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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.

Croce, n.¹ [Northern ME. croce (rare), variant of Croice, with o as in voce for voice. See also Crose.]

1. The cross of Christ (or one of the saints). 1456 Hay I. 30/32.
For quhilkis oure Lord Ihesu Crist prayit quhen he was in the croce Ib. II. 53/8.
To defend … the Cristyn faith, fechtand aganis the inymyes of the croce 1490 Irland Mir. I. 46/1.
This hevinly breid … was bakin on the tre of the croce Id. Asl. MS. I. 7/22.
He has deit and tholit the mast dolorus passioun for us … on the croce 1543 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. ix. 19.
The terme of the Inventioun of the haly croce c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3907.
That innocent thay tuke, … And platt hym bakwart to the Croce 1562-3 Winȝet I. 78/12.
The croce and pillar quhareat oure Saluiour sufferit a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxx. 58.
The croce of Christ … Our aduocat and most assured ayd 1596 Dalr. I. 267/19.
The Croce, quhairupon S. Andro diet, vnto al thair present suddanlie appeirit

b. A model of the cross, made of wood, metal or other material, esp. one used as a religious symbol. 1493 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 309.
A croce of gold with a precious stane callit a ruby 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 322.
A cas of siluir to the croce the King offrit to Sanct Duthow a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 278.
Than spulȝeit thai the haly stane of Scone, The Croce of Halyrud house, and vthir jowellis 1512 Treas. Acc. IV. 398.
To the Knycht of Spanȝe that beris the croce on his breste 1531 Bell. Boece II. 298.
This croce remanit continewally in the said abbay to the time of King David Bruce 1540 Treas. Acc. VII. 397.
Schir James Hammiltounis chapell gair, that is to say, ane croce of silver [etc.] 1558-66 Knox II. 380.
Robert Norwell, instead of the Bischoppis croce, bair befoir him a steyll hammer 1581 Cath. Tr. 170/16.
To garneis thair vnsauorie mules that beiris thair croces a1586 Lindsay MS. 3.
Thair suld be ane man of kirk, and with him the mes buik and the croce, to mak the ayth in this maner 1616 Bk. Univ. Kirk III. 1118.
To weare … Agnus Dei, beids, croces, crucifixes

c. A wooden cross sent round as a signal for assembling. 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 88.
Nicole in Bwstray is tryit to be lawfullie warnit be croce to this court 1604 Ib. 121 b.
That men be furneschit to serwe this [ferry] boit be croce

2. A market cross or boundary cross.Cf. Cors n.² 2, and marcat-, mercat-croce.(1) 1492 Reg. Cupar A. I. 254.
Robert Schawmeris land, liand in the northt gait … anens the croce a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 325.
Cum to the Croce, on kneis, and mak a crya 1536 Liber Coll. Glasg. 98.
Ane tenement liand in the gait that cumis fra the Croce to the Blak Freeris 1551 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 161.
Robart Lokke … is decernit to be put in the arneis of the croce, and thair to remane … iij houris a1568 Scott i. 49.
Att croce gar cry, be oppin proclamatioun, Vndir grit panis [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. II. 314/26.
Ane man in Edinburgh quha was … brocht to the croce to mak his repentance 1590 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 156.
David Duncane [in court] for clymming upoun the croce and brekin of the samin 1599 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 185.
Passand fra the croce of the sainyn burght … agetvardis to the Justice Port 1615 Ib. 329.
They … cam doun ellangous the haill toun to the mercat place and croce 1632–3 Misc. Spald. C. V. 103.
Ane compt for treis, dealis, and uther work … busking the croce 1652 Peebles B. Rec. II. 3.
This to be intimat at the croce upon Tuesday nixt 1682 Lanark B. Rec. 208.
Having … during that tyme bracken up the croce with foir hammers(2) 1534 Bamff Chart. 65.
Fra that well eist linalie to ane crois … upon the quhilk croce there is arms drawn a1605 Montg. Flyt. 421 (T).
Furth of ane carne, bysyde ane croce 16.. Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 151.
The moor of Brechin perambulat … and stones and crocis set up

3. Something in the shape of, or forming, a cross; the figure of a cross. 1456 Hay II. 43/11.
Syne suld he … kys the croce of the suerd c1450-2 Howlat 345.
Twa keyis our croce … In a feild of asure 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 65.
Satin crammesy to be croces to chesebles 1512 Ib. IV. 297.
To be Sanctandrois Croce apone the standaris of the said schip 1531 Bell. Boece I. 195.
On the ta side of this money was prentit ane croce c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 424.
Sanct Georges Croce thair micht be sene, On hors, harnes, and all his geir

b. The sign of the cross. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 117.
Quhen I heir nemmyt his name, than mak I nyne crocis a1540 Freiris Berwik 345 (M).
In the eist he turnit ewin his face, And maid ane croce 1596 Dalr. I. 123/32.
Haue al thy graues halilie drest; and with the sygne of the croce decore 1623 Crim. Trials III. 556.
For cureing, be sorcerie and witchcraft, and making of certane croces and singes 1658 Elgin Rec. I. 308.
John Forsyth, officer, did calk the boothe doore by making ane croce thereon

4. Part of a sail; a cross-sail. (Cf. Cors n.² 7.) 1513 Doug. v. xiv. 3 (R).
Heis hie the croce (he bad) … And fessyn bonettis 1540 Acta Conc. MS. XIV. 152.
The heid tollis [= tows], crocis, and takle [of a fishing vessel] 1561 Treas. Acc. XI. 117.
xvij elne of tweill hardin to be ane croce of ane saill

5. Attrib. and comb. (cf. Cors n.² 8 and Cros-), with bar, brace, cloath, dike, dure, gate, -hedit, hous, ile, pece. 1587 Acts III. 522/1.
The mouth [of the firlot] … haveing a croce vrne bar passing ovir — 1542 Soc. Ant. III. 162.
The said queir to be compleitlie pendit with croce brace and rinruif — 1658 Ib. LVIII. 359.
A laced gravat; a laced mutch; a croce cloath — 1569 Peebles B. Rec. 312.
All the dykis within the wall, baith syde dykis, thortour dykis and croce dikis 1673 Ib. II. 87.
The croce dyke at the taill foote at the Ludgait — 1584 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 343.
The thesaurer to mak ane new lok and key to the croce dur — 1594 Ib. V. 122.
To caus calsay the crocegaitt or passage betuix the heid of the … wynd and the new calsay 1598 Ib. 215.
The croce gaitt … throw the laird of Lugtouns lands — 1535 M. Works Acc. IV. 79.
vj^c croce hedit nalis, ilk j^c x s. — 1538–9 Ib. V. 26.
To … sklateris wirkand vpone the est round of the croce hous [at Falkland] 1586 Rec. Earld. Orkney 357.
The … croce hous lyand within the Mydtoun of Kirkwall Ib.
All lyand under the said croce hous — a1586 Maitland Gen. Ho. Seton 34.
This lady biggit the foirwark … abone the ȝet, and … the north croce yle — 1622-6 Bisset II. 200/1.
The maist and the ree called the croce pece quhairunto the saillis ar festynned