106.
Anabaptistes … of befoir … durst not avow thameselffis bot now many maid oppin professioun thairof and avowit the same(2) 1549 Compl. 158/31.
Thou [sc. churchmen] suld gyf gud exempil in thy conuersatione conformand to thy professione and to thy doctryn c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 641.
That euerye man may graip … It is Gods wourd and pure religioun That ȝe obserue in ȝour professioun a1500 Henr. Fab. 779 (Ch.).
For mony now hes gude professioun [Bann. gois now to confessioun] Ȝit not repentis 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (S.T.S.) 38/8.
God iustlie … accuseth our life so wilfullie fighting against our profession 1587-99 Hume 176/384.
All your glorious styles … abhorreth sa far fra the professioun of a mortefeit minister 1626 E. Melville in Sel. Biog. I 353.
Lord tak us away in mercy or we be a blot to that professioun!(3) plur. a1658 Durham Commandments (1676) 105.
Look to our profession … what emptiness is there, much more … shew, then reality … If our professions … were met … by our reality, O how … vast a disproportion would be found

b. The religious faith which one professes; also plur., the tenets of one's religion. 1558–9 Statut. Sc. Ch. 157.
That all [prospective] prechers … be first examinit deuly gif thair doctrin and profession be conform to Goddis Word and Christen fath 1592 Edinb. B. Rec. V 73.
[Countrymen] travell … the haill Sonday … to the greitt offence of God and sclander of our professioun 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 30/8.
I uas neuer ashamed to giue compte of my profession … & gif my conscience had not resolued me that all my religion uas groundit upon the plaine uordis of the scripture I had neuer outuardlie auouit it 1601 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 180.
And giff it sall pleis … your wisdomes of the Kirk of Scotland sa to tack my bluid for my professioun quhilk is Catholick Romane, I will maist willinglie offere it for the same 1602 Lett. Jas. VI to Eliz. 152.
Thoch I be not of his profession in religionplur. 1602 Lett. Jas. VI to Eliz. 152.
[The Pope] quhose tyttels and dignitie was directlie contrarie to my professions and resoluid knouledge

3. An affirmation or declaration of something; a claim or pretence; an avowal or protestation.Also profession of repentance in late 17th c. ecclesiastical court records.(1) 1549 Compl. 149/23.
There for ȝe ar in grit error quhen ȝe professe ȝou to be gentil men & syne committis no actis efferand for ȝour professione 1647 Lennoxlove MS [The Duke of Hamilton] C1/9768.
That notwithstanding of all publick professions, strang demands are preparing to be offered to his majestie 1650 Brechin Presb. 55.
Contrair to his oath, declaration, treattie, and profession(2) 1565 Reg. Privy C. I 370.
For now be lettres … thai mak plane professioun that the establissing of religioun will nocht content thame bot [etc.](3) 1597–8 Reg. Privy C. V 443.
Thay standing with him in apparent favour … but ony professioun of feid or upgeving of kyndnes and then schoit … at the said complenair 1605 Ib. VII 126.
They wald insinuat thamese[lves] in the commiseratioun of the multitude by assumeing to [thaim] a glorious professioun of the manteyning of the … authorised discipline(4) 1663 Alford Rec. 24.
That James [etc.] … are continuing in the professione of repentance Ib.
That Wm. Andersoune hade not yet entered to the professione of repentance 1678 Buchan Cl. I 112.
The said Margaret ordered to enter the profession of her repentance 1696 Penninghame Par. Rec. I 4.
Both confesse … breach of the Sabbath … and are … appointed to … be … dismissed upon profession of repentance

4. The occupation or vocation which one professes to be skilled in and to follow.Also transf., an occupational group. 1549 Compl. 15/32.
It var mair necessair ande honest for hym to vse his auen professione ande faculte, nor to mel vitht ony faculte that passis his knaulage 1554 Duncan Laideus Test. 151.
My maister houshald wes heich Oppressioun, Reif my stewart, … Murthure, Slauchtir, ay of ane professioun, My cubicularis hes bene thir yearis lang 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 13.
The examinatouris salbe graduat ane in theologie … ane of profession of medicine passit maister and ane regent in humanite 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 22.
That nane of godlines may … interpryse sic professioun [sc. medicine] without sufficient experience [etc.] 1606 Reg. Privy C. VII 180.
And the reteining of the preachers thairof in that modestie quhich apperteyneth to thair profession and calling 1616 Comm. Univ. III (St. A.) 200.
Or quhosoeuer hes beene maid bachler or maister of art withein the said vniuersity quhateuer thair calling or professioun be 1617 Crim. Trials III 431.
And as to the privilege of his professioun, that he is ane ecclesiasticall persone, sayis [etc.] 1652 Dumfries Kirk S. 8 April.
Ane schoole for training vp of female children in sundrie passages of her professione

