Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Mary, v. Also: -ye, -i(e, -e(y; marry, -i(e; meri, meré, merrey; (mair). P.t. and p.p. maryit etc., marieit, mareyitt, mairieit, mayreit, mer(r)iet; marit, -yt(e, -yde, marret, merit, -id; mar(r)ied. [ME. (a 1300) and e.m.E. mary, F. marier.] To marry.

1. tr. To join in marriage. a. In passive, with special reference to one or both of the spouses.Const. on, upon, with, to the spouse, and togidder.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii. 166.
His dochtir … Aparalyt … Richt as scho maryte suld be 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 216. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 85/5.
Quhy caus ȝe at mariage the persones than mariit to tak wthiris be the hand? 1596 Dalr. I. 133/11. 1598 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 31 May.
Gevin out off the sellar … to … Johne Kers being maryit, to his bankit 1600 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 136.
That nane be mareit in this kirk quhill x li. be consignit a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS. No. 994. 1620 Dumbarton B. Rec. 2. 1624 Orkney & Shetl. Test. I. 129 b.
Fra the day that sho was mariet 1629 Justiciary Cases I. 121.
Be passing … to … Ingland and thair getting thame selffis mareit(2) c1420 Wynt. iii. 139.
Wytht a wyff to maryde be 1487 Reg. Cupar A. I. 239.
The said Margret sal nocht be mariit with ony man withovt leyf of ws a1568 Gyre-carling 23. 1526 Reg. Panmure II. 302. 1575 Edinb. Test. III. 330 b.
Vnto the tyme that the said Nicolas & Bessie be mareit & tocherit with honest parteis 1649 Lamont Diary 5.(b) 1564 Riddell Tracts 169.
Hir moder schortlie efter the time of her birth … was lauchfullie merriet wyth her said father(3) 1531 Bell. Boece I. 109.
His gud moder … eftir deceis of his fader … was maryit apon ane vailyeant knycht a1578 Pitsc. I. 58/11, 63/30. 1562-92 Wode's Psalter (ed.) 171.
My lord of Mar quhen he wes first mareit upon my lord of Angus sister c 1613 Stirling Chart. 473. 1647 Kirkcaldy Presb. 308. 1667 Curiosities Charta Chest 50.(4) 1533 Bell. Livy I. 100/27. a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 33. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. iii.
Marie … quene of Scottis wes maryt on James Duke of Orknay … be Adame Bischope of Orkney 1570 Leslie 80.
Marye, quha … wes mariet on King Lewis of France bot had na yssue to him 1616 Sutherland Corr. 122. 1667 Highland P. II. 8. 1687 Dunlop P. III. 40.
Your brother is merit agin on Jenet Rusel(5) 1600 Crim. Trials II. 297.
This erll had … dochteris quha had bene mareyitt to sindrie nobill menne(6) 1533 Bell. Livy I. 101/21.
Terquyne and this feirs Tullia war maryit togiddir 1689 Cramond Kirk S. III. 6 Dec.
John … and Elizabeth … in … Corstorphin upon testimonials from thence … wer here married together

b. active or passive, with special reference to the performance of the rite by a priest or minister. 1558 Hossack Kirkwall 69.
Thai … causset do mes and marye certaine paris in the auld maner 1567 Bk. Univ. Kirk I. 114.
That he transgresit the act of the Kirk in marrying the divorcit adulterer 1586 St. A. Kirk S. 561.
Thai wer inordourlie mariit tyme of plaig 1653 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 226.
Those who did present the children to bie baptized by him and … these who werr maried by him 1660 Rothesay Par. Rec. 34.
Being demanded if he Was maryed vpon this woeman … and who maryed him, answered … that it was Mr Martine M'Lachlane that maryed them 1663 Laing MSS. I. 337.
Disorderlie cariage … in … marrieing persones of and in other congregationes without testimonialls 1690 Dunkeld Presb. II. 438. 1691 Edinb. Kirk S. in Sc. Ant. XIII. 72.

c. fig. or transf. To unite, to join. 1456 Hay II. 13/35.
He takis thare a grete honoure, maryte with a great servitute Ib. 37/19.
And a lord marry nocht hye parage and knychthede togeder 1572 Bann. Trans. 371.
Ye [Knox] are he to whome we are mareit under, and we to you

2. To give in marriage, cause to be married, arrange a marriage for; also, to marry furth (= off).Also with adverbs, as wele, richly.(1) 1391 Lennox Mun. 44.
That the said Erle of Fife sal mary ane of the dochteris of the said Erllez of the Leuenax … in conuenable placez but disparaging of hir 1449 Melville Chart. 33.
[To] mary and at his gudly powar ger be maryit … als profitabli as thai war his awne dochteris [etc.] c1460 Thewis Gud Women 273.
Had scho done weill Scho had ben maryt richly Ib. 265. 1493 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 302.
Alexander Iruyn … gaf … till … his dochter ale and haile his gudis … to opbring hir and mary her a1500 Seven S. 2102. 1519 Buccleuch Mun. II. 137. ? 1543–4 Corr. M. Lorraine 59.
Plesit your grace … I have maryit ane dochter laitlie and [etc.] 1566–7 St. A. Kirk S. 285.
Hyr said father suld caus hyr be weyll marieit 1570 Leslie 19.
Sax doichters quhilkis war all honorablie mareit 1596 Dalr. I. 107/31.
The bischopes … the noble menis sones thay oft … brocht vpe and, now ȝoung men, mariet thame furth(2) c1515 Asl. MS. I. 269/12.
He mariit his dochter with the Dalphyne 1497–8 Acta Conc. II. 138. a1538 Abell 12 a.
He marit his dochtir with ane puyr gentill man(3) 1492 Acta Conc. I. 254/2.
His faider … maryit him apoun his sister dochter 1522 Ib. MS. XXXIII. 53.
To mary his sonis dochteris apoun landyt men 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 29.
The nobilitie had refusit to mary hir on his sone a1578 Pitsc. I. 68/27. Ib. 47/22.
Mairieit 1581 Burne Disput. 152 b.
Vtheruyse ve vald nocht haue brocht virginis out of thair closteris, and mareit thame on monkis 1626 Black Bk. Taymouth 63.(4) 1570 Sat. P. x. 101.
We maryit him … Unto ane lady of hie kyn

