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.
(Rische,) Rich(e, Ris, Rus, n. Also: ryis; roche; Ras(c)h(e n.1. [ME and e.m.E. rysse, russe (both a1200), rysche (14th c.). risshe, rische (both Chaucer), russ(c)he (Piers Plowman), rosshe (Lydgate), roysche (c1475), rushe (1561), rishe (1601), OE risc(e, MDu risch, MLG risch(e, rysse, risk, rusch, 16th c. Du. rusch. Cf. OF rusche, rousche.1548 Turner Names Herbes (E.D.S.) 71.]
Sarpus … is called in english a rishe or a rashe
A rush, the plant. Also attrib.With ryis (rich beir), cf. 18th c. Eng. rush wheat ‘a species of wild wheat growing on sandy shores’ (OED).Ris talloun (if correctly allocated), ? tallow for rush lights.Rich(e as(e (assis), appar. potash obtained by burning rushes. See also rus as at (2) (b).See also Rische bus.(1) 1460 Hay Alex. MS 10745.
Ane land of grete laboure Was closit about with riches stark and stoure All but ane opin place at the entre 1498 Edinb. Hammermen fol. 24b.
For riches & vle dole iiij d. 1513 Doug. vi vi 68 (1553) (see Risp n.1 a).
Fauch rissis [C. ryspys](b) c1500 Makc. MS xiii 79.
Hec spelta, ryis(c) 1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II 283.
For flours, beirks, and rocheis, and beiring of furmes and trestis thairto [sc. the play at the Trone](2) attrib. 1598 Exch. R. XXIII 241.
[50 s., of 5 barrels] ris talloun 1599 Ib. 320.
£65 8 s. of 27½ lasts riche assis 1630–2 Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. 165.
xi barrell of rich ase 1642 Nicolson Diurnals 4 April.
3 firl and ane fourtpart of rich beir(b) 1573 Edinb. Test. II 338b.
Nyne barrell of rus as price of the barrell xxx s.
