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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Our Lady, n. Also: oure, owr and ladye, -ie, -i, -é, laidy, laydy, leddy, -é. [Early ME. ure lefdi (12–13th c.), ME. and e.m.E. our(e lady(e, = L. Domina Nostra.]

Our Lady, the Virgin Mary. a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 630.
I saw ane ymage of our lady c1420 Wynt. iv. 580.
Or God wes borne off oure lady Ib. 2621.
In a kyrk off oure lady 1442 Aberd. B. Rec. in Mill Mediæv. Plays 116.
The talyourez sal fynd oure lady c1450-2 Howlat 755.
All thus our lady thai lovit 1456 Hay I. 22/15. 1459 Peebles B. Rec. I. 134.
Sir Adem Fosster … sayde thai iiij s. of anwell was the rudis and nocht our ladis c1475 Wall. vii. 1252. c1500-c1512 Dunb. v. 24.
[In heaven] Scho … wes our ladyis [Bann. leddeis] hen wif ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 18; etc. 1501 Lanark B. Rec. 12.
Our lade 1534–5 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 128.
The salutatioun of our lade a1538 Abell 103 a.
The comon pepill sweran dailie in common langage be God or our lady or othir sanctis 1537 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 412.
Aue gloriosa ane anteme of our lade 1551 Hamilton Cat. 53. 1558-66 Knox I. 39. c 1570 Lennox Mun. 276. 1596 Dalr. II. 253/25. 1685 Sinclair Satan's Inv. World 218.
God be thanked and our ladie [: ready]

b. Our Lady or her image as (1) exemplifying a particular virtue, as Our Lady of Grace, (of) Pity, (2) connected with a particular shrine, as Our Lady of Laureit (= Loretto), also of Prestwic.(1) 1470 Prestwick B. Rec. 6 (see d (1) below). 1497 Ib. 9.
The landis of our lady of grace in Kile 1665 Sc. N. & Q. 3 Ser. IX. 54.
For going to the superstitious wall off Diple commonly called our lady of grace — 1445 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II. 326.
Ane altar … of our lady of pyte 1519 Dunferm. B. Rec. I. 78.
The altaraige … of our lade of pete 1542 Inv. Wardrobe 58.
Ane image of ourlady pietie(2) 1470 Prestwick B. Rec. 6.
ij d. till our lade of Prestwic 1534 Treas Acc. VI. 201 (see d (1) below). 1538 Ib. VII. 24 (see d (1) below).

c. In the names of the feasts of the Virgin, as the Annunciatioun, Assumptioun, Concepcioun etc. (qq.v. for further examples) of Our Lady. Our Ladeis evin, the vigil of one of these feasts; also Our Lady ewin in d (2) below.(1) 1497 Prestwick B. Rec. 7.
At the concepcioun of our lade foroue yule 1502 Treas. Acc. II. 80.
The xv day of August, the assumptioun of our lady 1502–3 Ib. 248.
The secund day of Februar, the purificacioun of oure lady, to the Kingis offerand in his candill 1505 Ib. III. 61.
The secund day of Julij, the visitatioun of our lady c1510 Prester John 310 b.
Our solennat feistis that is to say … the annunciatione assumpcione and natiuite of our lady a1538 Abell 112 b.
This infortunat feild wes strikin … inwith the oct. of the natiuite of our lady on Sanct Gordanis day(2) 1375 Barb. xvii. 335.
On our ladeis evin Mary … That men callis hir natiuite

d. In the possess. chiefly without inflexion: Of, pertaining to or dedicated to the Virgin.Cf. Lady n. 6 b.Also Our Lady day.(1) 1470 Prestwick B. Rec. 7.
Ane akir callit our lade akir 1531–2 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 46.
Betuix ane akyr callit our lade akyr on the est [etc.] — 1450 Peebles B. Rec. I. 15.
Nane sal ga to the mes at our lady altare quhil [etc.] 1517 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 171. 1556–7 Ib. II. 261. — 1559 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 320.
Our lady chalice of the sowth yill — 1503 Treas. Acc. II. 251.
In our lady chapell at the toun end of Drumfreis 1534 Ib. VI. 201.
To oure lady chapell of Laureit — 1582 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 564.
The hospitall of Sanct Pawles work callit our lady hospitall — 1605–19 Paisley B. Rec. 135.
Our lady hous occupeit of auld be our lady prest — 1454–5 Edinb. Chart. 79.
Furth fra our lady ile 1543–4 Elgin Rec. I. 79. — 1495 Reg. Episc. Brechin. II. 316.
Our lady kirk of the said burgh 1497 Treas. Acc. I. 332.
Our ladie kirk of the Hewch in Sanctandrois 1501 Ib. II. 75. — 1527–8 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 93.
Anent our lady land 1533–4 Ib. 137.
Two rigs of our lady land — 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 102.
To our lady lycht 1497 Prestwick B. Rec. 7.
Pertening … till our lade lycht of Prestwic — 1536 Reg. Episc. Brechin II. 318.
As the ald vs … of our lady luge of Dunde — 1538 Treas. Acc. VII. 24.
Gevin to oure lady of Laureitis offerand — 1470 Prestwick B. Rec. 6.
vj d. to our ladi place of grace — 1511–12 Selkirk B. Ct (ed.) 15.
Our lady work … to be completit as is begune — 1607 (1610) Reg. Great S. 150/1.
Oure lady well c 1628 Banff Ann. I. 39.(2) 1495 Halyb. 97.
On owr lady ewin in Merch — a1538 Abell 79 a.
Paip Wrbane sicund institut our lady matenis Ib. 119 b.
Thai … singis our lady matenis and howris — 1447 Newbattle Coll. (Somerville).
Tyl our lady serwis

e. In the asseveration be our lady. a 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlvi. 59.
Bot be scho emptie, be our leddy, Scho will be kittill of hir dok