A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1438-1627
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Bern, Beirn, n.2 Also: berne, beirne, beyrne, birn; barne, bairne. [ME. bern(e, birne, barne, etc., early ME. and OE. beorn.] A man, esp. a fighting man; a warrior, hero.Only poetic, and usually with alliteration.(a) c1450-2 Howlat 293.
With bernis so bald c1450-2 Ib. 996.
The blist barne, that all berne bowis a1500 Golagros and Gawane 5; a1500 Ib. 275, 571, etc.
With banrentis, … and bernis full bald a1500 Henr. Fab. 2103.
Thow art ane berne full bald c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iv. 310.
A squier come, and with him bernys four c1475 Ib. vi. 652.
That cruell berne and bald c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 210.
Bla berfute berne c1500-c1512 Id. Tua Mar. W. 60.
Birdis hes ane better law na bernis c1500-c1512 Ib. 74, etc.
Quhair bernis war mony 1513 Doug. viii. viii. 146.
Twa hundreth walyt hors men … sal I geif onto that bern 1513 Ib. xii. xii. 139.
That awfull bern 1528 Lynd. Dreme 919.
We saw a boustious berne cum ouir the bent 1535 Stewart 1752.
Quhair mony berne full bald Convenit a1568 Scott ii. 184.
Baill fell the bern that bedit 1571 Satirical Poems xxviii. 114.
To battell boun with him was bernis bauld(b) ?1438 Alex. ii. 6569.
He . .hale him tald The changeing of thay beirneis bald a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 187.
Thay beirnis … had aneuch thair a1500 Ib. 784.
To ȝone busteous beirne c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxv. 2 (M).
I hard ane beyrne say till ane bricht 1535 Stewart 7088.
Euerie beirne hes bownit for battell c1550 Rolland Court of Venus ii. 247.
Ane birnand beirne … and bald 1560 Id. Seven Sages 317/25.
Sic ane beirne a1603 Anc. Prophecies 3, etc.].
[Other beirnes … banisht for euer(c) c1500-c1512 Dunb. l. 27 (B).
Was never … so bauld a bairne [M. berne] as he a1585 Arbuthnot Maitland Quarto MS xxxv. 157.
That bousteous bairne proud Oliphern a1627 Craig v. 34.
Then blythlie the bairne blent
