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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.

Punis, -eis, -is(c)h(e, v. Also: pwn-, punn-; puin-, pwin-; pon-; povn-, pown- and -ise, -ys(e, -ice, -yce, -yz-, -es, -eise; -ys(c)h(e, -ich, -eis(c)h(e, -esch. P.t. and p.p. punist etc.; punis(s)it etc., punesat; punscht. [ME and e.m.E. punisse(n, -ysse(n (1340), -yes (Rolle), -yce (c1400); punysch (Rolle), -ich (c1350), punissche(n (Piers Plowman), punyȝsh (Wyclif), -ysshe(n, punych (1460), pugnysshe (Caxton); ponysch (c1375), -esche (Wyclif), -ysse (c1400), poynysse (1538); also pun(s)ch (1340; obs. after 1460); F. puniss-, extended stem of F. punir (c1200 in Larousse), L. pūnīre to punish, earlier L. pœnīre, f. pœna fine, penalty, punishment.]

1. tr. To mete out, or to administer, punishment or retribution to (a person); to sentence to punishment; to inflict punishment or retribution on; to punish.Also const. for, of, and also through (= for), the offence.(1) pres. a1400 Leg. S. xi 214.
That he mycht … thame that fals war punyse sar 1398 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 38.
The said lordis … sal punice hym or thaim 1398–9 Acts I 212/1.
Punyce Ib. 210/2. c1420 Ratis R. 1231.
Eftir hir entent hym-self pwnys 1427 Acts II 15/2.
The quhilkis gif ony brekis the said wardane sal punys the brekaris in certane payn 1431 Ib. 20/2.
Punis 1449 Aberd. B. Rec. I 402.
Punys 1456 Hay I 184/18.
Punys c1460 Regim. Princ. 210 (Marchm.).
Punis [Maitl. punyce] a1500 Henr. Fab. (O.U.P.) 2681.
Punis a1500 Lanc. 1960.
And pwnice them quhar pwnysing requeris 1476 Breadalbane Doc. (Reg. H.) No. 14.
The inobedientis & trespassouris within the said boundis till pvnys & corek 1490 Irland Mir. II 53/2.
The cummyne of Ihesu … to punys eternaly synnaris Id. Asl. MS 71/13.
Punnissand a1500 Seven S. 1431.
Gif he nocht pvnissis thé na strykis Than may thow luf quhom euir thow lykis 1511–12 Reg. Privy S. I 357/1.
The tenentis inobedient be rigour of justice to punys 1533 Bell. Livy I 137/4.
Thir burreouris come to punys thir conspiratouris 1533 Gau 51/25.
The Fathir sal giff Hime power to punis al his inimis with terribil sentence 1541 Rec. Earld. Orkney 62.
Punise 1596 Dalr. I 121/17.
Reiuers, raikers, herrieris of the ground, punise with a sword(b) a1500 Henr. Abbey Walk (O.U.P.) 36.
Pvneis 1517 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 171.
And quha sa dois the contrar heirof the deykin … to pvneis that as effeiris 1530 Aberd. B. Rec. I xxxvi.
Pleis your lordschipe … to puneis the slaaris tharof be justice 1549 Compl. 171/10.
As ther var nocht … ane hel to puneis ther saulis Ib. 27/13.
Puneise 1552 Reg. Privy C. I 130. a1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlvii 105.
To pvneis part is parcialitie; To pvneis all is hard to do in deid(c) 1522–3 Edinb. B. Rec. I 210.
Pvnes 1536 Douglas Corr. 351.
And that your grace is delyverit to pwnes my dochtyr and ȝour neyr cosynes to extrem rygour 1552 Banff Ann. I 29.
The baillie to pay the vnlaw off the falter in caice he pwnes not the samyn(d) 1472 Buccleuch Mun. II 73.
Trespassouris to ponys a1538 Abell 19a.
Ane schirref to ponis … reweris 1570 Bk. Mackay 403.
Ane heretabill rycht … to ponis transgressouris(e) 1511 Reg. Panmure II 280.
