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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.

Coft, p.t. and p.p. Also: cofft, cofte, koft, cofit, coift, couft. [MDu. cofte p.t., (ghe)coft p.p. of copen to buy (mod.Du. koopen, kocht, gekocht).] Bought, acquired by purchase or outlay.In very common use after 1500.(a) ?1438 Alex. ii. 4365.
Gif my father be fell of thocht, It cummis him of kynd; he coft it nocht 1458 Peebles B. Rec. 130.
A gra gon and a red bonet, the qwilk scho coft at John Smayl 1484 Acta Aud. *133/1.
Gif … Henry has ony accioun again ony personis quhilk he coft the ward of the said landis fra 1498 Halyb. 178.
Paid to the lytyll Spanȝart for prowndamas that Andr^a coft fra hym in Aberdene a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1220.
Ane pretius claith, … That kingly corps to couer he coft syne 1567 Reg. Privy C. I. 517.
Eftir that he had sayit hir [the ship] lang for hyir, … he coft hir … a yeir syne or thairby 1573 Rec. Earld. Orkney 135.
Hir broder quha coft the samin rycht fra hir 1584 Waus Corr. I. 290.
I newer mellit with ane plaik of my gudschouris gair, but samekill as I coift fra his waif 1595 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 70.
Coft half a quarter of the Thomas … with hir new saellis, new cablis [etc.] 1601 Crim. Trials II. ii. 354.
Quhair he, in the said fair, coft ane broune meir 1606 St. A. Baxter Bks. 70.
The quheit and rye quhilk he coift him selfe 1624 Black Bk. Taymouth 61.
The said Sir Duncane Campbell anno 1624 coft the tuentie merk land of Stronmelocquhan c1650 Spalding I. 150.
The poor men … followed in and coft back their own sheep againe 1650 Elgin B. Rec. II. 273.
She coft poysone … to mak a saw to cure a bairne(b) 1471 Peebles B. Rec. 167.
Quhill the nychtburis of the town haf coft at thai will 1516 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 159.
He had coft fra Robert Bartane … four last of hydis 1530 Ib. II. 28.
He has sensyne coft syklyk stuf to regrait 1561 Crim. Trials I. 416.
Ane penner and yncorne quhilk scho had coft fra the said cramer 1598 Lennox Mun. 356.
I haif coft twa pair spectakillis, within kace, for awcht schillingis 1604 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 115.
Ihone Scot … hes koft ane ox fra … Patrik and Robert Forbes 1638 Rothes Affairs Kirk 48.
Haveing coft for us the Book of Commone Prayer(c) 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 14.
A sadill … coft be Andro Balfoure fra the said James Ib. 32.
Coft be the Qwene hir self … iij tymir of armyng a1500 Seven S. 728.
Ane herb … Sa faire, sa fragrant, and sa soft, That it with gold mycht nocht be coft 1518 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 179.
That all sic merchandice cum to the said burgh and be coft fra the fremen of the samyn 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xxiv.
Our wol … is desirit be all peple, and coft with gret price 1541 Reg. Privy S. II. 644/2.
Of unlefull gudis and marchandice coft or to be coft be thame 1551 Acts II. 483/2.
That nane of our Souerane Ladyis … hauaris of tauernis … huird or hyde ony sic wynis coft be thame a1585 Maitland Maitl. Q. xvi. 119.
That na persoun … Sall ony caus haue to complein That iustice now is coft and sauld 1585 Elgin Rec. I. 178.
Ane Dauid Lyndsay buik coft be the said Blais to the said Thomas the tyme he wes at the scole leiring 1589 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 9.
The pryce of threttie sevin last of salt cofit be thame fra him 1596 Dalr. I. 63/16.
We remember … that a hundir egs commonlie war cofte for a French sous 1606 Melrose R. Rec. I. 6.
The price of thre firlotis iij pekis meill coift and ressavit be him 1622-6 Bisset II. 230/11.
Iudges and notaris sall gif na testymonie of the merchandice coft in ony place 1631–2 Misc. Spald. C. V. 149.
For a trunk coverit with selches skyn, coft at London to the townes use c1650 Spalding I. 347.
Our country people had dar schone thairefter, sum paying xl s., sum 36 s., that wont to be coft for xx or 24 s. 1672 Hist. Kinloss A. p. xvi.
The outlandish seids that cannot be win be the said George to be coft be the said Iohn Hay

b. In various figurative contexts. c1420 Wynt. ix. 1144.
He that all mankynd cofft fra care, Grawnt hym in hevyn to be happy a1500 Henr. III. 99/102.
Chryst, that deit on tre, And coft our synnis deir a1500 Rauf C. 105.
Dame, I haue deir coft all this dayis hyre 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. cv.
Quhay … with thair blud our liberteis hes coft 1533 Boece iii. xxi. 124.
Spending his remanent dayis in rest and eis, coft be grete laubouris and pyne 1535 Stewart 38044.
To thame that banquet had bene ouir deir coft 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1250.
Ȝour cumming sall be richt deir coft 1549 Corr. M. Lorraine 301.
Mair experians of lauburis and cumiris of this wairild … , of the quhilkis part I haif coft 1561 Q. Kennedy Oratioune 5.
The trew fayth … so deirlie coft with the … blude … of Ihesus 1567 G. Ball. 220.
I was sauld, and thow me bocht, With thy blude thow hes me coft a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 192.
Petitions whilk tharefter was deir coft