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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Olȝe, Oly, Oilȝie, Ulȝe, Uly(e, n. Also: olye, -e(y, -ie, olly, -ie, olnie; oil(l)y(e, -ie, oyl(l)ȝe, -y(e, -i(e, -ee, -ei, -ay, oyelie, oyilly; uley, -ie, -oy; wly, -ey, -ie, ully, -ie, -ay, -aȝ; uylie; oulie, owly. [The Sc. forms appar. repr. two or more alternative disyllabic pronunciation types, deriving, perh. with some blending, f. the following distinct sources: (1) early ME. oli (12th c.), ME. olie (c 1250), -ei, -y (Prompt. Parv.), north. ole (Cath. Angl.), thereafter appar. chiefly or only Sc., ONF. olie; (2) OF. oille, uille, huille, with regular Sc. -lȝe, -lye, repr. OF. final palatalized l. In addition, a further (monosyllabic) type is Oil(l n.]

1. Oil.(a) a1400 Leg. S. v. 37.
A mekile towne … Ful of brynand olȝe 1502 Treas. Acc. II. 142.
The pipe of oly 1505–6 Ib. III. 46.
Olye 1512–3 Ib. IV. 463.
Oley 1513 Doug. vi. iv. 37.
The fat oly [Sm. olie] 1533 Gau 36/8.
The kingis of the vardil ar vntit with olie quhilk perisis 1552–3 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 13.
For oley to the knok all yeir 1553–4 Ib. 23.
Olie 15.. Sc. Hist. Rev. IX. 450.
And the creche or olye [supra vle doly, olydolye] 1578–9 Perth Guildry 389 (5 Feb.).
Oly 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Bullion.
Olie(b) 1585 Edinb. Test. XIV. 209 b.
Ollie 1586 Perth B. Ct. 22 Nov.
Olnie 1622 Orkney & Shetl. Test. I. 86.
1 can ollie pryce vj s.(c) c1420 Wynt. v. 33.
A well Off clere oylye [C. oylȝe, W. oly, E. wley, E.² ole] Ib. i. 957 (C).
Oyllȝe [E.,E².,A. oilly] 1513 Treas. Acc. IV. 511.
For pak threid and oily to the hakbuschis 1536–7 Ayr B. Acc. 21.
For oylye to bellis 1574 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 39.
Oillye 1575–6 Reg. Privy S. VII. 79/1.
Pament to the blak freris of Invernes yeirlie ane barrell of oylie for obsequis 1580 Edinb. Test. VIII. 163.
Orknay butter & oillie 1583 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 278.
Oylie 1581-1623 James VI Poems II. 56/47.
Oylee 1588 Exch. R. XXI. 326.
For the densetie of oylie aucht furthe of the said lordschip of Ȝetland 1601 Dundee Shipping P. 71.
For oyllei to the peik Ib. 72. 1601 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I. 393.
Oilȝie 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 35.
Certane oillie and sum quhaile of the Kingis wrek 1604 Elgin Rec. II. 125.
Oilie 1609 Edinb. Test. XLV. 115 b.
Oilȝie 1618 Urie Baron Ct. 28.
Ane pynt of oylly ȝeirlie 1627 Rep. Parishes 228.
Oylie 1632 Brechin Test.V. 55 b.
Oyllay 1649 Falkirk Baron Ct. 7 Aug.
Oyllie(d) 1502 Orkney Rentals i. 15.
The said tennentis payand … fat guid butter & ulie therfor 1503 Ib. 29; etc. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvii. 48.
Ay betuix the harnes plaitis The vly birstit out 1513 Treas. Acc. IV. 476.
For a barrell of uley to the Margret for the rosatyn of hir 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 86.
For the complete paynting and laying of … windois … with reid leid and wermelone and uley 1549 Compl. 161/4, 5.
Vlye 1555–6 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 57. 1565–6 Ib. 219.
Ane choppin of ulie to the greitt bell 1576 Orkney Oppress. 53.
Ulie 1582 Conv. Burghs I. 140.
Wly 1591 Edinb. Test. XXIII. 266 b.
Ane ferekin of wlie price of the ferekin [£3/13/4] 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 13.
Ane kan of ulie quhilk wes convoyit away fra the quhaill 1619 Orkney & Shetl. Test. I. 35. 1626 Urie Baron Ct. 61.
The haill fremen … to pay thair ulie of this ȝeir(e) 1523 Perth Hammermen 20.
Ully a1568 Bann. MS. 139 b/12.
To hald thame helsum at hairt Sum of vlly spewis ane quairt 1595 Edinb. Test. XXVIII. 209.
xii gallounes of vllie price of the galloun xx s. 1610 Brechin Test. II. 85 b.
Ten pointis vllay pryce iiij lib. Ib. 30 b.
Vllaȝ 1614 Orkney Rentals ii. 127.
Ully 1627 Brechin Test. IV. 267 b.
Tua gallonis vllay 1634 Craven Ch. in Orkney II. 242.
Ully(f) 1615 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 262.
Uylie(g) 1531 Bell. Boece I. xxix.
It fresis nevir bot flowis ay … in maner of oulie Ib. xxxviii.
Nocht two milis fra Edinburgh is ane fontane dedicat to Sanct Katrine quhair sternis of oulie springis 1576 Crail B. Ct. MS. 27 Mar.
The foirsaid barrell guid and sufficient trayne and owly without ony dregge or watter