b. transf. A group of persons following a particular occupation.a1570-86 Dunb. Maitl. F. cxxxvii 47 (see 1 (3) above). 1679 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 331.
Such out of each presbitrie as shall be nominat for reviseing the foundation and wreit belonging to the profession [sc. the clergy]

5. The function or office of a professor of a specific academic subject in a university or college, a professorship. 1579 Acts III 179/2.
And depriuatioun of sic as salbe thocht … not doing thair dewitie faythfullie and diligentlie in that professioun quhairvnto they happyne to be electit [sc. in St. Andrews University] Ib. 180/1 (see Professour(e n. 1 (3)). 1580 Comm. Univ. III (St. A.) 192.
And that every ane of thame tak him to that place and professioun quhairin he intendis to continew c1580 Ib. 201.
That ther be wirthie men socht and gotting for the professione of medicen and lawis … and … bursars fundat to be auditors to the sayd professoris ?a1594 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXIII 209.
That twa cheif thingis ar to be considderrit in all professionis the professour himselff and his auditour Ib. 210.
To prosequeitt his studies … with professouris quhais lyfe and ȝeiris ar haillilie consumit in that professioun 1597 Comm. Univ. III (St. A.) 198. 1599 Ib. 199.
To seik out an sufficient learned person in the laws able to discharge him … in the ordinar teaching of that profession 1620 Aberd. B. Rec. II 367.
That in sum mesure he [sc. the master of the grammar school] may liwe as vther scholaris in vther professionis 1621 Acts IV 682/2, 683/1. 1621 Aberd. Council Lett. I 190.
But now your schoolemaster … writtis unto me of a theologicall profession erected by the presbyterie in the old towne and of a lecture of humanity by your selves in your new colledge 1626 Aberd. B. Rec. in Marischal Coll. Rec. 143. 1630 Glasg. Univ. Mun. I 219. 1638 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 295.
The Universitie of Aberdene … whairin wes professiones of all faculties and wes called generale studium untill … 1500 Ib. 289, etc. 1640 Baillie I 248.
I am lyk to be more than bosted with a divinitie profession in Aberdeen c1646 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. page 7.
The judges … declared Mr. Adam Colt … & Mr. Alexr. Scrimger … to be best qualified for the profession of philosophie who accordingly wer admitted Ib. fol. 8, etc. 1658 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 178. 1673 R. Rait The Universities of Aberdeen (1895) 164. 1685 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 140. 1692 Ib. XII 102. 1719 Edinb. Univ. Chart. 170.
A profession of universall history is extreamly necessary … , this profession being very much esteemed and the most attended at all the universitys abroad

b. The activity or practice of teaching as a university professor. 1621 Acts IV 682/2.
Vnderstanding the alteratioun … within the vniuersitie of Sanctandros to haif bred suche vncertantie in professioun of sciences and obseruatioun of ordoures [etc.] … , that the greitar pairt off the professoures ar negligent making no professioun nor teiching as not knawing quhairto they sall thame selffis betak 1641 Baillie I 374.
That it should be leasume for him to exercise so much of the ministrie there as he fand himself able without detriment to his profession c1646 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. page 1.
The High Grammar Schole was compleeted … with some intention … to mak it scholam illustrem with profession of logik and … philosophie in private classes Ib. fol. 14.
Mr. John Ray oftymes read humanity in publik, beside the private profession Ib. fol. 12, etc.

c. A lecture in a university or college. 1653 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 133.
Sua that they [sc. the masters of the New College] haue no accommodatioun for that class, nether for ringing the bell to publict professiones

d. ? A faculty or branch of study (served by a professor or professors) in a university. 1599 Comm. Univ. III (St. A.) 199.
Sic as shall be graduate in the said faculty of theologie shall have likewise vote in the said election of the dean of that profession