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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.

Vouchesauf(e, Witschaif(fe, v. Also: vouch(e)safe, wouchsauffe, -saif, -safe, wouschaff, wouchsaiv, vouchave, -chaf, wou(t)chaif, wouchaife, woutchafe, -chaff, woutchsaiff, vowchaiff, wowchaife, wowtchaif, wochesaff, wochsawf, votchaff, wotchafe, woicheshaf, woschaffe, -cheffe, witschaife, -saufe, -scha(u)ff, withschaif, wichsaif, wich(e)sauf, wichesafe, wychesaffe, wischeaf, witchaif, -chafe, wichauf. Pres. also wouchaiffes, wouchafing, votchaffes, witchaffing, vouchis … sauf, wochis … sayfe. P.t. and p.p. vouchesawed, vou(t)chsaffit, voutchaffed, -chaifed, vouchafit, woutchaf'd, wouchafed, wotchaffed, vosad, witchavit. [ME and e.m.E. vouchsave (c1308), vouched … saufe p.t. (Manning), vouchesaaf (Wyclif), woches-sawf (c1420-30), wychesave (1462), wythsaue (1509), wytsaufe (1523), vouchsafe (1579), voutchafe (a1660); Vouch v. and Safe adj.]

1. tr. With infinitive as object: To show willingness, to agree readily and graciously, esp. of one who is of superior status, freq. the monarch or the Deity; to deign or condescend to do something.a. pres. 1400 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 44.
Excellent mychty and noble prince … syn I am in swilk degre tyll yhow I requere yhow as be way of tendirnes thareof and fore my seruice … that yhe will vouchesauf tyll help me a1500 Sir Eger 2237.
The burges said … Will ye [sc. a knight] vouchsafe to pas with me 15.. Clar. ii 1037.
Welcum … That sik compassioun hes on ȝour nichbour, That ȝe vouchsafe to cum and visit me 1582 Reg. Morton I 132.
Albeit we could wouchsauffe to helpe him with some casualitie gif that [etc.] 1599 Maxwell Mem. II 41.
Your hienes will wouchaif to lat me haue your mynd anent these maters secretlie a1605 Montg. Sonn. xxxiv 2.
Melpomene, my mirthles murning Muse! Wouchsaiv to help a wrechit woman weep ? 1615 Misc. Abbotsf. C. I 232.
Vouchesafe 1611-57 Mure Sonn. ii 4.
Mairgrait … Quho … Wouchaiffes to look with pitty on my paine 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 125.
And did never (or seldom) woutchsaiff to truble himself with any faction 1611-57 Mure Psalmes cvi 4.
Wowchaife(b) 1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
And qwhat yhe wochesaff of ȝour heenes to do twychand thir forsayde materis ȝhe walde certify me be your letter 1475 Peebles B. Rec. I 172.
Thai walde wochsawf to grant and gyf to hym [etc.] 1596 Melvill 364.
When God votchaffes, … to call us 1657 Balfour Ann. I 358.
Woschaffe 1657 Balfour Ann. IV 395.
Woscheffe(c) 1442 Coldingham Priory I 138.
Quhat ȝhe woicheshaf to do(d) c1420 Wynt. viii 2332 (W).
To pray this paip Bonyface That he wald witschaif [R. deyhgne, C. dedenȝhe, A. wichauf] of his grace … Off thai iniuris to set remeid 1444 Aberd. B. Rec. I 10.
We … beseikis humeli yhour lordschip … that … yhe witsaufe to … deliuer … the said Inglismen c1450 Cr. Deyng 66.
The threuth is fundyt apone this, that God wichsaif to tak mankynd to radem the trespas that Adam and Eue commytyt 1460 Swintons xlii.
And this she vald wichesauf to do for the luf of almychty God a1500 Lanc. 2264.
Grant mercy, sir, bot o thing I ȝow pray What that ȝhe ar ȝhe wold wichsauf to say c1520-c1535 Nisbet Prol. Rom. 327/19.
Pray Gode that He will witschaiffe to wirke faith in thinne hart Arundel MS 241/107.
Witschaife 1560 Rolland Seven S. 251.
Quhill that ȝour grace will witchaif for to schaw Ȝour graces will 1585 Acts III 408/1.
It hes bene our said souerane lordis Maiesteis guid plessour to grant ane generall restitutioun … and to redres sic lossis as thay haue suffirrit … and that our said souerane lord wald wischeaf amangis the greit and commoun benefites impartit to thame to appoint [etc.] 1604 Acts IV 263/2.
His … Maiestie … witchaffing to assure thame of his sinceir dispositiounp.t. 1589 Edinb. Test. XXI 169b.
The Lord … vouchesawed to oppin eyis and lycht in my hart … ewin in my cheildheid 1596 Melvill 378.
Wotchaffed 1626 Garden Worthies 144.
Whill Death woutchaf'd to eas and end my ill(b) 1596 Cal. Sc. P. XII 292.
Witchavitp.p. 1649 Misc. Spald. C. V 379.
Right honorable, As I wreat to yow from Edinburgh befor my parting … I wold gladlie haue vosad to haue steyed a day or two more to [etc.] … Not being abell to stey [etc.]