2. a. With a qualifying word or phrase, defining the source, nature or use.In comb., (1) as second element, as fisch olȝe, etc.; (2) as first element, as olȝe bay, blek, mast, etc., also Olȝe-colo(u)r, Olȝe-doly(e, etc.With phr., (3) as olȝe of billies, of narding, etc., and (4) oly of mercy.For further examples see also Anis n., Herin(g n. 2 (1), Jesmie n., Linget n. 2, Linseid n., Minorca, sellett, trayne.(1) 1589 St. A. Burgh Ct. 30 May.
Twa barrellis off guid & sufficient fische oylie(2) a1568 Bann. MS. 139 b/20.
And spew ane pynt at a pant Off fowll vly ba Ib. 140 b/14.
The sowttaris of this toun Off vly blek & talloun [etc.] 1581 Edinb. Test. IX. 106 b.
Ane pund wecht of vlie petir price xl s. Item tua pund of vlie mast price xlviij s. … ane pund of vlie bay price viij s. 1586 Ib. XVI. 366.
Thrie pund wecht of spett vlie petir and vlie tarpantyne at xxiiij s. the pund 1590 Ib. XXI. 312.
Thrie pund … oyllie speck at xxv s. vj d. the pund 1649 Crim. Trials III. 599.
That he had goode salves, and namelie oylispek(3) 1575 Edinb. Test. III. 318.
A pig with oley of sweit almondis vj vnces price vj s. 1590 Ib. XXI. 312.
Thrie pund oillie of billies price xx s. Ib.
Tua pund sex vnce oyllie of narding price xxij s.(4) fig. a1538 Abell 72 b.
And eftir fra his graif sprang olie in takin that finalie he gat the oly of mercy

b. Attrib. with the names of vessels.(1) 1477 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 408.
Ane vly barel 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 20.
ij wlie barrellis for mortar tubbis iij s. 1530 Ib. 46.
Uly barrel 1540 Ib. 276. 1553 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 86.
Uloy barrells 1559–60 Ib. 332.
For ane olly barrall iij s. 1560–1 Ib. 350.
For ane uly barrell to be lyme tubbis iij s. iiij d. 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. V. 67.
Oylie barrellis 1625 Brechin Test. IV. 198.
Vllie barrall 1659 Craven Ch. in Orkney II. 199.
Ane oylie broken half barrel(2) 1541 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 176.
Ane vly chopin 1649 Edinb. Test. LXIV. 230.
Ane oylie punscheone and oylie standart, ane oyllie metts 1659 Craven Ch. in Orkney II. 196.
Ane oylie kitt

c. The Oly Well: see quot. Bell. Boece in 1 (g). 1504 Treas. Acc. II. 260.
To the Kingis offerand in Sanct Katrinis at the Oly Well xiiij s. 1505 Ib. III. 63; etc. 1508 Rentale Dunkeld. 252.
Lie olȝewel 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II. 77.
For a stock lock to the oylie well Ib. 81.
For his chairgis and paynes in going to the oyilly well