A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Levery, n. Also: lever(i)e, -a(y, lewerie, -ay, levaré, -i, -ay, leviray, levoray; levrey, lewra, leifray. [ME. (midl. and north.) levere (14th c.), -ey, -y, -ie, -aye, var. of Livery n. Cf. also Luveray.]
1. The distribution of provisions or money to one's retainers or servants; also, gen., bounty, liberal giving. b. Chiefly, A gratuity or bounty of this sort bestowed periodically as a perquisite of service or office.1375 Barb. xiv. 233 (E).
He maid of wyne levere [H. lewerie] Till ilk man a1570-86 Dunb. Maitl. F. xi. 102.
Thair leweray was no les 1531 Reg. Privy S. II. 147/1.
Ane lettre … makand him maister masoun to our soverane lord … , gevand him feis, levariis, and dewiteis siclik as … ony uthir had in the said office in tymes bigane 1543 Mill Mediæv. Plays 234.
[Payment to Crawfurd] for his leveray aganis Corpus Christi Day 1567 Mar & Kellie MSS. 20.
Of collis … xiiij laiddis thairof owklie leverayis x leiddis 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xlii. 409.
Ȝe ar far large of leueray, … Apperandly ȝe wald gif all The teindis … Vnto the Kirk 1599 Reg. Privy S. MS. LXXI. 16.
To … mak payment to the said Harie of sic ȝeirlie feyall and leveray as is knawin to appertene to the said office 1603 Stirling B. Rec. I. 107.
[Certain persons] to be all placet in the hospitell … for thair lyftymes; and … ilk ane of thame to haif half levrey
2. Clothing, sometimes of a distinctive design, bestowed periodically on servants or retainers; uniform.1488 Treas. Acc. I. 164.
For leuerayis to viij hensmen of the Kingis agane the coronatione, for xx½ elne velwus to be viij gownis to the said hensmen 1491 Ib. 194, 5.
Leuerais to falconaris … Summa totalis de le lewrais precedentibus ij c lxx li. xiij d. 1511 Ib. IV. 249.
To Maister William Dunbar for his Ȝule leveray … Parise blak to be hyme ane gowne Ib. 262.
To Wolf gunnar … in propinis by his pensione and leveray at sindry tymez … in vij licht Franch crounis Ib.
To ane grume … becaus he gat nocht his leveray quhen the laiff gat tharis, ane doublete Mullane fustiane 1530 Edinb. Hammermen 130.
For fyf ellis of grene carsay to be levares to the boy that playis one the swas [etc.] 15.. Clar. iv. 1639.
He and his servandis ar cled in levoray blew 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 129.
Payit for the Queenis propine … and for the lokmanis leweray [£87 10s. 8d.] c1575 Balfour Pract. 377.
His baillie, he that weiris his leviray or robis a1578 Pitsc. I. 273/16.
He caussit ten to be clad in his leifray, clad witht his cott airmour a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xvi. 16; a1585 Maitl. Q. vi. 16.
And ȝe fair ladeis … Requeist ȝoung men to ryd in ȝour leveray
3. Attrib. Given as ‘livery’; serving as a distinctive livery or uniform.(1) 1526 Reg. Privy S. I. 532/2.
His hienes gevis and grantis to the said M. Thomas … hors meit and mannis meit … reservand his fee and leveray claithis to our soverane lordis will 1546 Ib. III. 305/1.
The sowme of fourty pundis money … with levaray claithis and all uthir dewiteis aucht and wont 1559–60 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 310.
The compt of the lokmanis leverie claithis aganis Yule: … coit, hois [etc.] 1582 Treas. Acc. MS. 34.
To the four laquais for their leveray claithis(2) 1474 Treas. Acc. I. 68.
To … the Abbot of Halyrudhous bruthir sone, for a leueray colare of the Kingis, gevin to him in the recompens of his colare that was gevin be the King to the Dens man of were(3) 1511 Ib. IV. 234.
The Kingis hensmen … John de Albany … To his leveray coit agane Ȝule, iiij elnis rowane tanne 1552 Ib. X. 127.
To be him ane leveray coit, hois, and doublett, x elnis reid and quhite claitht 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 77.
Gentilmen and servandis … clethit all in ane gray leveray coittis 1617 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 157.
To caus to the fourtene officeris ilk man ane leveray cotte 1669 Lamont Diary 210.
For payment of the … trumpetts. levery coatts, etc. to the 2 melitia regements of foote(4) 1511 Treas. Acc. IV. 221.
Lady Callendar … to be hir ane leveray goune agane Ȝule, xv elnis blak welvot
