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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.

Bounté, Bownté, n. Also: bountee, -tey, -tie, -ty; bwnte, buntee, -tie. [ME. bounté, -tee (e.m.E. bountie, -tye), bownté, bunté, OF. bunté, var. of bonté Bonté.]

1. Goodness or excellence of character; high moral worth or virtue. 1375 Barb. i. 360.
All men lufyt him for his bounte Ib. x. 294; etc.
He wes fullfillit of all bwnte, And off all vertwis maid wes he a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 378.
Sa thai suld nocht wene that he Suld hafe inwy at his [ms. that is] bounte c1420 Wynt. ii. 333.
For his bownte Wytht the kyng welle lufyt wes he [sc. Joseph] Ib. viii. 5090; etc.
He wes a lorde off gret bownte, Off sobyre lyff and off chastyté ?1438 Alex. ii. 77.
Gif the King into bounte Had ony peir, it micht be he 1456 Hay II. 107/10.
Ay do [thou] honoure and loving to the maist … worthy men, and that sall encresse thair bountee c1420 Ratis R. 42.
Gud fortone can I nan se Bot his [= is] reward for gud buntee Ib. 654; etc.
All gudnes, with al bountee, Springis fra thaim a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 390.
Sir Gawayne, … That euer wes beildit in blis, and bounte embrasit 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. ii. 18.
Ane heuinlie rout … Of quhome the bountie … Vneith may be intill ane scripture brewit

2. Good spirit; courage, valour. 1375 Barb. vii. 372.
Bot his hert fillit [is] of bownte, Swa that it vencust may nocht be Ib. xi. 179; etc.
In thair souerane gret bownte. Atour the layff, affyit he c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 13.
Hys sonnes all hath he Tynt, that war of gret bounte [L. strenuitate] c1420 Wynt. v. 1010.
Knychtys wycht of gret bownte Ib. viii. 5048.
To dey in armys etelyd he, Qwhare he mycht prove his gret bownte ?1438 Alex. ii. 2013.
Him that ȝe prysit of bounte, That … with his sword sic routis raucht 1456 Hay I. 169/33.
Be his grete bountee he vincust that grete Goulyas 15.. Clar. v. 2936.
The king, full valiand of buntie

b. A deed, or deeds, of valour. 1375 Barb. ii. 131.
He thocht … To do ane owtrageous bounte c1420 Wynt. v. 121.
He … dyde gret prowes and bownte In all kyn were or jowrne

3. Good estate or condition; goodness (of things). 1375 Barb. ii. 48.
Ik herd neuir … Off man sa hard sted as wes he, That eftirwart com to sic bounte c1400 Troy-bk. i. 446.
Scho couth … ger the woddis grene … Flouris again in sic bownte [etc.] ?1438 Alex. i. 2723.
He hes ane hors … Of grete bounte

4. Goodness in giving; liberality; kindness. ?1438 Alex. ii. 176.
Fare King, quha micht ȝow ȝeld This grete foredede and thy bounte? a1499 Contempl. Synn. 1162.
As gracious god of his benyng bounte Has grathit the hevin but distance till endure 1490 Irland Mir. I. 26/16.
Thus … thou may knaw the power, the wisdome, the bounte, and luf of the fader of hevin c1515 Asl. MS. I. 182/7.
The reward takin oblissis the takere and acquytis the giffare of his bounte 1549 Compl. 2/28.
Gode, of his diuyne bounte, heffand compassione [etc.] 1607 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 71.
Thy buntie brave, quhat herald half can blaise

5. A gratuity. Also attrib. with schone. 1592 Dundee B. Laws 533.
The soum of ten schillingis with ane pair of bounty schyne 1640 Fam. Innes 167.
To the lymer for making … lyme … for his bountey at twa pekis the scoir