Soyts to gar call, absents and transgressors to falt and punysh [etc.] c1540 Lynd. Kitteis Conf. 54.
Ordanit to punische hure and theif c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 614.
Punysche 1615 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 176.
Punishe(f) a1585 Maitland Maitl. Q. xii 50.
Think weill that God that puneist the papistis Is ȝit on lyfe and ȝow to puneische abill 1604 Crim. Trials II 435.p.t. c1475 Wall. vii 1264.
Quha … till rycht wald nocht apply Wallace with force pwnyst rygorusly c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts xxvi 11.
Punysit a1578 Pitsc. II 101/19.
Thairfor God sieand thame so willfull heigh and proud that he punscht thame by expectatioun of men Ib. 232/3, 4.
The Erle of Lennox … did puneis all thame that assisted with the Hammiltownis and siclykk the Hammiltownis puneisit all thame that favourit … the Erle of Lennox Ib. I 46/31.
Punischtp.p.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xii 298.
That he Befor thame suld punyste be c1420 Ratis R. 12. 1456 Hay I 196/24.
I traist he suld be bot favorabily and graciously punyst Ib. II 29/11.
Than is he unworthy for to lyve, bot to be punyst in example of otheris Ib. I 87/16, 228/4. 1474 Edinb. B. Rec. I 29.
Pvnyst a1500 Prestis of Peblis 342.
Baith theif pvnist & lele men lef in le a1500 Seven S. 1135.
Thow sall byde thar … Presonit and pvnist to the deid Ib. 1156, 1157.
That man was pvnist innocently And oure falsly pvnist and tynt 1498–9 Acta Conc. II 320.
And to heire him decernit to be punyst in his persone and gudis according to the lawis of the realme 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. II 41.
And for pite thai war nocht pvnist efter the forme of the saidis statutis 1531 Bell. Boece I 2.
Eftir this, Egypt wes punist with uncouth plagis 1561 Reg. Privy S. V i 200/2. 1565 St. A. Kirk S. 245.
Thai ar committit to the provest … to be punist civile 1611 Glasgow B. Rec. I 317.
It is ordanit that all sik scallis … be pwnist [ed. pwinst] in prissoun(b) 1511 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 14.
[That] ony nycht wakaris … sal be puneist 1535 Stewart 29510.
Tua ȝeir and moir, I bid nocht for to lane, He puneist wes still with sic cruell pane; Syne at the last his vices did repent 1549 Compl. 159/8.
That transgressours suld be puneist mercyfully 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4323. a1578 Pitsc. II 260/3.
God had puneist ws the ȝeir befoir with hounger 1602 Elgin Rec. II 98.
Ilk seruand and mein folkis to be puneist eftir thair habilitie 1625 Justiciary Cases I 29.
That the contraveneris thairof sall be pwneist as committeris of thift to the deid 1631 Ib. 162.
Fals witnesses … are pwneist be daith(c) 1549 Compl. 118/13.
That ane seruand that offensit his maister vas punest be the iugis a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxiii 25.
That God will tholl sa gryt transgressouris On punest be(d) 1524 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 74.
The faultouris … to be pownest … be the … alderman 1555 Glenartney Doc.
That thai salbe … accusit for the samin [deer-killing] … and ponist thairfoir with all rigour(e) c1420 Wynt. iv 132.
With quhat tormentis men mycht be Punysyde … As fetrys [etc.] Ib. v 273.
Punysyd a1578 Pitsc. II 241/31.
At this tyme thair durst nocht ane officair of airmes pas … in the kingis name with letteris and gif ony come thay war punisit 1596 Dalr. I 225/25.
Quha … had strukne a preist, he soulde be punised by ane escheit Ib. 298/30.
That God seueirlie hes punisset the hail realme 1597 St. A. Kirk S. 836.
His body to be punisit be the magistratis till he find caution to obey(f) 1563 Peebles B. Rec. I 293.
Gif … ony nebor be conwik, that he be punesat in exampell of vtheris a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xxii 25.
Pwneisit 1570 St. A. Kirk S. 342.
