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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Purvyance, Purviance, Purveance, n. Also: purwi-, pwrvi-, purwy-, powrvi-, pourwi-, purwe-, purveii-, purvey-, purvoy- and -aunce, -ans; Pervians. [ME and e.m.E. purueance (1297), purueianse (a1330), purvyaunce (Rolle), purveyaunce (1465); also, porveance (1297), -ueyonce (1340), -vyawns (c1485), pourveance (Gower), -ueaunce (Caxton), foreknowledge, providence, a statute, act of providing, requisition of provisions, provisions, OF por- (1180 in Greimas), pourveance, porvaience (L. prōvidēntia Providence n.).]The stress appears chiefly or only to fall on the first and third syllables.

1. The action or fact of making provision; advance preparation or arrangements; prudent preparation, management or care.Freq. as provided by divine providence: cf. b below.(1) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 572 (Asl.).
Of thi nychtbouris the festis funerall Prent in thi hert & graith thi purvians [v.rr. purvyaunce, purviance] a1568 Bann. MS 132a/11.
God will graith his purveance(2) c1520-c1535 Nisbet 1 Cor. x 13.
He [God] sal mak with temptatioun alsa puruiance, that ye may suffire 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 330.
Ambrose and Vter … war makand grete purvyance in Bertanȝe to recover the crovun of Britan Id. Livy I 258/11.
For the goddis made sic purviance in the ȝere afore, that the Romane liberte was surelie defendit a1568 Bann. MS I p. 12/37.
He makis for ws purveance Gif we in tyme frome vyce do fle 1560 Rolland Seven S. 511.
As God forbid, that sic ane thing suld chance, Ȝit not the les we wald mak puruyance 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 252.
Sua many as remanyit … maid sic purveance and ordour … in casting of the fowseyis(3) 1513 Doug. vii vi 57.
Quhat of ȝour ancyent purvyance [L. cura antiqua], schire kyng, That ȝe had of ȝour frendis and ofspring 1533 Bell. Livy I 80/25.
Scho [an eagle] had bene with celestiall purviance send(b) c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS 89a/47.
Quhy suld ane provynce do on him depend To gyd him self that hes na purveance a1540 Freiris Berw. 413 (B).
Disparit in hart was scho, That he had witt of all hir purveance to 15.. Clar. v 1052.
By Ladie Fortunis purveiiance [pr. purvenance] and cure 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4942.
Quhairby thay micht prouyde thair purueyance For gude or euill(c) 1567 Sat. P. iv 130.
Wisdome is exilit and prudent puruoyance

b. Divine providence, the foreknowing care or governance of God or a divinity, what is divinely fore-ordained.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxi 336.
Fore nothyre God na purwiance … Bot chance ore fortone anerly … Wyrkis al Ib. 354.
Sancte Petyre … argument mad … That pwruiance was al certane 1513 Doug. iii vii 9.
O thou Anchis … twys delyverit by purviance dyvyne Ib. iv i 93.
By the purvyans of Iuno, to our supple, Thir Troiane schippis … Heth hyddir set thar coursys fortunate Ib. xii ii 152.
Declarand thame the fatale ordinans, Thar destyne, and Goddis purvians 1531 Bell. Boece II 145.
Quhilk, as semit, wes cummin be devine purviance, that the two pepil [etc.] Id. Livy I 17/28.
This ryver be divyne purviance was ȝett furth with large flude abone the brayis Ib. 126/9.
How and be quhat divyne puruiance Ib. 100/22.
Purviance a1568 Bann. MS 86b/75.
Licht of the saule be purveyaunce devyne c1475 Wall. iv 348 (1570) (see Pervians n.).
Purveyance(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxi 378.
Quhene thai dysput had lang quhil Of powruiance Ib. 379.
Pourwiance

2. spec. Arrangements for the supply of provisions, procuring of supplies, provisioning. 1447 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 197.
And for our purviaunce to be made in the said partis we haue chargit to pas befor oure cummyng oure luvidis Dauid Murray [etc.] … with full power … til … ressaue the castell of Kildrumy … and the maer sudanly becaus it is a place conuenient of souerte and vthirwayis for oure purviaunce to be made at this tym c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 790.
And fyftie mulis with cunȝeit gold alsua Till Alexander his purveyance to ma … With swordis steill speir [etc.] 1533 Bell. Livy II 70/4.
And war nocht parte of victalis come out of Ethrurie thare had bene na memorie of the purviance of his victalis in this ȝere

b. Supply of necessaries; chiefly, stock of necessaries, provisions.(a) 1375 Barb. iv 397 (C).
Sa hapnyt … With vittalis and ek purvians [: chans; E. purwyaunce] … The vndirwardane arivit was 1424 Acts II 4/2.
[Taxes on corn specified,] and this of all corn that is now in hous or in stak the lordis purviance to thar houshald allanerly outtane 1478 Grey Friars II 14.
This purvyance to be layde in the said almouse house to the sustentacioun of twa bodiis c1475 Wall. vi 348.
Thai … Plenyst that place with gud wittaill and wyne In cartis brocht thar purwiance dewyne Ib. vii 341.
Gret purwians be se to thaim was brocht Ib. xi 665.
Quhar thai mycht best off purviance for to wyn Ib. v 1129.
Purwiaunce Ib. ix 1197.
Purwyance 1513 Doug. i xi 20.
Damycellis … Quhilkis bair the cure … On purvyance of howshald and vittaill Ib. v i 74.
He … cherysyt thame with frendly purvyance Ib. vii Prol. 84.
And other … bestiall … Sustenyt war … On hervist and on symmeris purvyance [Ruthv. purveying] a1540 Freiris Berw. 406 (M).
He may be callit ane man of grit science So suddandlie that all this purviance Hes brocht ws heir(b) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 15989.
Quhare neuer man gat harbrie … Bot gif … thai brocht with thame all thare purveance c1475 Wall. vi 620.
Thai sparyt nocht King Eduuardis purweance Ib. viii 1004.
Purweans