2. With clause object: To grant, allow as an act of grace or condescension (that) something happen. Also, once, in negative as wochis nocht sayfe and const. upon a person.(1) 14… Edinb. Univ. MS La.ii.318.
Sic men … Quhen the werk of wedlaik sald be wrocht … tentis … Bot to ther licherus lyking … Tharfor sum tyme God wochis nocht sayfe That sic men fruyte of generin haif(2) c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 915.
Dame Vesta will wichesafe he be heir 1575 Milne-Home MSS 240.
Quhen God sall woutchaif that my lauchfull barnes sall cum to maturitie of aige 1604 Melvill 558.
The doctrine [etc.] … of the kirk … the quhilk his majestie, going to his prosperous promotioune most gratiously vouchsaffit and granted it sould enjoy peiceabilly and unaltered heirefter 1611-57 Mure Psalmes xvii 2.
Wouchaife [pr. wouchaise] furth from before Thy face, My sentence may proceid(3) 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. Pray. 24.
Witchafe vpon me, that … I may vse Ȝour sweit benefites

3. With direct object: To grant, bestow (something). b. Const. to a person. Also with indirect object. c. Const. (up)on a person. Also, once, with separation of verb (vouchis) and adjective (sauf). c1515 Turnbull in Doug. (Sm.) I lxxii.
For to assure me of sa mekil fynance as your Lordschip will witschaff 1560–1 M. Napier Mem. J. Napier 69.
Witschauff ane servand apon my expensis c1590 Fowler I 262/5.
Vouchaue, fare dame, thy blissed face 1593 Conv. Burghs I 395.
Beseikis thy haly Maiesty to wowtchaif thi mercifull presence in the myddis of ws 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xix 16.
If thou wouchaife bot on smyle 1635 Lundie Poems 13.
Votchaff 1654 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 226.
Shie … therfor does supplicat thie Assemblie to woutchafe [pr. wontchase] a convenient time either to evidence thee deceas [etc.] 1662 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 173.
Whensoever any … shall make their addresse to your Lordship for assistance and favour, yow would be pleased to wouschaff the sameb. a1500 Lanc. 1390.
Y yow besech … Ȝhe wald wichsaif your consell to me a1500 Lanc. 1457.
Withschaif 1600-1610 Melvill 718.
Becaus they voutchaffed not thair presens to Godis word 1617 Melrose P. 279.
Vowchaiff ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. I 125.
The presbytrye of Edinburgh neglect the Comissioner, so farr as not to wotchafe him ane ansuer 1692 Conv. Burghs IV 169.
That the Almighty God may … vouchaf your Majestie great succesc. (1) 1456 Hay I 103/20.
Quhy suld man tak it fra thame sen God vouchis it sauf on thame(2) 1550–1 Corr. M. Lorraine 343.
The benefice that the kyngis grace hes vouchafit apoun me 1560 Rolland Seven S. 308.
To witchaif on me sa greit credence 1599 Maxwell Mem. II 36.
Nocht wouchafing any gratious countenance on him 1606 Melvill 633.
We can not sufficientlie wonder at the riches of His frie grace that sould haiff voutchsaffit sic a grace upon us 1619 Garden Elphinstoun 588.
Voutchaifed 1628 Conv. Burghs III 260.
The … fischeing … about the saids ylles of the Lewis … is … the grittest benefeit that God and nature hes wouchafed [pr. wouchased] vpone this realme 1661 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 197.
It pleasit the Lord to wouchsafe vpon him some learneing 1668 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. II 674.
[They crave the council] to woutchaff wpon the forsaids suplicants workmen wrights your noble lordships goodnes off drink silver

4. absol. To grant or bestow as in the above senses. 1385 Rot. Sc. II 73/1.
Gif hit meght happen of langer trewe or ell of pees … gif God vald vouchesaufe 1474–5 Yester Wr. 75.
I besek yhow ser bailȝe that ȝe walde wychesaffe to yhour seille to the instrument in mar evident witnes of my protestatioun makyn 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
To wouchsaif