A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
(Safe-conduct,) Safe-condueitt, Saif-conduct, -condute, Sauf-conduct, -conduit, -condyt(e, n. Also: saife-, saiff-, sailf-, saiwe-; save-; sauff-, sawf(f)-, saulf(f)(e)-, salf(e)-, salff-, sauve-, salve- and -conducte, -uck, -ict; -uite, -uitt, -uyt(e, -uyeit, -weit, -ut, -oyt, -it(t, -cundit, -cwndyt. [ME and e.m.E. sauf condut (1297), saff coundyte (c1325), saue, saf condite (Manning), sauf conduit (Gower), saufconduyt (?1404), salfecundight (Skelton), saueconducte (1526), salve conduct (1529), saufeconduyte (a1548), saufe conducte (1551), safe conduyte (1568), safe conduct (1577–87), OF sauf conduit (c1160 in Larousse), med. L. conductus salvus (a1150 in Latham).] A safe-conduct, the assurance or guarantee of immunity from arrest or molestation granted by a ruler or other authority to persons or things passing through or taking up residence in his dominion or territory of jurisdiction; such an immunity as embodied in a document; the document itself. Cf. Conduct n.Also const. to do something or come or go somewhere (sc. within one's dominion or territory of jurisdiction).Also fig.For further examples, see Pasport(e n. (a). 14.. Acts I 294/2, etc.
Forma breuis de saluo conducto … Sciatis quod suscepimus in saluum et securum conductum nostrum R de B(1) 1416 Red Bk. Menteith I 287.
Send us this good with ane honest burges of your awin quhilk sall hawe saif conduyeit as the berare of this lettres sall doe you witt 1531 Bell. Boece II 482.
The supplicatioun maid be ony of the two Kingis of Ingland or Scotland, sall stand in maner of saif-condict [M. saufconduit] to the berar 1547–8 Corr. M. Lorraine 211.
Robert Hammiltoun who hatht saiff condweit of my lord protectouris grace to rapair in to England a1578 Pitsc. I 83/29.
The earle gat saif cundit to come throw Ingland Ib. 198/24.
Thay … convoyit thame out of the camp with saiff conduck to pas to Scotland c1590 Fowler II 33/13.
That licence may be impetrat fra the King of France … to our ministeris to cum to France … prouiding alwayes that with saife conduit pledges be grantit for the securitie of thair bodies and preseruatioun of thair lyues 1622-6 Bisset II 231/9.
He [sc. the admiral] may gif to the inimies subiectis saifconduct to fysche(b) c1420 Wynt. v 4649.
The empryowre … Wyth sauff condyte [C. sauf condit] send hym fre Agayne hame till his awyne se Ib. viii 791.
And come on till Wpsettlyngtowne. Thiddyr he send thame sawff-cwndyt [C. sauf condyte] Fra all dowtis to mak thame qwyt; Than owre the wattyr off Twed thai rad 1429 Cal. Doc. IV 404.
Gif onny man hafing sauf condut … be slayne [etc.] … the trespassoure … sal be deliuerit to the warden … to be punyst 1456 Hay I 96/20.
Quhat thingis in tyme of were has sauf condyt be privilege unaskit at the princis Ib. 181/12.
As gif a capitane … wald tak on his faith to geve sauf condyt our all the contree of Gascoyne, and apon that condyt the Senescall of Bordeoux Ib. 238/34.
Na thame [sc. pilgrims] nedis nocht to ask sauf conduyt suppos thai pas throwe land of inymyes, for he that is lord and syre of all the warld has gevin thaim his sauf conduyt, that is to say the pape Ib. 245/6.
I suld never geve him counsale to traist in sauf condyt his persoun amang his anciene … inymyes Ib. 178/9, etc.(c) 1525 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 230.
That all salf conductis pas apoun the supplicatioune of the prince … providing that the lettres of suplicatioun of athir prince be salf conduct and of valoure and strenth to bring the persoun or persouns … saiflie agane within thaire awin realme 1527 Douglas Corr. 122.
The noyis is the Duk of Albanie procuris saulff-conduct and licence of the kingis hienes ȝour soverane [sc. Henry VIII of England] to returne here 1540 Acta Conc. & Sess. MS XIII 182b.
He … being at that tyme vnder saulf conduct of the grett Admirale of France 1550–1 Bk. Carlaverock I 219.
[They] haif power of the king their maister to giff ȝow saulff conduct to pas with tham to Carlile(d) 1570 Leslie 88.
And fardir haiff denyeit save conduite upone oure requestis that ane servitor of ouris mycht have resortit [ed. resertit] your presens Ib. 90.
Save conduit(2) 1505 Reg. Privy C. I 161/2.
Ane letter of saif condute to Richart Laurence, Ynglisman 1515 Douglas Corr. 818.
That the letres of saufconduyte may be obteyned vnder the greate seall of Scotland 1536–7 Bk. Carlaverock II 23.
To grant ȝour lettres of salfe conduct and sure pasport to the said abbot 1542–3 Hamilton P. I 441.
Lettres of saulff conduct … to … Robert Hammyltoun merchand … tocum within your realme [etc.] 1547–8 Corr. M. Lorraine 211.
Letteris of safe condueitt 1556 Warrender P. (SHS) I 31.
To grant your lettres of licence and saulfconduct … unto thame(3) 1400 Facs. Nat. MSS II liii.
Alsa noble prynce will yhe dedeyn to graunt and to send me yhour saufconduyt endurand quhill the fest of the natiuite of Seint John the Baptist fore a hundreth knichtis [etc.] … fore trauaillyng and dwellyng within yhour land c1420 Wynt. viii 837.
Quhen yhe ws send yhowre sawf-condyte, We trowyd ws fra thir demandis qwyte 1456 Hay I 180/19.