Punesed 1597–8 Warrender P. (S.H.S.) II 356.
That sik robrie conteneuis on punesitt(g) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Hebrews vii 14 marg.
A man may do quhat he walde vnpwnysched 1551 Acts II 485/2.
All vther estatis efter thair qualitie foirsaid to be punischit effeirandlie 1558-66 Knox II 342.
That sayeris and heararis of messe … may be seveirlie punished 1573–4 St. A. Kirk S. 388.
Punnischeid 1575 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 12.
Punischit 1598 Aberd. B. Rec. II 167.
Punischit 1605 Acts Sederunt i 61.
And further to be puniched according to the law as perjured and infamous persons 1607 Kinghorn Kirk S. 10.
That the … majestrats sie thame punishit ather be douking thame or [etc.] 1612 Aberd. Council Lett. I 115.
Punischet(h) 1599 Elgin Rec. II 71.
Haunteris of the channonrie kirk to be tryit and puneished(2) a1400 Leg. S. vi 86, 87.
Sir, bettir is that thu For this trespace be punyst nov, Than thar-fore thu be punyste sare, Quhare pardone sal be neuir mare c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1788.
Oft happinnit for gilt of ane A thousand … To be pvnist for it c1420 Wynt. iv 132.
With quhat tormentis men mycht be Punysyde for thaire inyqwyte Ib. vi 1390.
Pwnysyd 1456 Hay I 207/16.
And fyndis the doaris and punysis thame rycht wele tharfore c1460 Regim. Princ. 28 (Marchm.).
And thou put blind men in thi gouernance Thow sal be punist for thair ignorance 1469 Acta Aud. 9/2.
Punyst a1500 Henr. III 163/48.
We knaw it is for our ingratitude That we ar pvnist with this pestillens Id. Fab. 2664. a1500 Lanc. 1345.
The wykit men and pwnyce for ther wice 1488–9 Acta Conc. I 116/2.
Quhill thai be puinist for thair contempcion 1498 Aberd. Pynours 4.
And failȝeing thairof tha to be punnest for the said cryme c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) xxvi 22.
Punes 1518 Irons Leith I App. 590.
And gif he had maid falt to be ponist thairfore, and gif thai had murmurit him without caus thai to be ponist siclyke 1527 Wigtown B. Ct. fol. 188a.
& the ovrmen povnys hym as thai tynk exspedyent fore the falt 1528 Lynd. Dreme 225.
Religious men wer punyste panefullie … for inobedience 1542 Reg. Privy S. II 740/2.
Punist c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2274.
So, for his inobediens … Wer puneist his successioun Ib. 2592.
Puneissit 1555 Glenartney Doc.
Ponist 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 90.
Punissed 1562 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 6.
And the servandis and childrene of ilk house to be puneist with ane palm vpone the hand for ilk falt 1568 St. A. Kirk S. 305.
Punnesit 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii 134.
Puneist a1578 Pitsc. I 13/2.
And the traitouris slayeris of him condinglie puneschit and put to death for the samyn Ib. 108/9.
Punnischit 1596 Dalr. I 338 marg.
Puniset 1606 Inverurie B. Ct. 19 Aug.
Ponesit 1611 Glasgow B. Rec. I 322.
Pwinist(3) 1375 Barb. xx 530 (E).
Na traytour mycht be him by, … that he ne suld be Weill punyst off his cruelte 1456 Hay I 236/7.
Thay may be of that thing punyst and chalangit be law in jugement Ib. II 146/35.
Princis salbe fer sairar punist of thair faultis 1551 Hamilton Cat. 166.
Quhairof the gud sal be rewardit, and the evil sal be punissit(4) 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 102.
Decernand the saidis articlis hereticall, and thar throwgh the said Schyr Ihon to be infamed and punissed, &c.(5) 1558-66 Knox II 15.
God so punissing his crewell hairt a1568 Bann. MS 281a/7.
Punys weill the flesch for thyn awin offens

b. With the offence or fault as obj. (or, in the passive, as subj.): To requite (the offence etc.) with a punishment of the offender; to punish (the offence etc.).(1) c1420 Ratis R. 136.