3. Said of the man or woman: To take in marriage.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 81.
Thre douchteris … & mary thame wald nan thane 1428 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 460. 1441 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. IV. 35.
Scho was contentit to marie him 1463–4 Cal. Charters Suppl. 22 March.
That Johne Lindesay … sal God willing mary and hafe to wiff Margaret Skot 1478 Acta Conc. I. 13/1.
To the persouns that maryis a maydin 1549 Black Bk. Taymouth 186. 1551 Acts II. 486/1. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1195. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 238. 1555 Wemyss Chart. 183. a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 43.
To marey his dochter 1589 Prot. Bk. J. Borthuik MS. 56.
To cheis quhilk of thame scho lykit best to marie 1610 Conv. Burghs II. 297.
He that mareis ane burges dauchter a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 774. 1627 Kinghorn Kirk S. 31.(b) 1590 Crim. Trials I. ii. 197.
The young laird of Balnagoun wald mair the young Lady Foulis(c) c 1580 Q. Mary in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii. 9.
To agri with his murtherer and meri on off his greatest frindes dauchter(b, c) 1456 Hay I. 40/3.
The King of Constans that had maryte King Latynis sister a1538 Abell 87 b.
His sistir … marit the sicund husband 1545 Douglas Corr. 156. 1566 Anal. Scot. I. 275.
Lord Darnley … quha marret Marie Stewart 1567–8 Q. Mary in Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lvii.
Comend mi to your bruder that merid your serster 1593 Crim. Trials I. ii. 290.
Quhome the said laird of Ardincaple hes now maryt(b) a1500 Seven S. 1275.
The king marijt this worthy woman 1529 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 230.
Maryit 1535 Stewart II. 373 heading.
Mareit 15.. Lord Fergus' Gaist 90.
Syne mareid the gaist the fle a1578 Pitsc. II. 207/28.
[Q. Mary] maryet the said murthurar of hir husband Ib. I. 57/26.
Marieit a1586 Maitland Geneal. Setoun 37.
Mareitt 1586 Reg. Privy C. IV. 73.
Maryit 1590 Crim. Trials I. ii. 210.
Promesing to haif mareit hir 1622-6 Bisset I. 59/23.
Mareit(c) 1609 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 50.
Quhilk Bessie Mauchane the said Jhonn mayreit(d) c 1575 Wemyss Corr. 75.
The larid off Loychtlevin hes merreyis [sic] my sister 1606 Peebles Gleanings 12.
Becaus he had meriet ane burges air(e) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2704.
He … maryed hir & held for wyve 1649 Lamont Diary 5.
Maried 1667 Highland P. II. 18.
Married

4. intr. To take a husband or wife; to wed, contract matrimony, get married.Const. with, upon or (away) to (the spouse).(1) 1461 Melville Chart. 44.
I sall mary in ony greabill place be the avyse of my saide master c1475 Wall. v. 625. a1500 Bernardus 401. 1512 Reg. Cupar A. I. 287. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1365.
That blak band … That ordanit sic puir men as vs to mary [: wary] Ib. Proclam. 58. c1552 Id. Mon. 5531.
Sum in the templis mariand Ib. 4653. 1555 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. I. 159. 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 140.
To mare in the Lord a1568 Scott i. 73. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 18 b. 1612 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bk. (ed.) 19 Aug.
Thair is monie serviable persones that mareyis and takis up houssis 1619 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 91 b (24 Mar.).
Giff they marie nocht(b) a1578 Pitsc. I. 351/13.
For they wald thoill no preistis to marrie 1606 Laing MSS. I. 106.
To resolve to marri(c) 1547 Elgin Rec. I. 92.
Gif it hapins to ony vedov … to mare without lecence of the provest, … the said vedow handfastand or mereand incontinent sche sall tyne hir fredoum … within … the said burgh 1588 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 13 Nov.
Geif the said James merit by consent of the said Mr Johne(2) 1498 Acta Conc. II. 245.
And that the sade Jhone requirit hir til mary with an aggreable parti and that the sade Ysabell is marit without consent of the sade Jhone 1500 Ib. 472.
Consent … til the sade Jonet … til mary with the sade Jhone 1511 Reg. Privy S. I. 356/2. 1559–60 Ib. V. i. 177/1.
That the said George sall nocht marie with na persoun without consent [etc.] 1561 Reg. St. A. 129. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 74/5. a1633 Hope Major Pract. II. 199.(3) 1639 Drummond Wks. (1711) 187.
That the church-race marry only among themselves, ministers sons upon ministers daughters(4) 1684 Cloud of Witnesses 220.
O poor Scotland that once married away to the Lord and now [etc.]

b. refl. and reciprocal. — 1638 Cant Serm. 13 June 1638 (1741) 20.
Behold the King's Son will marry himself upon thee! 1689 Edgar Old Church Life II. 181.
That though they were not publiclie married, … yet they had married themselves and gevin to one another their solemn oath of marriage