A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1500-1629
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Bonté, Bontie, n. Also: bonty. [ME. bonté, bontie, OF. bonté, later form of bonted, Bonteth. Cf. Bounté and Bontay,n.] Goodness, excellence, bounty.(a) 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 331.
With euery bonte belangand a gentill wycht 1513 Ib. vii. i. 98; etc.
Hys bonte and his thewis meke 1531 Bell. Boece II. 503.
All new bonteis now appering amang ws ar cummyn only by thy industry 1602 Colville Parænese 116.
The more to scheu the bonte and beaute tharof(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlvi. 61 (B).
Sic grace off bewty, bontie, riches [etc.] a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS xix. 2.
Excellant princes … peirles in bontie and bewtie a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS clxx. 7.
Quhais bontie nevir dois abandoun thois That restis on him c1590 J. Stewart 205.
The bontie of ane mychtie spreit 1629 Mure Son. i. 3.
Secund to none in bonty, beutie, grace
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"Bonté n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/bonte>
