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.
Quotation dates: 1456-1650
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Promes, n. Also: -ese, -esse; -eas; prommes. [Late ME and e.m.E. promesse (c 1412), -es (1502), F. promesse (13th c. in Littré), med. L. prōmissa (OED): cf. Promis.] A promise. = Promis n. 1.(1) 1456 Hay I 42/2.
Be caus he wald nocht stand till his promes that he had hecht 1456 Ib. 173/27.
Sen it is notour thing that he had maid that promes throu fors … quharfore [etc.] 1456 Ib. 249/1.
The king … is lousse of his promes and is nocht haldyn … to hald the hecht that he has maid him c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vi 900, xi 947. 1531 Bell. Boece II 334.
King Johne nochtwithstanding his promes [M. promys] and obligatioun maid afore be his gret aith … began to invade his nobillis 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 110. 1545 Grant Chart. 94.
All the foirsaidis personis promittis to be … trew seruandis to the said erle conforme to thair bandis and promeas maid be thame to the said erle of befoir 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 119/10. 1551 Corr. M. Lorraine 352.
And your grace promeste and wrait that thar suld be na hurt don to my lord … and onder that promes be sic letteris … he is cumit and stollyng this benefice 1554 Duncan Laideus Test. 155.
Neuir worde to keip of that promes than 1563 Maitland in Cal. Sc. P. II 67.
Promesse c1590 Fowler I 57/261.
For to mak such promesis that ar of fayith dewoide 1622-6 Bisset I 87/14.
And otheris [sc. actions] quhilkis ar effected with ane aith, or with ane promese to be provin be ane aith 1627 Aberd. Council Lett. I 276.(2) 1456 Hay II 104/23.
Kepe wele that thou failȝe never of thy hechtis, aithis, na promessis that thou makis of condiciounis or alliaunce c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vi 866.
A promes maid to meit Wallace but let 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 91/12.
Presentand to ȝou gold siluyr and grit promessis of heretagis 1549 Ib. 119/6.
And heir I sal mak ane promes that I sal euer be ane faithtful maister to thé 1650 Nicoll Diary 11.
And heiring of the lairge prommesis of money to the reveillaris(3) 1557–8 Inverness Rec. I 19.
To let [= lit, dye] the yarnis conforme to his promes 1560 Fœdera XV 569 in Dickinson Source-bk. II 159.
The Frenche … intend to conquer the realme of Scotland, … contrarie to … the pacts, othes, and promessis of France a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 138/13.
Promesse 1558-66 Knox I 143.
He made some resistance at the first be reassone of his promesse 1622-6 Bisset II 99/15, 17.(4) 1456 Hay I 179/3.
Than suld never promes na obligacioun bynd a fals man 1456 Ib. 242/11.
Nocht brissand thair hecht and promes 1494 Loutfut MS 37 b.
He … wes a man … veritable of faith & of promesse in all his dedis 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 113.
That tha well kype promes on to yowr grace 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 87/5.
And there vas neuer faitht nor promes kepit be them 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 25.(5) 1558-66 Knox I 103.
Upoun promesse of thair fidelitie 1622-6 Bisset I 110/26.
For gold … or promes thairof(6) 1622-6 Bisset II 250/25.
Ilk ane of theme … ar haldin to mak furth the said weyaige … according to promese
b. One of the divine assurances of future good or blessing recorded in the Scriptures.1549 Complaynte of Scotland 26/27.
O quhat familiar promese is this that God hes promeist tyl al them that vil obey til His command 1549 Ib. 75/4.
& He sal fulfil His promes that is vrittyn in … Leuitic 1549 Ib. 126/6. a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 136/19.
Conforme to His godlye promesse 1581 Burne Disput. 24 b.
Quhilk is aganis … the promesis of Christ 1584 Balnaves Conf. Faith in Knox III 456.
Promesse
c. An assurance as to a present state of affairs.1456 Hay I 183/5.
Bot and the capitane had gert him traist that he had power … and of that had maid him promes be his faith than [etc.]
d. Hielandman's promes.a1605 Birrel Diary 60 (see Heland-man n. (c)).
