Sc. Also cun-, cuin-, -ȝe, -ȝee, -ȝey, -ȝhe, -ȝie, -ȝye, -yee, -yie; conȝe, -ȝie, counye, cownye, cwnyhe, coynyhe, coinȝie, coignie. [15th c. Sc. cunȝe, repr. OF. cuigne var. of coin, COIN.]
† 1. = COIN sb. 1 or 2: Corner or corner-stone.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XVIII. 304. Richt till the Cunȝhe of the wall.
1387. St. Giles Charters (1859), p. x. Xii hewyn stonys, astlayr and coynyhe.
1645. Fenwick Session Rec., in Edgar, Old Ch. Life in Scot., 16, note. That no furmes be placed about the cuinzies.
† 2. A coining-house, a mint; = COIN sb. 4. Obs.
1489. Sc. Acts Jas. IV. § 17 (1597). The silver warke … quhilk is brocht to the cuinȝie.
a. 1572. Knox, Hist. Ref., Wks. 1846, I. 453. It was thocht expedient that a cunze should be erected.
3. Coin, money; = COIN sb. 6.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, Jacobus, 734. Of þaire conȝe … pennyse thretty.
1482. in Pinkerton, Scot., App. I. 503. Thar was blak cunye in the realm, strikkin and ordinyt be King James the Thred, half-pennys, and threepenny pennys … of coppir.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VIII. Prol. 97. Sum trachour crynis the cunȝe.
1513–75. Diurn. Occurrents (Bannatyne Club), 120. Ane proclamatioun twching the new cuinyee.
1552. Abp. Hamilton, Catech., 98. Thai that strykis cownye of unlauchful mettall [margin, Strykaris of unlauchful connyey].
1600. Sc. Acts 16 Jas. VI., c. 9. Great scairsitie of Cunyie.
1724. Ramsay, Tea-t. Misc. (1733), I. 105. When cunzie is scanty.
4. Comb. † cunye-house, coining-house, mint.
1513–75. Diurn. Occurrents (Bannatyne Club), 53. Tuke … the Quenis irnis of the cunyehous.
1600. Sc. Acts 16 Jas. VI., c. 9. Anent the hame-bringing of Bulyeon for furnishing of the Cunye-house.
1637–50. Row, Hist. Kirk (1842), p. xvii. I culd get no money out of the conze-house.
a. 1657. Balfour, Ann. Scot. (1824–5), II. 2. Naper, Laird of Merchistone, generall of the cunzie housse.
