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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.

Wedo(w)hed(e, Widowheid, n. Also: wedoue-hed, weddowhede, wedowheid(e, wedo(u)heid, vedohed(e, vedo(w)heid, vedowhude, weiddowheid, -head, weedowhead, weidowhood, wydohed, widowhedd, -head, vidowhead, (wididowheid), widoued. [ME and e.m.E. widewe-had (c1175), viduid, widowhede, wodewehode, (all Cursor M.), wedewehed (Chaucer), weduhod (c1450), weddewede (c1460), widowed (1530).] The state or condition of being widowed; the period of time during which a person lives as a widow or widower. a. Of a woman. b. Of a man.a. 1381 Douglas Chart. 29.
Our systir, in hir wedowhed, has set to ferme till vs … all hir thrid of the landes 1456 Hay I 140/19.
Weddowhede 1476 Acta Aud. 54/1.
The band & obligation maid be hir in hir pure wedohed 1492 Myll Spect. 289/25.
Wedowheid 1513 Doug. iv i 67.
Gif thou wilt … in wedowhed … thus waist away thy ȝowthed 1515–16 Reg. Privy S. I 415/1.
With … consent of our derrest moder the quene, our tutrice and governour in hir wedoheid 1520 Douglas Chart. 218.
Vedowheid 1527–8 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 94.
The forsaid Katerin cleyth hir nocht with ane uther man bot kepand hir into hir vedoheid 1534 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 146.
Elesabetht sal haif the tenement of the northt syd … for all the dais of hir vedoheid 1551 Hamilton Cat. 89.
Thame that levis ane chast lyfe in the stait of wedohede [marg. vedohed] 1558 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. I 169.
Elizabeth Riche, hys modre, brukand it during hyr vedohede a1586 Maitland Geneal. Setoun 24.
Wedouheid 1561 Glasgow Prot. III 9.
The reycht and entres quhilk scho had … in and to the stedinge of Litill Kowcaldennis … be ressoune of wedowheide 1567 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I 558.
Hir Majestie … [is] levand solitary in the state of wedoheid 1567 Edinb. Test. 143b.
My wyfe … to haf the erd hous … with this restrictioun that scho keip hir wedoheid 15.. Sym & Bruder 50.
Hir wedoheid fra the begynning Wes neir ane moneth tyd(b) 1638 Dumfries Test. I 11b.
I nominat Thomas Makburnie … and Marione Makburnie my spous during hir weiddowheid tutoris testementaris to my said bairne 1683 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 13 Aug.
Weiddowhead 1698 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 10 March.
Weedowhead(c) 1551 Hamilton Cat. 10.
Wydohed 1631 Stirling's Royal Lett. II 533.
Widowhead 1631 Stirling's Royal Lett. II 542.
Widowhedd 1643 Soc. Ant. IV 229.
Widowheid 1653 Elphinstone Chart. 270.
Wididowheid(d) a1400 Leg. S. xxiv 54.
As of Margret, of Scottis quene, In widoued hyre lyf led clene(e) 1517 Wigtown B. Ct. 66a.
Vedowhude 1679 Coll. Witchcraft 96.
The tyme of your weidowhood, befoer yow was maried to your last husbandb. a1400 Leg. S. xxiv 41.
Symeone, that in wedoue-hed, That lang tyme that his lyf can led c1420 Wynt. vi 1540.
Sone efftyre that this wyff wes dede He bade noucht lang in wedowhede [C. wedowheide] 1576 Edinb. Test. V 4a.
Robert Peblis my spous sall haif the haill … vsing of my gudis … during his wedoheid 1611 Reg. Panmure I xxix.
To quhome his sone Sir Thomas … dois succeid … Alexanders vyf, Elezabethe Guthrie lewit efter him longue, and continewit in his vidowhead

c. transf.The right of a widow to hold her husband's lands while she remained single.An entitlement held by widows of rentallers in the barony of Glasgow. St Mungo's widow, quot. Acta Conc. & Sess. s.v. Wedo(w n. 1 (d). Cf. also quots. 1558 and 1561 in a (a) above. 1557 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. I 214.
Is rentalit George of Dundas … in the fyfte s. land of Bordland … vacand be deces of wmquhill Schyr James of Dundas … Dame Margarit Sandelandis, his mothyr, brwkand hyr wedoheid thairof