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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Ruther, Rud(d)er, n. Also: -yr, -ir(e; rother, -yr; routher; rud(d)ir, -ar, -our; roddar; roder; Rather. [ME and e.m.E. rodyr (Prompt. Parv.), rodder (1457), rudder (1548), also ruther (1583), OE ródor, OFris. roder, MDu. roder, roeder, MLG roder.]

1. A rudder; the steering mechanism of a ship; an oar used for this purpose.To reule the ruther, see Reul(e v. 5 c.Also attrib. and comb.(1) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1734.
So that the schippes … Draif in one heipe, dyngand on vthir, Nouthir sparand for schip nor ruthire c1475 Wall. vii 1067.
A hundreth schippys, that ruthyr bur and ayr 1506 Treas. Acc. III 355.
To wric[htis] … for felling of the ruthir and beting balkis to the schip 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 146.
Quho wald … tak ane chylde of tender aige … For dreid of rockis … To put the ruther in his hand 1535 Stewart 44226.
But saill or ruthir … Thair schip tuke land 1550 Treas. Acc. IX 392.
Men … that … tuke the rutheris fra all the botys c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1376.
Withouttin anker, air, or ruther 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Æn. v 176.
Gubernaculo, the ruther 1570 Sat. P. xvii 122.
Vagabounds we wander in miserie & wo, As ship but ruther 1622-6 Bisset II 200/6.
Rutheris [L. remum] war fund be Copius 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 50. 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 71.
For thanks to God our ruther's hail(b) 1497 Treas. Acc. I 378.
Rothyr 1551 Hamilton Cat. 11.
Discretioun, quhilk is comparit to … ane rother of a schip(c) 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. i 77.
Ȝit woldst thou teach ane other, To saile without ane routher(d) 1513 Doug. v iv 33.
Hym self, as skyppar, hynt the steir in hand, … And threw the ruddyr to the costis syde 1590 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 18 July.
The said baille … deliuerit the said boit be ruddir & aire thairof to the foirsaidis personis 1597 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 16a.
For ane lang band off yrone to gang abowt the heid off our ruddir c1610 Melville Mem. 11.
We tint our ruddour and was in gret perell of drownyng 1646 Skipper's Acc. (Smettone) 21.
For ane kney to the rudder 3 li. 1662 Bentinck Dornoch 240.
Your lordship caussed your servantt tacke my fishers rudders for tackeing mussell one this syde off the ferrie(e) 1513 Doug. v xiv 79.
Him self hes … hynt the rudyr in hand, And … steris the schip 1534 Treas. Acc. VI 233.
For ane pype of irne to the botis ruder a1568 Balnaves Bann. MS 139b/105.
Evill is the gyd that saillis but tyde Syne rakles is the ruder c1575 Balfour Pract. 640.
Pillage … sall be equallie dividit amang the remanent of the companie marineris that mak watch, and gangis to the ruder(f) 1589–1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 61a.
For v pypes and v chateris to our roder 1602 Colville Paraenese 7.
The church is to the scriptur as the pilot to the roder(g) 1602 Colville Paraenese 8.
Albeit evry one imbarquit have … a speciall intres to see the ship weill gouernit yit it shuld be presumpteus if evry one shuld put to his hand to … steir the roddar(2) 1513 Doug. x v 8.
Eneas … sat in proper person … To steir hys carvell and to rewle the ruther a1561 Norvell Meroure 57a.
Old Charon … Had muche ado … to gyde his rother 1572 Sempill Sat. P. xxx 57.
In trublous time yow micht haif steirt the ruther 1584 Ib. xlv 103.
When he shuld guyde the ruther, He lattis his scheip tak in at luife and lie(3) fig. a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 22/51.
Grit perrale is to tak on hand the ruther 1629 Boyd Last B. 399.
O Lord, conduct the ruther of my soule 1632 Lithgow Trav. vii 328.
The hand, and compasse, that gouerne the ruther [: other] Doe often erre 1633 Id. Poet. Remains 99.
Thus the ruther, which behauiour rules, … is refynd by schooles 1640 Bk. Pasquils 104.
The Laird of Bamffe is taken the sea, His pilot for the ruther, And dars not come a land agane(b) c1568 Lauder Minor P. ii 11.
Couatice gydis and rewlis the ruder a1578 Pitsc. I 8/17.
Ane new courteour that rullit so the ruddar And causit the king to discord with his broder 1644 Boyd Garden of Zion Dedic. ii.
It is now time for you to begin to be busie, to learne to stirre the rudder before yee be made a pilot to undertake the … gouernment of three kingdomes(4) comb. 1549 Compl. 41/20.
Than the master cryit on the rudir man, mait keip ful and by 1561 Treas. Acc. XI 115.
For … ruthir pikis, concernyng the said bote 1609 Garden Garden 59.
A shippe … Whair ramping rage is ruther-man and rowes c1620 Boyd Zion's Fl. 10.
The force of seas hath broke the rudder-band

2. A paddle-like instrument used in brewing.Only in Masking-rudder n. and Mask-ruther n.