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.
Weyis, -(e)s, n. pl. Also: wehis, veyes, weights. [ME and e.m.E., sing., weie (a1225), weih (a1350), wey (a1450), pl., weighes (Rolle), (a pair) wyes (1578, north.), OE wǽᵹ(e.] (A pair of) scales. Also in fig. context. b. attrib.With Balk n. 3 (cf. weybalk (We(y v. 8)) and Brod n.2 1.(a) c1420 Wynt. v 693.
The largyare body wes Off the fyschare and the les Off the prechoure syn … Pape Silvestyr gert thame be layd In till [C., W. a weyis] weyis; swa kend wes thare Quhilk prechoure wes, and quhilk fyschare 14.. Acts I 387/2.
The mesur off the weyis. The mesure of the balk that men weyis with sal be in lynth an elne and j quartar c1500 Makc. MS xiii 65.
Hec bilanx, a pair of weys 1533 Aberd. B. Rec. I 451.
Ane pair of woll weyis, ane pair of ballendis of bras 1536 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 171.
Our thronne weil furnist with throne ballandis, veyes 1536–7 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 178.
All and haill our common throne with veychtis, wehis, deuytes, proffettis 1566 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 101.
The hall loft … ane pair of weyis 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 134b.
The heire … sal haue … ane flaill, the weyes [L. stateram] with the wechts [Acts I 44/2, a balance and wechtys] [etc.] 1612 R. Brown Paisley I 227.
Ane pair of weyis, with the brod sufficientlie hung with ane pund wecht and half 1624–5 Dumbarton Common Gd. Acc. 38.
To John Moffet, smith, … for dressing of the small weyes back to Walter Buchannan [etc.] 1635 Rutherglen B. Ct. II 6 Oct.
To delyver bake to the said thesaurar … the haill gangand weyes and the haill wechtes belanging thairto(b) 1629 Boyd Last B. (1629) 499.
If all their glorie … were put in one scale of the ballence [etc.] … Dauid in his time put them in the weights togetherfig. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2286.
Sanct Mychaell, with his wyngis and weyis a1605 Montg. Sonn. xviii 11.
Ȝour lordships [sc. the Lords of Session] … Then mak the poet pensioner … And byde be justice … Incurage me … Hald evin the weyisb. (1) 1568 Edinb. Test. I 182a.
Ane Flanderis weyis balk 1574 Edinb. Test. III 93a.
Tua pair of small ballance … ane weis balk(2) 1536 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 76.
Till caus [mak] weyis brodis and … viij stanis wecht and vther small wechtis
