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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.

Royaltie, -é, -y, n. Also: roalitie. [ME and e.m.E. roialte (Chaucer), OF roialté (OED). See also Rialté n., Realté n. and Royat n.]

I. 1. The rank or office of a king; sovereignty. = Rialté n. 1. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10306.
The Empreour … Set him agane into his royaltie, In his awin realme with greit solempnitie a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 35/36.
God … will thé send all thing Is neidfull to mantene thy royaltie

b. The condition of being directly under royal administration. = Rialté n. 2. c1575 Balfour Pract. 260.
All burrowis of royaltie haldin of the king in fre burgage, ar fre, and fallis not in non-entres

2. Kingly pomp; magnificence. Cf. Rialté n. 4. a1500 Henr. Abbay Walk 10 (M).
Thy royaltie nor ryche array Sall not indure at thi desyir a1500 Sir Eger 2708.
The Emperor or Pope of Rome Might have rung in such royalte c1500-c1512 Dunb. (S.T.S.) lxxxviii 3.
London, thou art of townes A per se, … Of high renoun, riches and royaltie

b. ? Revelry. See the note to Rialté n. 4. a1500 Sir Eger 1978.
They went in royalty to sing 15.. Clar. v 722.
The royaltie I cannot half declaire Was them among … , Thair jolitie, thair festing, and thair play Brus (1571) xvi 48.
Thay soiornit thairin … In myrth, solace, and royaltie

II. 3. A part, or the parts, of the kingdom directly under the king. = Rialté n. 7.In later use, appar. royalty (of a burgh) = Liberte(e n. 8 b (see Aberd. B. Rec. (S.T.S.) xli n. 5 and xcv n. 3).(1) c1575 Balfour Pract. 282.
Gif ane man dwelland in the regalitie be callit be ane uther dwelland in the royaltie befoir the schiref 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Schireff.
The indwellers within the schireff-dom and royaltie thereof 1625 Reg. Great S. 286/1.
Tam regalitatis lie royaltie quam principalitatis ejusdem 1622-6 Bisset I 247/10. a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 39.
The regalities quhilk perteined to the Earle of Gowrie ar suppressed and united to the royaltie 1674 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II 299.
The Lord of Royalty … within whose jurisdiction the bloody fact was committed 1686 Mackenzie Observ. (1687) 36.
Observe, that all Scotland is divided in royalty and regality. The royalty is that which was judged by the kings immediat judges, as sheriffs, and they are here and else-where, call'd the lords of the royal(2) 1602 Aberd. B. Rec. II 233.
Als weill to burgh as to land, within regalite, as roalitie 1641 Peebles Chart. 104.
Within the haill boundes of the Shereffdome of Peibilles alseweill regalitie as royaltie 1686 Dunkeld Presb. II 138.
Therby the burgh is brought to miserie, the inhabitants … neither able to mentain their royaltie nor pey his majesties supplie