Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Pros(e, Prois(e, n. Also: proys; proes. [ME and e.m.E. prose (c 1330), proez, proese, proase (all 16th c.), F. prose (13th c. in Littré), L. prōsa (ōrātio), lit. straightforward discourse, subst. use of fem. of prōsus, earlier prorsus; med. L. prōsa accentual hymn, in which the prose pronunciation and order is used.] Prose, in the usual senses and applications.(1) c1420 Wynt. i Prol. 9.
Gest or story for to wryte, Owthir in metyre, or in prose 1490 Irland Mir. I 164/11.
All lawis and haly writ is put in prose and sic maner of speking and nocht in metyre nore ryme a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 498.
Gude maister Gilliam gukkis, Our imperfyte in poetry or in prose 1562-92 Wode's Psalter (ed.) 156.
Te deum laudamus in prose set be Andro Kempt 1566 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 184/4.
Gif youre engyne spurre you to uryte any uorkes ather in uerse or prose [etc.](b) 1513 Doug. i Prol. 139.
Proys [Ruddim. prois] 1560 Rolland Seven S. Prol. 148.
This … befoir into plane prois was ay 1579 Reg. Privy S. VII 305/1.
Gevand … to him … power to imprent … the psalme buik in proise and meter 1596 Dalr. II 468/25. c1610 Melville Mem. 182.
Proise(c) 1603 Moysie 24.
Ten or tuelff inuectiue … letters fund in proes(2) 1513 Doug. v Prol. 51.
Hys febil proys beyn mank and mutulate a1568 Bellenden Bann. MS 367 a/18.
Fra flowand Latyne in to vulgar prose 1560 Rolland Seven S. Schort Schawing 11. c1590 J. Stewart 203 §14.
Vith my verse and prois … Thy praise … I sall say and sing 1603 Misc. Bann. C. II 236.
Thrie hundreth psalme buikis, with the prois on the mergen(3) 1579 Dickson & Edmond Ann. Sc. Printing 303.
[1,372] psalmes of prois, unbund(4) 1636 Drummond in Arch. Scot. IV 113.
Whether thou read graue proses, or did raise Delight and wonder by a numbrous straine