Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Repentance, -ence, n. Also: rapent-, repend- and -ans, -aunce. [ME and e.m.E. repentanse (Cursor M.), -aunce (Manning), F. repentance (12th c. in Hatz.-Darm.).] Repentance.

a. The act of repenting; sorrow or regret for sin, or for past actions or conduct. b. An action or actions performed as an outward sign of repentance.For further examples, see Pillar n. 1 c and d and Public adj. 7 a.Also personified.To receave (a person) to repentance, see Resav(e v. 12 (2).(1) 1375 Barb. xx 259.
With werray repentance he gaf The gast c1420 Wynt. v 3816.
Quhat pennans Has thow yhit done, or repentans, For thi gret fell inyqwyte 1461 Liber Plusc. 383.
Quhilk Deed has reft but reuth or rapentance 1551 Hamilton Cat. 173. 1559 St. A. Kirk S. 6.
William Rantoun delat … for … adultery, in presen[ce] of the congregatioun schew signe of repentence a1568 Bann. MS 281a/4. 1581 St. A. Kirk S. 473.
And we willing to wyn synneris wyth quietnes rather nor sevirite to repentans c1590 Fowler II 55/6.
The woman … toke repentance for hir companioun … so she did go to the hyche fountaine a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 907 (Wr.).
Your sentence repentance Shall leave you … When yee that practick prieve 1600 Elgin Rec. II 79.
Ordained to … enter himself to his public repentance 1609 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 70.
James Dwn … is injoyned to cum this day aucht dayes, and begin his repentance 1614 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 37 (7 Aug.).
Adverteisment … to search hir out & send hir hame to repentance 1643 Ritchie Ch. S. Baldred 87.
Payment for making and repairing the stool for repentance 1649 Brechin Presb. 6.
George Black, murtherer, … began his repentance 1655 Stirling Ant. II 18.
That Georg Muchet should satisfie his penultie and repentance 1692 Presb. Eloq. 79.
You think … that I am come here to preach the old jock-trot faith and repentance to you(b) 1605-6 Welsh Forty-eight Serm. 61.
So I beseech you … ye would not delay at least to mint at rependance(2) c1420 Wynt. v. 4792.
He … in repentans deyd werray 1490 Irland Mir. I 115/2.
Ezechias turnit him in prayere and repentaunce 1663 Boharm Kirk S. 12 April.
Whosoever sall be found to frequent the ailhouses upon the Lord's day sall … satisfie in repentance(3) 1456 Hay I 301/5.
And syne suld thai be of repentaunce quhen thai mycht sett na remede(4) 1575–6 Reg. Privy C. II 499.
Quha had willinglie and obedientlie maid thair repentance 1576 St. A. Kirk S. 422.
That Robert Malwill … cum to the penitent stuill and mak his public repentence a1578 Pitsc. II 314/27.
Ane man … quha was tane with ane woman by his wyff and brocht to the corce to mak his repentance 1591–2 Balmerino 345.
Ordanis the sessione of the kirk of Balmerinoch to caus … violatoris of the Sabboth day publictlie to mak thair publict repentance thairfor 1599 Elgin Rec. II 72.
Richert Cuming … is inhibit to haunt dycing or playing at the cairtis under the paynis of making his publict repentans 1602 Dundonald Par. Rec. 13.
Thairfoir the Sessioun ordained hir to mak hir public repentance befoir the pulpeit 1612 Ib. 236, etc. 1620 Dumbarton Kirk S. 1.
Kathrein Barnat … ordaned to mack hir repentance in sackcloth a1631 Cranna Fraserburgh 174.
[A woman said to have left one parish] on maid her repentance 1639 Alyth Kirk S. in Sc. N. & Q. XII 59.
Repentance 1647 Moray Synod 84. 1676 Dunferm. Kirk S. 69.
Thomas Huton shall … mak his repentance for his lounly behaviour with Jonet Fairlie(5) 1578–9 Reg. Privy C. III 81.
The wache toure upoun Trailtrow, callit Repentancepersonified c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 11/125.
To rys Repentence did begin

c. Place (stule, seat) of … repentance, a place in the church (sometimes a seat, bench or raised platform) to be occupied by an offender ordered to make public repentance.See also pillar of repentance, s.v. Pillar n. 1 c and d (3).(1) 1582 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 148.
For nallis to naill the pilleris of the gavaill of the place of repentance 1591 St. A. Kirk S. 710.
To sitt on ane stuill … beneth the place of repentance 1606 Murray Kilmacolm 37.
Making their repentance in their lynen claithes in the public place of repentance 1612 Dunferm. Ann. 271.
In the places of publict repentans within the kirkes of Dunfermling 1653 Cullen Kirk S. 8 May. 1658 Ellon Par. 117. 1688 Bonckle Kirk S. 92.(2) 1581 Mill Mediæv. Plays 279.
[They are to] present thame self in the seat off repentance thair to remaine the Sabbothe day in tyme off sermond 1590 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 381.
For casting the scolleris loft with the sait of repentance & regentis tombe blak 1649 Cullen Kirk S. 25 Feb.
The seatt of publick repentence(3) 1591 Elgin Rec. II 17.
That euerie persoun that … makis ony bein … fyiris … sall stand in sakclothe thre seuerall Sondayis vpoun the stuill of repentance 1619 Old Kirk Chron. 86. 1630 Kirkcaldy Presb. 17.
The stoole of repentance … to be affixed to the middest of the foir part of the laft a1638 Orkney Misc. I 53/1.
The stoole of repentance is a high place in the church where men and woemen doe penance for hooredome, in white sheetes 1640 Kirkcaldy Presb. 173.
Ordeaned … to sit upon the stool of publik repentance 1663 Alyth Par. Ch. 102.
The ladder wherby they went up to the stool of repentance 1675 Paterson Ayr & Wigton II 547. 1686 Inverurie 348.

d. attrib. with stule. = c (3) above. 1591 Mill Mediæv. Plays 281.
[Offenders are] to stand on the keikstwl and repentance stwle thair to declair thair offence 1641 S. Leith Rec. 37/2.
Quhen the minister goes to pulpet that she sall be set in the repentance stool 1657 Musselburgh 114. 1670 Dunkeld Presb. I 380.
Betuixt the laird of Bamffe's seat and the middest of the pillar wher the repentance stool now stands 1683 Craven Ch. in Orkney 103. 1704 Logie Par. Hist. 324.
For four dealls to be an repentance stool … £2, 13 s. 4 d.