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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.

Riding, Ryding, vbl. n. Also: ride-, ryde-, ridd-, rydd- and -inge, -in(e, -yn(g, -yne; reyding, reyeddin. [ME and e.m.E. ridinng (Orm), -ing (Cursor M.), rideing (c1330), ridyng (1388), rydynge (c1400), rydyng (1470–85); Ride v.]

1. The action or fact of travelling on horseback, or of simulating this action.The quot. 1633 Sc. Ant. I 93 in Reding(e vbl. n.¹ properly belongs in (c) below.(1) 1456 Hay II 16/10.
Syne suld he be doctrinyt and techit to ryding in his ȝouthede 1482–3 Acta Conc. II cxii.
The actioun … persewit … for the spoliatioun, riding, lauboring and distroing of twa hors 1518 Wigtown B. Ct. fol. 254a.
Challans fore the vrangus rydeyne of a blak hors 1535 St. P. Henry VIII V 15.
To by horse in Ingland to his grace, quhilk is gevin to dalie rydin a1578 Pitsc. I 340/5.
Pastymes as schotting, lepping ryding and warsling 1605 Glasgow B. Rec. I 472.
For his expenssis in ryding commissioner to remove the bucket fischeing in the wast 1663–9 Sel. Biog. I 192.
I haue sometimes continued reasonable long ryding, both journey and post, without great wearying 1668 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 293.
[The] scandelous rydeing by the kirk styll of Towie, his owne paroch kirk, upon … the Lords day 1679 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 313.
I complaine upon … his ryding on horse bake befoir my face throw the samyin [corn](b) 1530 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 108.
For ve haif na haist in our rydding 1566 Q. Mary in Inv. Q. Mary xxxii n.
We ar so tyrit …, quhat throw rydding of twenty millis in fiue houris(c) 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 351.
For … his chairgis in reyding to the cole heuis 1633 Sc. Ant. I 93.
Reyeddin(2) 1541 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. iv (Miller v. Huntar).
The proffit of ane hors ȝeirlie … in werk, riding, hiregang, and laubour 1549–50 Glasgow Prot. I 8.(3) 1649 Black Cal. Witchcraft 932/2.
[Elspet Leith and two other women accused of] rydeing [a man] to deathe [and other like crimes]

b. specif. A feudal service involving the riding of a horse. 1489 Acts II 222/2.
Lordis and gentilmen … quhilkis … compellis thaim to do seruice auerage … lauboring ridding and trawelling 1671 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. II 597.]
[The Youngs did service … for the said roum as kindly tenants, by riding and otherwise, and … they were poinded for not riding when required

c. The making of an armed expedition or raid on horseback. 1533 Treas. Acc. VI 131.
Lettrez … to my lord Maxwell for non-ryding on the bordouris 1542 St. P. Henry VIII V 207.
For the astabling of our Bordouris … and to stop all besynes and ryding within ȝour realme [etc.] 1549 Compl. 14/30.
Vitht cruel escharmouschis in the ryding of forrais

d. The fording of a river on horseback. Only proverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 962.
It is evil ryding the fuird was never ridden

e. Rydding down, destroying by riding over. 1698 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 764.
[Abuse] committed] in rydding down and destroying some growing cornes … untill the samen was turned red and useless

f. fig. 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (S.T.S.) 11/13.
I desire not to make so neere riding, for in my opinion our enemie [sc. Satan] is ouer craftie, and we ouer weake

2. The opportunity (for a ship) to lie at anchor; the facility of anchoring. Also attrib. 15.. Lynd. Rutter fol. 5 (B).
Cast anker … and you sall have rydine at viij fadomes c1614 Melrose P. 600.
The pillats … wer sent … to wnderstand if thair was ony saif ryding at the Iyll of Tixa for his maiesties shipattrib. 15.. Lynd. Rutter fol. 5 (B).
Good ryding places for shippes at x, xij, or xvij fadomes

3. The action of riding ceremonially or in procession on a formal occasion, as the opening of a fair or, esp., of a session of parliament. Also attrib.For a detailed report of the arrangements made in 1681 for the riding of Parliament, see Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. VII 167–70; and for a full account of the general procedure, see Jurid. Rev. XLIV 95–124.(1) 1573 Reg. Privy C. II 257.
To desist and ceise fra all … proclaming or ryding of fairis 1650 Glasgow Wrights Acts 8.
That noone at all be spent in drinking, feasting, or ryding to buriallis, bot that the deacone salbe lyable to bear the burtheine off ryding to burialls 1671 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 35.
Everie ane of thir men … that wes absent at the rydeing of the faire shall … be at the bailyies will … for fourtie shilling Scots money 1672 Glasgow Weavers 83.
For ryding of the laird of Pollokis sones burriell 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 132.
3 lords and 6 barrons with him at the rideing of a faire in Beuly, with all their retinue 1684 Glasgow B. Rec. III 508.
For rydeing the fair of Glasgow(2) 1606 J. Nichols Bibliotheca Topog. Brit. (1791–5) XLVII 211.
In the ryding of this present Parliament 1606 Reg. Privy C. VII 221.
The Lords of Secret Councill, willing that ane decent and comelie ordour salbe observit and keipit be the Estaits of this kingdome in thair ryding to thispresent Parliament 1607 Ib. 534. 1639 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 265.
The Commissioners grace had condiscendit to delay the ryding of the Parliament till Saterday 1640 Acts V 260/1.
And the civill power and places of kirkmen as thair voyceing and ryding in Parliament 1641 Baillie I 377.
The nobilitie … mett in the New Parliament House … without ryding or robes 1670 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 232.
Foot mantles provyded … for ryding of the parliament 1681 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 22.
The day of the rydding of the Parliament 1681 Aberd. Council Lett. VI 324.
The manner and splendor of the reyding the parliament 1685 Lauder Notices Affairs II 634.
Ther is a committee named … to rank and order the precedencies and forme of the riding, viz., the President, Register &c.attrib. c1630 Scot Narr. 295.
Saturday the 4th of August was appointed to be the last ryding day [of Parliament]

