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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Wel(e)belovit, Weilbeluf(f)it, p.p. and ppl. adj. (n.). Also: vel(e)-, weil(e)-, veil(e)-, weyl-, weel(l)-, weele-, well-, vil- and -belofit, -belufyt, -ed, -beluffite, -et, -yt, -beluiffit, -belovite, -itt, -yt, -eit(t, -et, -id(e, -ed, -belowit(t, -yt, -eit, -ed, -beloovit, -bel(u)wit, -yt, -beluved, -biloved, -id. Pl. -belovit(t)is, -belovits, -belovittes, -belovettis, -belouffittis, -beluiffittis, -beluvittis, -belouttis. [ME and e.m.E. wel biloued (Chaucer), welebeloved (1423), wele-beluffed (c1440), well-beloued (1648); Belovit ppl. adj. and n.]

A. 1. Greatly or dearly loved. Also const. til or of the persons loving. 1456 Hay I 297/24.
Thou art noble, and mare noble na wele belufit 1513 Doug. v x 44.
This litill Atys With child Ascanyus weilbelovyt is 1513 Doug. vi v 141.
Quhar for I pray thé … be thi weilbelovit fader dyng 1533 Gau 38/22.
We ar the barnis of God be His weil belowit sone Jesus Christ 1533 Gau 101/30.
Veilbelouit 1570 Leslie 31.
Thaire wes greit meane made for him, becaus he wes well belufed 1584 Melvill 207.
Yit, breithring, weilbelovit, we ar persuadit of better things 1596 Dalr. I 139/20.
He departes this lyfe the xxvi ȝeir of his rigne, deir and weilbeluued til his awne 16.. Hist. Kennedy 8.
This Gilbert … wes ane werry wyse manne, and veil beluiffit of all c1650 Spalding I 90.
This matchles lady … weilbelouit of all and haited of none c1650 Spalding I 226.
Thay both war weilbelouit of thair flokis

