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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Lowry, -ie, -é, Loury, -ie. [Common Sc. hypocoristic form of the personal name Lowrence, found as a forename from 1467 and as a surname from 1497 (G. F. Black The Surnames of Scotland (1946) s.v. Lowrie). Cf. also Lawrie.]Only quots. from verse occur in our collection.

1. As the common personal name. a1500 Colk. Sow i. 214.
And Symy … With his lad Loury c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2659.
Than Kyttoke thare … Gaiff Lowre leif at layser to loupe on 15.. Christis Kirk 101.

2. As a name given to the fox = Lowrence b, Laurence.First occurring in Henryson's Fable of the Lion's Parliament, applied to ‘the sone and air of the foirsaid fox, callit Father wer’, who is also, like his father, called (Henr. Fab. 877, 973, 998 etc.) Lowrence, Lourence etc. (also, in v.rr., Lawrence, Laurence, tod Laurence). Also (the) tod Lowrie. — a1500 Henr. Fab. 938 (H).
Se neir be tuentie mylis quhair I [the Lion] am The kid ga saiflie … , The tod lowrie [B. Se tod lowrye] luik not to the lam Ib. 945.
Than tod lowrie luikit [B. Tod Laurence lukit vp] quhair he couth lour Ib. 987.
Cum furth, Lowrie, lurkand vnder thy hude 1571 Sat. P. xxix. 21.
Ȝitt I beleiff ols mony myndis thochte, Ha, Loury, ha, ha! Quhen Dauid vnder the sek did loure

b. As a common noun: A fox. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxii. 15.
The tod wes nowder lene nor skowry, He wes ane lusty reid haird lowry

3. Used as a name of address or reference to a person with the fox's attributes of knavishness or craftiness. b. A knavish, crafty person, a knave or rascal, a ‘fox’.Also Lawrie. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2473 (B).
Ryis vp, Lowry, ȝe luik evin lyk a lurdane 1567 G. Ball. 209.
Had not that blissit bairne bene borne Sin to redres, Lowreis, ȝour lyues had been forlorne For all ȝour mes 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 55.
Now Holyglas returning hame, … Men heiring tell how Lowrie landit [etc.] Ib. 328.
With this the word yead through the toun How lurcan Lowrie played the lowne Ib. 350, 639, 1098.b. c1568 Lauder Minor P. ii. 45.
Loude leand lowreis for thair sleuth Was treatit 1567 Sat. P. iii. 83.
Unles ȝe … trewlie try the gyltie of this blude Ȝe wilbe repuite lowreis ouer all landis 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 473.
To heir the mone the pure folk makkis, … Cryand, ‘A wengance from the hewin Come doun on this deceatfull Lowrie [: Gowrie]’ Ib. 365.
Yit few or nane this lowrie [v.r. this loun] beleavit c1590 J. Stewart II. 221 § 87.
In land so monie lourking louries lyis Vith ewill intentions for to virk me noy