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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.

Purite(e, Pureté, n. Also: puritie, purietie; poretie. [ME and late ME purete (Ancr. R.), e.m.E. purety (1550), ME purte (Ayenbite), e.m.E. purite (1526), puritie (1561), moral purity, chastity etc. (Ancr. R.), physical cleanness (1526), unmixed condition (1550), (religious) faultlessness (1561), OF purte (c1200 in Larousse), F. pureté (1324 in Godefroy), L. pūritāt-.] Purity.

1. Of silver: Unmixed or unalloyed state. 1526 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 249.
Silver of … clennes and purete

2. Unconditional or absolute nature (of a legal right). 1586 Montrose Baillie Ct. MS 33a.
The present questione standis nocht on the poretie of rychtis

3. As a human virtue: Stainless character, innocence, chastity. 1456 Hay I 284/3.
The vertu of puritee, of cleness and innocence 1490 Irland Mir. I 138/37.
Sche was trublit, lufand chastite and purite virginale Ib. 103/10. c1530-40 Stewart in Bann. MS 277b/54.
Ladeis ar plantit full of purite 1571 Ferg. Serm. iii Malachi in 1563-72 Tracts 75.
Sic as ar faith, innocencie, puritie of lyfe, charitie [etc.] 1596 Dalr. I 321/25.
Sche in all things followet the puritie, the halynes [etc.] … of her mother Margaret

4. Of religious doctrine or observance: Freedom from corruption or error, perfection. 1562-3 Winȝet I 5/33.
Geue thir thingis [sacraments, etc.] maiste speciall throw ignorance and auarice be brocht fra thair puritie Ib. 100/21.
Ȝe allegand ȝour selfis to reduce the ordour in religioun according to the puritie of the writtin Word 1567 Acts III 24/1.
That na maner of person … beir publict office … of jugement … bot sic as professis the puritie of religioun … now … establischeit 1571 Ferg. Serm. iii Malachi in 1563-72 Tracts 72.
Puritie of doctrine 1605 Forbes Rec. 422.
Contempt that may steinȝie the puritie of your profession and of your affauld concurs with us 1638 Nat. Covenant in Facs. Nat. MSS III xcvii.
To recover the puritie and libertie of the Gospell 1638 Bk. Pasquils (1868) 84.
All rankes rane ane holy coursse, Religione, liberty, puritie manteind

5. Of a language: Freedom from blemish or corruption, perfection. a1578 Pitsc. I 147/13.
Laurentius Walla … quhilk did greit goode in restitutioun of the Latine tounge to the auld purietie and ornatnes