A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Vol(l)y, n. Also: volee, -ie, -ey(e, -ay, woly, wol(i)e, -eye, -ay, wolly, -(i)e, woill(i)e, -ey. Pl. also vollies. [e.m.E. volue (1578), volly (1584), voley (1590), F. volée.] A volley (of artillery, etc.). b. As a salutation or greeting, esp. on a formal occasion. c. Appar. the discharge of a single weapon. d. fig. At a voleye. Of speech: Without thought or reflection.(1) 1573 Sempill in Sat. P. xxxix 93.
For ordinance thay dung at day and nycht By weirlyk volyis 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 304.
Thaj … met Johne Lord Fleming, and throw greit blythnes schote thair wollie, and be the last manis peice [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I 143/11.
The king … commandit to charge all the gunnis to gif the castell ane new wollie 1639 Baillie I 221.
Their Heiland men avowed they could not abyde the musquet's mother, and so fled … at the first voley 1643 Fugitive Poetry II xx 6/7.
The canons play'd with redoubled voleyes On their leaguer(2) c1610 Melville Mem. 23.
Themperour caused schut aff his haill volee of arteillerie at our campt 1615 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 185.
Sum of the luiftenant's men … did geive them a woille of shoat … a rock lykwayis … wherone thair was plantit a number of muskiteris did geve the rebellis at thair wshing owt a woille [Melrose P. 604, woillie] of shoat 1615 Crim. Trials III 275.
Finding your selffis disapointit of ȝour expectatioun, ȝe thair discharget ȝour volie of muscattisb. 1586 Warrender P. MS 174.
The governour met ws and dyd ws honour with ane woleye of artelȝerye 1603 Moysie 67.
The toun schot a woly and his Majestie at his depairtour causit give the cannoneris ane hundereth crounes 1603 Moysie 84.
The Denses … gat the banket of the toun of Edinburgh … a woilley wes schot be the schipis and the castell 1615 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 254.
Coull McGillespie did meit him with ane cumpany of hagbutteris about … sewin scoir of men … Sir James and his cumpany stude in ane plaice … quhair the wther with his cumpany went round about him onis and at the nixt going about salutit him with thair wolly of schoittis and continowit sua schuitting and iniuring of him for … half ane hour and thairefter com to him everie man, particularlie, chapping handis c1615 Chron. Kings 158.
The Duk of Hilstine … come to Scotland to wissie his sister the queine … at quhais depairtour thair wes ane gritt wolay of cannone gewine him be the castell of Edinburgh and also the schippis in the hevine off Leithe 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 386.
To Captane Ramsay for his … directing the gunneres for schuitting of the wolleis the tyme of his majesties being heir … xxxii fadome of matche to serve the peices at the thrie last woleis c1650 Spalding I 230.
His corpis … wes bureit with volie of muscat in sted of funerall sermon c1650 Spalding II 22.
As he [sc. the Prince of Orange] [was] passing by the tower of London, he had ane volly of 120 peice of cannon 1657 Balfour Ann. IV 360.
Wolie 1660 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 188.
To draw up in order in ther armes wpon the Castellgatt Streit befoir the magistrats and others, who sall be about the table at the croce, and orderlie giue such volies and shots as sall be appointit to them 1685 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 306.
All healths were saluted with vollies of mosquetts, and fyreing of the haill great gunnes in the tounec. c1650 Spalding II 175.
Johne Lesk … schooting ane volay with ane hagbut of found for joy … his hand wes schot fra himd. c1620 Boyd Zion's Fl. 125.
My wordes are not from fancy or from foly Like those [who] speake at random at a voleye