2. attrib.With the names or designations of persons addressed or referred to in letters, decrees, grants, etc. and other official records. Also absol.(a) 1412 15th Rep. Hist. MSS App. viii 10.
We haue grauntit … a speciall confirmacioun … til oure traist and wele belofit cosyng Schir William of Douglas … of all the landis [etc.] 1516 Reg. Privy S. I 441/2.
The said abbot … has maid … his excusationis till our derest and welbelofit cousing(b) c1416 Red Bk. Menteith I 277.
This letter … writtyn … vndyr our … signet, witht the signet of our welbelufit cosynge of Fyffe 1423 (1429–30) Reg. Great S. 30/2.
Our wele beluffet der squyar Michel Ramsay 1446 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 313.
Wele beluffite 1462 Melville Chart. 45.
Vele belufit 1476 Sc. Ant. XIII 181.
Velbelufyt 1480 Hist. Carnegies 521.
Ovr richt velbelufit cusing 1526 Lennox Mun. 226.
Welbelufyt(c) 1439 Edinb. Chart. 64.
Oure dere and weile beluffit brother of chapater 1464 7th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 736/1.
Weylbelufyt 1471 Maxwell Mem. I 184.
Veilbeluffit 1474 Frasers of Philorth II 235.
His veilbeluffite freindis 1534 Wemyss Corr. 3.
Weilbelufit 1552–3 Rec. Earld. Orkney 247.
Weil beluffit(d) 1442 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 307.
That we hawe vnderstande the gret & perowlus strywys be twix our wele belouide cosingis … for the lordschip of Dalketh 1450 Smit Bronnen I 880.
Welebeloved 1465 Lennox Mun. 78.
Wit ȝe ws to haue gevin to our welbelouet cousing, Johnne … the keping of oure castell of Rothessay 1488 Rec. Earld. Orkney 332.
To … my … wele belovit maister David Sinclare 1491 Reg. Episc. Glasg. II 482.
Richt tendir and welbeloveit clerkis … we gret ȝou hartly wel 1496–7 Acta Conc. II 54.
Me, Georg, Lord Setoun … be thir present letters settis … to ane … worschipful man and my welbelovit Schir Wilȝeam Ruthven … myn landis of Munivy 1532 Douglas Corr. 139.
Welbiloved 1535 Selkirk B. Ct. MS 201b (3 Dec.).
Jhone of Morlawe grantit in presens of thir vytnes … that he is awnd to his velbelouit frend … Jhone Michag … fyften merkis 1543 Douglas Corr. 19.
Welbeloued 1543 Douglas Corr. 353.
Welbelovid 1565 Soc. Ant. Chart. (Reg. H.) No. 54.
Mony payit … to vs be oure velbeloweit Thomas Kirkpatrik … to the reparatione … of oure said abbay 1584 Douglas Corr. 373.
Welbilouid 1629 Haddington Corr. 157.
To my … velbelouit husband 1643 Wemyss Corr. 54.
Welbeloued 1650 Misc. Maitl. C. II 472.
Instructions for our trusty and welbeloved servant Sir William Flemyng(e) 1473 Douglas Chart. 102.
Weilebelouet c1500 Rep. Hist. MSS, Var. Coll. V 84.
Weilbelouite 1532 Peebles Chart. 56.
Weilbelouit freindis, we gret you weill 1560 Maxwell Mem. II 127.
To his veilebelouit nychtbur 1561 Reg. Privy S. V i 205/1.
Weilbelovitt 1568 Maxwell Mem. II 132.
Veilbeloueit 1608 Crim. Trials III 319.
Richt trustie and weilbeloveitt cosines and counsallouris, We greitt ȝow weell 1616 Melrose P. 260.
Weilbeloovit(f) 1574 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 319.
For reading and answering of bills and complaints the assembly appoints their well beloved brethren … to conveen 1648 Hamilton P. (Camden Soc.) 241.
Hauing seene the Commission giuen to our right trustie and right wellbeloued cousin(g) 1581 Nugae Scoticae 37.
To the rycht noubile and potaint lorde and his vilbelovit father(h) 1642 Wemyss Corr. 52.
Weelbeloved(i) 1474 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 527.
Weilbelowit 1507 Grant Chart. 46.
Ws … tyll hewe … ordand … our weylbelowyt Johne … owr … assigna 1580 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 697/1.
Weilbelowitt 1622 Sutherland Bk. II 6.
Weellbelowed 1655 Douglas Chart. 339.
Weilbelowed(j) 1468–9 Edinb. B. Rec. I 24.
Richt honorable and worschipfull schiris, and wele beluwyt nichtburis 1519 Selkirk B. Ct. MS 70b.
Weilbeluwyt 1545 Liber Coll. Glasg. 224.
Weilbeluwit cousing we greit you weill(k) 1474 Reg. Cupar A. I 214.
Oure special and weilbelwyt frendis 1509 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II 265.
Weile belwitabsol. 1565 Reg. Morton I 14.
To our welbeloved the lard of Lowghe Levyn 1594 Wemyss Corr. 31.
To our right trusty and wellbelouit, the Laird of Wemis 1635 Aberd. B. Rec. III 73.
To our trustie and weelbeloved the prouest, baillies, and counsall 1643 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 7.
Trustie and weil-beloued we greet you well

b. pl.Also absol. 1537 Douglas Bequest II 16 Jan.
Ws … ordainis our weilbelouttis frendis Alexander Forest Jhone Rob [etc.] … our … balȝeis 1544 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II 431.
Welbelouitis 1549 Reg. Cupar A. II 59.
Welebelouittis 1552 Reg. Cupar A. II 106.
Weilbeluvittis 1564 Red Bk. Menteith II 401.
Weilbelouittis 1570–1 Reg. Morton I 69.
Weilbelovits 1578 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 95.
Weilbelouffittis 1586 Inverness Rec. I 305.
Veilbeluiffittis 1622 Grant Chart. 335.
Weelebelovittisabsol. 1472 Edinb. Chart. 134.
Our welebelouettis the burges and communite of Edinburgh 1604 Aberd. Council Lett. I 100.
Trusty and weilbelouittes

B. noun.A dearly loved person. a1661 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 306.
When the sun is not in my firmament and when my Well-beloved is from home