And, sen ȝe distruble me, ȝe brek the kingis sauf condyt Ib. 239/1 (see (1) (b) above). 1475 Cal. Doc. IV 409.
That the said erle of lang tyme passit had oure sauf conduct, ande restis yit for tyme unrinnyng 1482 Acts (1597) i 65.
Of breakers of the kingis or wardens saife-conduct 1522 Douglas Corr. 83.
Albeyt ȝe haif grantit me the kingis hienes saufconducte 1542 St. P. Henry VIII V 208.
We desire that ȝe will despeche ȝour saulfeconduct to our ambassatouris 1549 Compl. 107/34.
Nor Scottis men til entir on Inglis grond vitht out the Kyng of Ingland saue conduct 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (STS) 400.
Thay, beand cytit to the counsall of Constance, come vpon ane saifconduct of Sigismundus 1573 Reg. Privy C. II 309.
The saidis provest and baillies of Edinburgh quhilkis ar na judgeis competent to the interpretatioun and validitie of the kingis majesties privilege and saulf conduct foirsaid(4) 1456 Hay I 177/25.
The baroun mycht, nocht brekand a poynt of his sauf condyt [etc.] Ib. 180/33.
That the knycht may nocht lede the baroun under his sauf condyt Ib. 179/17 (see (5) (b) below). Id. Alex. 8863.
Dame Phisonace … said ‘Schir … Ȝe haue brokin ȝoure sauf-conditt on me' c1475 Wall. vi 887.
For all Ingland he will nocht brek adeyll His saiff cwndyt, or quhar he makis a band 1515 Douglas Corr. 69.
Remember my salve conduct and sped the sammyne to me 1518 Ib. 74.
I sende youe also the copie of her salueconducte 1573 Reg. Privy C. II 309.
That he is licencit and privilegeit be virtew of his saulf conduct quhairof the tyme is not yit outrun to bring Inglis waris in this realme c1650 Spalding II 10.
[That] the saids commissioneris had foir fault there saif conduct in writting or saying anything betuixt him and his subiectis [etc.](5) c1475 Wall. vi 864.
A saiff condyt thai purchest off Wallace 1531 Bell. Boece II 308.
Thocht King Malcolme had ane saif-conduct [M. saufconduct] to pas and repas 1569 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 656/1.
Saif condit(b) 1456 Hay I 179/15.
Gif a man that has a sauf condyt quhethir he may lede a gretter man na him self in his sauf condyt Ib. 239/16.
Labouraris … of the erde … be the propre nature of thair office and labour suld be free and nede na sauf conduyt Ib. 244/10.
That be way of lawe all sauf conduct suld be traist and seure 1473 Treas. Acc. I 67.
Traistand at the said Inglisman had na saulf conduct, and thareftir he schew a conduct 1501 Reg. Privy S. I 106/1.
A sauf conduct … to … Inglismen … to cum within the realme with al lefull merchandis … but ony impediment … , lettrez of marq and contramarq nochtwithstanding c1515 Williamson in Doug. (Sm.) I p. xxii.
And wher ye writ to me to haff a salff condyt, it nedis not, for yee or eny off youris may come and be welcome 1517 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 104.
That ane currour pas with ane salf conduct to the commissionaris … to cum souirely to the said meting 1545 Douglas Corr. 155.
I treste that thay vald … send ane harot for ane salfe condoyt 1546–7 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 563.
The copy of ane salf conduct undir ane sele of grene walx of the Quene of Scotland 1570 Leslie 86.
Sauf conduitt 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 166. 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Commeatus, ane saulfcondyte(c) 1405 Cal. Doc. IV 403.
A sauve condyt for Archebalde of Douglas [etc.] … for to cum in England and sauvely to duel and pas againe foroutin destroublance question or demande for ony actiouns of det or borowgang and als wele in walit townis as withoute 1452 Ib. 406.
That yhe walde speke to the kyng that he walde grawnte a save condute to Alexander of Narne 1547–8 Corr. M. Lorraine 223.
Send me word and I sall gat hym ane saiwe condittpl. 1456 Hay I 244/18.
Quharfore … all the lettres of asseurance and sauf conditis of the warld is nathing in comparisoun of his predicioun 1525 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 230 (see (1) (c)). c1575 Balfour Pract. 631.
The admiral may give licences, pasportis, and saif-conductis be the sea, and be the coastis and schoaris of the samin(6) 1456 Hay I 246/5.
To kepe that saulf condyt 1474 Treas. Acc. I 52.
Gevin for the Inglis pursyfantis expensis … quhen he come for the salue conduct 1542 Douglas Corr. 146.
Th'ambassiatouris that ar contenit in the saulfconduct 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (STS) 400.
Saifconduct 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 19.
Some alledge that a clause conteined in the saif conduct grantit to all men to repair to Edinburgh was the caus of thair returning [sc. home] … that no man … vnder the dome of foirfaltrie shuld bruke that benefite 1582–3 Reg. Privy C. III 560.
That he grant the lyke pasport and saufconduct to the same opposite warden and his cumpany to cum to Drumfreis 1651 Laing MSS I 262.
A sufficient ground to break the meinest saife conduct granted in the smallest materpl. 1526 St. P. Henry VIII IV 433.
That the sailf conductis ellis grauntit stand in strenth and vigoure(7) fig. 1460 Hay Alex. 18212.
Sayand, ‘Watte ȝe nocht weill all mon de Fra quhilk of dede na sauf conduct haue we' c1490 Porteous Noblenes 175/4 (Asl.).
Hie honour is … his werray kepar and saif conduct in all aduersiteis
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Safe-conduct n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Nov 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/safe_conduct>