4. attrib. and comb. in sense 1 above.See also Riding-gere and Riding-money.

a. Of a horse: That is to be ridden (not used as, e.g., a pack-horse); that is used, or has been taught, to be ridden. 1424 Acts II 4/1.
Bot … thai sall nocht pay drawyne oxin riddyne hors and vtensillis of hous allanerly outtane Ib. I 325/2.
Of ilk tam hors or riddin hors in the forest fundyn, iiij d. 1456 Misc. Bann. C. III 93.
Sex rydyn hors … iiij ryddyn hors a1570-86 Maitl. F. 438/44.
Mony nobill … for the wery wynter tyd For ryddin hors did thaim prouid 1606 Conv. Burghs II 221.
Ryddin hors 1639 Old Ross-shire I 126.
Work naiges xxiiii lib. twa riding naiges xxvi£ 13 s. 4 d. c1650 Spalding II 365.
Ane ryding naig … or ane wark naig 1703 Foulis Acc. Bk. 319.
To the 2 ryding horses

b. Of the rider's garb, accoutrements, etc.See also Riding-cote and Riding-goune.For further examples of riding-pe see Pe(e n.(1) 1474 Treas. Acc. I 22.
A riding colare to the king 1501 Ib. II 22.
For gilting of the kingis riding sword 1503 Ib. 207.
For ane lang riding suord Ib. 234.
Ane riding doublat 1507 Ib. IV 17.
Ane riding bonet … ane riding hat to the king 1530 Balmerino & L. Chart. ii 32.
Ane rydyng hwed 1539–40 Treas. Acc. VII 284.
Twa pair of riding hois 1542 Ib. VIII 81.
Ane ryding cloke 1542–3 Ib. 170.
Twa elnis canves to be thame ryding sokkis 1548 Ib. IX 222.
Pareis blak to be hir ane ryding pe 1549 Ib. 363.
Ane ryding bonet of welwote 1550 Ib. 453.
Ane riding cloke 1581 Ib. MS 97b.
Ane pair of ryding sockis according to the Frensche fashioun to cover his hienes thie to the cleving 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 572.
Of tottis russet his ryding breikis 1611 Pont Cunningham 192.
My ryding stand of claithis 1621 Maxwell Mem. I 330.
For ane crampatt to ȝour ryding sword 1632 14th Rep. Hist. MSS App. iii 235.
Ane rid skarlet ryding cott and hude 1635 Edinb. Test. LVII 68.
Ane ryding cassik 1643 Ib. LX 204b.
Ane ryding caipe with ane pleite thairin 1645 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 43.
A rydeing jup lynit with welvet 1659 A. Hay Diary 134.
I went … to buy a sute of ryding cloaths to my wiffe 1669 Jus Populi 410.
Their rideing mantles(b) 1602 Tailor's Acc. Bk. A 26b.
Scottis gray clayth to be … ane pair of rydding taillis(2) 1497 Treas. Acc. I 341.
Ane par of riding spuris

c. Of the horse's harness, trappings, etc.(1) 1504–5 Acta Conc. in Stewart Mem. 87.
xj hors and two meres … with thair rydding grath 1507–8 Treas. Acc. IV 94.
For mending of sadilles … and all riding graith 1616 Conv. Burghs III 32.
Everie horse … well furnisit with ryding graith 1663 Household Bks. Archb. Sharp MS fol. 6b.(2) 1531 Treas. Acc. VI 18.
Grene cairsay, to be thre riding houssis under the kingis sadill 1532 Ib. 73.
vj ryding housouris under the kingis sadill 1542 Acts & Decr. I 141.
Ane ryding sadill 1547 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) Walbane v. Douglas.
Ane riding sadill … ane laid saidill1627 Edinb. Test. LIV 55b (see Pad n.). 1657 Ib. LXIX 65.
Ane ryding sadle with the pad thairot [sic] 1687 Montgomery Mem. II 341.
Ane woman's syd riding sadle

d. Of ground: Suitable for riding across. c1650 Spalding I 298.
He ansuerit, it was not ryding ground

5. In other attrib. uses. a. Riding place, a fording-place for a horse ( Ride v. 12). b. Ridinge-time, the time appropriate for mating ( Ride v. 11).See also 2 and 3 above. a1500 Sir Eger 892.
A river … And water … do both run in one; A riding place there is not one a1699 Skene Agric. MS (ed.) 70.
That they milk the yowis no longer then Michaelmes whilk is the ridinge tyme, for Michaelmes and Hallowmes is the tyme that yowis be ridden