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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Reawté, n. Also: ryawté. [ME reaute (once, Piers Plowman), OF reauté. See also Realté n., Rialté n.] Royalty, in various senses and applications.Only in Barb. and Wynt.

I. 1. The office of king; royal power or dignity; sovereignty. = Rialté n. 1.(a) 1375 Barb. i 45.
To cheys a king … That off awncestry cummyn wer Off kingis, that aucht that reawte, And mayst had rycht thair king to be Ib. 164.
I sall … Hald it … as myn eldris forouch me Held it in freyast reawte c1420 Wynt. iv 1595.
Fra he had sene … thare reawte Than turnyd in deformyte Ib. viii 336.
Gyve that ony male Mycht be fundyn … To joys sic a reawte(b) c1420 Wynt. v 3152.
Wyth Constantynys sonnys thre, That anelyd to that ryawte Ib. 3183.
Hym thowcht Brettayne lytyll wes For to mayntene hys ryawte

2. Pomp; kingly ceremonial. = Rialté n. 4. 1375 Barb. xx 87 (E).
And the queyn & the Mortymer … cummyn wer With gret affer and reawte [C. rialte; rh. bewte] c1420 Wynt. iv 2300.
In Rome wes he Ressaywyd wyth gret reawte Ib. v 2172.
The empryoure … Arayid hym wyth great reawte Ib. viii 2698.
At Sayntandrewys than bad he, And held hys Lentyren in reawte

3. In the phr. to regn(e in … reawte, in senses 1 or 2 above. = Rialté n. 5. c1420 Wynt. iv 1926.
Gyff thow thynkys for to be Kyng to regne in reawte Ib. 2490.
Regnand in tyll … Honoure, state, and reawte

II. 4. A realm, kingdom. = Rialté n. 6. 1375 Barb. i 593.
Thiddir somownys he in hy The barownys of his reawte Ib. iii 60.
He awcht weill to be A king of a gret reawte c1420 Wynt. ii 666.
Sen hys barnys apperyt to be lordis off that ryawte Ib. v 1359.
[To] regne and reule thaire reawte [C. ryalte] Wytht … leawte

5. The following or retinue of a king. c1420 Wynt. ii 1100.
Quhen thai hard Josue Wes to cum wytht hys ryawte Ib. v 502.
Quhen that he Agayne passyd wytht hys reawte