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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Dowry, n. Also: dowrie, -rey, doury, dour(r)ie, dowery(e. [ME. dowry, -rie, dowerye, -eri (c 1400), reduced forms of Dowarie.]

1. A woman's dowry.(a) 1415 Reg. Great S. 39/1.
The forsayd Huchon sal dow and gif in name of dowry to the forsayd Jonet xx^ti lb. into the lordschip of Golford 1462 Montgomery Mem. 34.
[Received] in dowry. ane hundreth mark off vsuale mone off the kynric of Scotland 1513 Doug. vii. v. 86.
With gret effusioun of the blude Troiane … Thou salbe saisyt, madyn. to dowry Ib. vii. 38.
The kyng Latyn the spousage of Lavyne, And thy dowry … Denyis forto grant thé 1542 Liber Offic. S. Andree 143.
Unum nobile roseum eidem quondam Mariorie … in lie dowry donatum c1575 Balfour Pract. 109.
The chemise or principall messuage sould not be devidit nor gevin in name of dowrie or tierce to the woman 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 26.
The reasonabill dowrie of ilk wife, is called the terce 1603 Moysie 83.
To tak seasing of the thrie lordschipis for the Queins dourie 1616 Rep. Mar & Kellie MSS. 74.
The Prince's marriage … contractitt, the pairtie refusing to forfaltt the ane half of the dourrie (1683) Lauder Observes 114.
Tangier … the tocher and doury of our Queen Catharen(b) 1439 Rep. Sir R. Menzies MSS. 691.
Nochtwythstanding the kyng … has grantit to us the lands … wythin the schirefdom of Perth, in our dowery 1558 Acts II. 505/1.
Certane dowery to be gevin to oure souerane lady with the evantage Ib.
To brouke and jois hir dowerye and avantage

2. An endowment. 1456 Hay I. 14/10.
Constantyne … sa mony landes, lordschippis, and othir doweryes dowit it with, that it apperis ȝit our all othir 1513 Doug. i. vii. 52.
Dido Begouth to byg a prowd tempill of Juno, With dowreis seir and gyftis of ryches