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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.

Ring, Rigne, n.³ Also: ryng, ringe; ringn(n)e; ryngne, rignne, rygne, riygne, righne; Reng. [Sc. var. of Regn(e n.] Reign, or a reign.

1. Regal power or rule; sovereignty. b. Power or rule, more generally. Cf. Regn(e n. 1. c1475 Wall. viii 1327.
Eftir the dayt off Alexandris ryng c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 212/9.
Sum cravis of God to end my ring 1513 Doug. xi v 82.
As he the quhilk pretendis to weld the ryng Of Italy Id. Comm. i ii 44.
Therfor … Eolus grantis him to hald his ring of Juno 1535 Stewart 27020.
And his barnis to succeid to his ring c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3652.
As for … Allexander, the conquereour, Geue thow at lenth wald reid his ryng, … in his gret buke … thow may luke 1570 Sat. P. xxi 61.
Gif ȝe depois him of his ring 1596 Dalr. II 81/24.
Rygne 1587-99 Hume 40/190.
To God … he sall remit the ringe 1605 Glasgow Prot. II 121.
For his hienes and successouris happie ring 16.. Hist. Kennedy 1.
At the tyme of King Donnallis ring

2. A kingdom or realm. = Regn(e n. 2. b. Territory under (one's) control or de facto government. a1500 Lanc. 1471.
Thi ryngne and thé he thocht for to subwart Ib. 1950, etc.
Is he not set abuf apone his ringne [: king] As souerane his puple for to lede? c1515 Asl. MS I 189/10.
And sen syne neuer falȝeit king of that blud fra the rigne and the crovne of Scotland 1513 Doug. iii v 79.
Vnder the wallis hie of Troys ryng Ib. x ii 10.
Or to engyre hym self to Latyn kyng As mortal fa, within hys proper ryng Ib. xiv 55.
I that was … Expellit from my ceptre and my ryng [: mysdoyng] 1528 Lynd. Dreme 172.
Wrangous conquerouris, … reiffaris of vtheris ryngis [: kyngis, byngis] 1535 Stewart 23367. a1538 Abell 69b.
The nobilis of the ring … come to the Scoyn to cheis ane othir king c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5419. 15.. Clar. i 398.
Of Spainȝie land, quhilk is ane mightie rigne [: king] Ib. iii 87, etc.
More trusting in ȝour … governing Nor ony uther knicht in all my ringne [: resigne] 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 383.
Ȝour haill regioun and ryng That ȝe haue in ȝour gouernyng 1570 Sat. P. x 161.
This lord … Quha was bot ȝoung, and culd not reull the ring a1662 Ross Pastoral Work 113.
Intil ane uncouth land or ring [: sing]b. c1475 Wall. xi 4.
To wyn the land at the gud king him gaiff In till his ryng he wald no Sotheroun saiff

3. The ‘kingdom’ of God, heaven.Partaking of both prec. senses.Also applied to the supposed domain of other gods.(1) a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 110.
Justice and Verite … allegit … That … Adam & his ofspring Eternalie suld be banist his rigne c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 5/19.
Quhilk king us bring unto his ryng Fro dethis dirk umbrakle c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1870.
Gret God … Quhose ring induris euermore 1567 G. Ball. 86.
Thow, O God, in heuin in to thy ring(2) a1500 Lanc. 94.
Yow dewith hyme [sc. the god of love] in to his rigne abufe 1513 Doug. xi i 116.
Onto the goddis of the hevynly ryng 15.. Clar. v 2075.
Venus … glaiding the hevinlie ringe imperiall

4. The period of a sovereign's rule, also transf. of a cardinal's term of office. = Regn(e n. 3.(1) 1445 Reg. Episc. Morav. 219.
Gewyn under our preve sell … of our rygne the ix yer 1534–5 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 122.
Subscrivit be us … the xxii day of Aprile and of our rigne the xxii yeir 1596 Dalr. I 279/13.
The secund ȝeir of his riygne 1610 Edinb. Test. XLVI 187.
Of our souerane lordis rignes the fyft [year] 1679 Glasgow B. Rec. III 274.
Of our righne the one and thretty year 1679 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 267 (3 Jan.).
Rigne(b) c1500-50 Brevis Cronica 329.
The fyft of his rignne 1557 Reg. Privy S. V i 35/1.
Of his rignne the tuenty aucht yeir 1577 Aboyne Rec. 130. 1592 Colquhoun Chart. 162.
Of our rignne [ed. rigime] the twentie sex ȝeir(c) ?a1500 Steel Roy Robert 1.
In to the ring of the roy Robert 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 440.
Mony faithfull kyngis Off Israell, duryng thare ryngis a1538 Abell 97a.
In the begynnyng of his ring he had gret wanfortone … aganis the Scottis 1538 Red Bk. Grandtully II 125.
Off our ringe the xxv ȝeir 1551 Hamilton Cat. 147.
70 yeiris eftir the ring of the Emperour Caius Julius 1604 Stewart Mem. 111.
Of our ring of Scotland the xxxvij … ȝeir 1622 Scot Course of Conformity 99.
O'r Scot right short shall be his [sc. the king's] ring(d) 1516 Fife Sheriff Ct. 146.
Gevin undre our signete … of our ringnne the thrid ȝere(2) 1606 Highland P. III 88.
I beseik God to blis ȝour hienes with a long and prosperous ring 1608 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 152.
Wishing to ȝour maiestie long lyfe and ane prosperous ringnetransf. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4683.
And cardinalis, duryng thare ryngis, Fallowis to princis and to kyngis