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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Mary, Mari(e, Maré. Plur. Maries, -yes, Marries. [ME. Marie, -ye, Mari (15th c.), e.m.E. Marie, Mary, OE. Maria, Marie.] The woman's name, Mary.

1. The name of the Virgin Mary. b. In combinations: Of (in honour of, dedicated to, named after) the Virgin.Cf. Lady n. 6, q.v. also for further examples of the name. c1500-c1512 Dunb. ix. 60, lxx. 6.
Mary, Marie c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 194.
God keip ȝow, & sweit Sanct Marie Ib. 486.
Be Marie bricht c1550 Id. Test. Meldrum 206.
To the Uirgine Marie 1567 G. Ball. 3.
Borne of the Virgine Mary 1622-6 Bisset II. 310/26.

b. Mary bell, one of the bells of St. Giles Kirk, Edinburgh. Mary fair, one held about the festival of the Assumption: cf. Marymes n., Lady day n.Also Mary day, Marymes. 1560 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 64.
James Barroun … to tak doun the ferd bell callit the Marie bell — 1676 Lauder Notices Affairs I. 94.
That … thir three trades have ever been in use to sit with the wrights and masons in their Mary chapell corporation — 1685 Acts VIII. 504/1.
Ane free fair yearly to be holdin … at the paroch kirk of Kilmalȝie upon the eighteenth day of August called Mary fair — c1635-80 Edwards Commonpl. Bk. 78 b.
The on vas layid in Marie Kirk Other in Marie Queire — 1461 Liber Plusc. I. 279.
Ad villam de Edinburgh et in vico qui dicitur Mair [v.rr. Mari, Mare] Winde

2. The name of Mary Queen of Scots: attrib. and possess. in the names of coins.(1) 1565 Reg. Privy C. I. 413.
That thair be cunyeit ane penny of silver callit the Marie ryall … havand … this circumscriptioun … ‘Maria et Henricus [etc.]’ 1609 Edinb. Test. XLV. 276 (see Ducat n. b (2)).
Marie ducattis 1612 Brechin Test. II. 233 (see Ducat n. b (2)).
Marie doukitis(2) 1586 Edinb. Test. XVI. 214 b.
Thrie greit peices of gold callit Quene Maries peices price of the peice iij li. x s.

3. plur. (The Queen's) Maries, orig. applied collectively to the four maids of honour of that name of Mary Queen of Scots: see further Knox II. 267–8, note 5. Subsequently used as a collective term for the ladies in waiting of other Scottish queens. 1570 Leslie 209. Ib. 297.]
[(There accompanied Mary to France in 1548) sindre … nobill mennis … dochteris … of the quhilkis thair wes four in speciall, of whome everie one of thame buir the samin name of Marie, being of four syndre honorable houses, to wyt, Fleming, Levingstoun, Setoun and Betoun of Creich; quho remanit all foure with the Quene in France … and returned agane in Scotland with her majestie 1561 Knox II. 267.
[There] arryved Marie Quene of Scotland … furth of France. In hir cumpany, besydes hir gentilwemen called the Maries, wer hir thrie uncles 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 87.
The quenis grace and all hir Maries and ladies a1578 Pitsc. (1814) 372.
The King of France … called vpoun his dochter Magdalene, the Queine of Scotland, and caused hir pas to his wairdrop with hir gentlvoman and ladies, and take hir stickis of claith … to cloath hir and hir Maries 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 107.
[c 1458] this Margret [Lyon] was one of the Queens Marries Ib. 223.
Now [1595] there were at court severall ladyes of honor, noblemen's children, vulgarly termed the Quens Maryes