For that is it that rychtvisly Wyll punys thi wrang done vykitly c1420 Wynt. v 5719.
For he pwnysyid [v.r. punyst] herysyis That he faworyd mony wyis Ib. viii 3287.
And punysyd exces and trespas 1454–5 Irons Leith I App. 570.
He sal help … to punys and stanche it als aft as thai pas thairto c1460 Thewis Wysmen 430.
How God pwnysis iniquitee c1460 Regim. Princ. 22 (Marchm.).
Punis a1500 Henr. Prayer 6. 1490 Irland Mir. II 150/33.
Rewardand gud deidis and punysand euill werkis 1531 Bell. Boece I 28.
To punis theft and slauchter 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4296.
Puneis Ib. 8235. 1562-3 Winȝet I 82/27.
In sa fer as ȝe wald punis sin, we dissent nocht fra ȝou 1567 G. Ball. 191. 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 530.
It behuvit thame to tak armes to puneis and revenge the said schamefull murthour 1574 Ib. II 390.
That thay suld … expreslie punishe the superstitious keping of festuall dayis 1596 Acts IV 104/1.
To pvnishe condignelie ane swa haynous assasinatt 1598 Edinb. B. Rec. V 233.
Thair try and puneis all generall faltis 1674 Ib. X 206.
To prevent and punnish tumults and conventicles(2) 1456 Hay II 99/7.
He suld ger inquere gyf it be done in … disporting [etc.] … and sa suld it be punyst c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 533.
For at the gret iugment, al ill sal be pwnist a1487 Gud Wyf & D. 50.
God dois honour till lawlynas, Quhen prid is pwnyst in all plas 1490 Irland Mir. MS fol. 341.
His disobeysaunce was punyst to the deid c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2396.
Quhare manyfest idolatrye Sall puneist be perpetuallye 1567 G. Ball. 119.
Seuinfald, thair sin, gude Lord, mot punist be 1570 Sat. P. xvii 56.
Throw him was … Piracie puneist a1578 Pitsc. I 79/8.
Seeing the Inglischemen attentatis was suffiecientlie be the hand of God in the last battell punischid 1598 James VI Basil. Doron II App. 307.
Punissed 1625 Garden Kings 34.
His … vice … Is punish't with devoreing wormes 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xviii 2 (1678) 186.
Punisht

c. absol. c1420 Ratis R. 1550.
Of syk men … That wyll punys our mesure Ib. 1615.
To punys ore to mak rewarde … I se rycht few tak kep thar-to 1500–1 Acta Conc. II 489.
It salbe leffull til the sadis erle … and barone … to punys efter the forme of the law 1512 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 17.
That the balyeis [ar] in the falt … becaus thai wil nocht puneis and tak thair unlaws 1516 Ib. 38.
This inquest … ordanes … Robene Ker [etc.] … to puneis, hald curtis and minister justis [etc.] 1528 Lynd. Dreme 866.
Bot quhare that iustice dois delygence To puneis quhare thare may be found offence 1533 Bell. Livy I 189/28.
& said thai had na autorite nor power to pvnys [B. pvnice] c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 4.
Bot Moses in his bukis … punnyssis sore 1535 Stewart 37510.
Sen gratius God … Is reddear to gif mercie … No for to puneis for the grittest cace [etc.] 1545 Corr. M. Lorraine 133.
Punes 1562-3 Winȝet I 8/11.
God punissis oftymes in the samyn thing quhairin man offendis

d. Irreg., To dispense punishment according to (an enactment). — 1458 Montrose Baillie Ct. fol. 8b (10 April).
The v actis maid the last yher the xii day … anent the yhardis be kepit & punyzit bot fauor

2. Passing into: To chastise, to ill-treat, with the notion of retribution weakened or absent. 1562-3 Winȝet I 33/33.
To puneis the innocent contrare all lawis of God and man a1578 Pitsc. I 27/8.
Albeit the gouernoure punischeit and correctit thir men … ȝit he punischit with ane grettar rigour vtheris richt honorabill