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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Vertu(o)us, -e(o)us, -(e)wis, Virtuo(u)s, adj. (adv.). Also: vert(u)ouse, -uos, -ues, -wus, -use, -euous, -eouse, -ewous(e, -ewus, -i(o)us, -iows, (-ueulx), wertuous(se, -uus, -(u)ws, -uos, -e(o)us, -(e)ows, -ious, vertuise, -uyse, -euis, wertuis, -ewis, virte(w)us, -i(o)us, wirteous, virtewis. [ME and e.m.E. vertuous (14th c.), uirtuous (1340), vertuus (Destr. Troy), vertuose (1422), wertuus (c1460), OF vertuo(u)s, -uus, -ueux.]

A. adj. 1. Of a person, where specified, a man: Guided by morality in life and conduct; having a character distinguished by moral excellence; righteous; exhibiting virtue; not given to vice. Also absol. a virtuous person.(a) 1375 Barb. iv 743.
He had bene fals and cowatous Bot his wyt maid him vertuous [C. virtuous] c1420 Wynt. iv 1956.
Hym … That … avynand is off honeste Off fayre affere and thewys gud, Wertuws, and myld off mwde c1420 Wynt. vii 529.
For few in it [sc. England] wes than lyvand That wes commendyd all wertuws Bot iwill, and fals, and lycherus c1420 Wynt. vii 1157.
A fayre swete plesand chyld … Welle lettryd he wes, and rycht wertws c1420 Ratis R. 46.
That pwre men … Wertuous and gevand caus of gude, Worthis tyll erlys 1456 Hay I 82/2.
All his study to set … to ples his God or ellis he is nocht vertuous, na suld nocht be repute for vertuous 1533 Bell. Livy II 56/2.
Vertwus [B. virteus] 1596 Dalr. I 124/13.
The lawis walde aluttirlie dekay … excepte men baith notable and graue, vertuous and cunning and of special authoritie war appoyntet … to explicate thame(b) c1420 Ratis R. 1743.
To be werteus in his liffing a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1286.
Vailyeand and verteous, foroutin ony vice 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1787.
Richt verteous, ȝoung, bot fra time thai wox ald, Fra honour haill on vice thair minde is set c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxiii heading.
Vertewous 1549 Compl. 147/18.
Scipio … hed ane soune that vas nothir vailȝeant nor verteous 1549 Lamb Resonyng 81/10.
A nobill, vaillieant, vertius, lovit kyng a1570-86 Maitl. F. 419/12.
Wertious c1590 Fowler I 69/61.
Verteuous 1613 Inverurie 208.
John Johnston of Caskieben departit this life … ane very godlie and verteous man 1624 Dunferm. Ann. 284.
The poor inhabitantis, who wer a companie of industruous and verteous people 1660 Longforgan Par. 117.
Who has blest me with good and vertewous sons & daughters(c) a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 4.
Idilnes giffis novrysingis To vicis. Thare-for quha-sa wil be Vertuise suld idilnes fle c1420 Ratis R. 1772.
Wertewis 1490 Irland Mir. I 26/24.
Wertuis c1515 Asl. MS I 228/15.
Jhone Crennok bischop of Brechyne that was callit a gud actif and wertuis man c1568 Lauder Minor P. iv 18.
Virtewis men but geir ar of no pryce(d) 1558-66 Knox II 336.
Vertouse(e) 1494 Deidis of Armorie 23.
A man of peice, vertueulx and of concord(f) 1375 Barb. iv 742 (C) (see (a) above).
Virtuous a1500 Colk. Sow ii 212.
Virtewis 1531 Bell. Boece I xxxvi.
Dunde, … quhair mony virtewus and lauborius pepill ar in 1531 Bell. Boece II 121.
Virtius 1533 Boece 204a.
Octauius … grewe ane manswete virtuos prince 1533 Bell. Livy II 56/2 (B) (see (a) above).
Virteus 1569 Sc. Hist. Rev. I 39.
Most virtious regent as touching my owne innocence [etc.]absol. c1420 Wynt. vii 830.
He chastyd thaim that war wytyows He relewyd all werteows [C. wertuousse, W. wertuous]

b. Of a woman: Guided by morality in life and conduct; morally excellent in character; chaste. Also used in a lady's title.(1) c1420 Wynt. ix 2756 (A).
Thow wertuus, inwiolat, and werray uirgyne a1500 Colk. Sow ii 66.
This Colkelby nvreist hir in his hous Quich grew so fair and verry verteous c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 216/15.
Ane lusty lady fair and gude, Boith vertewis, wyis and womanly 1549 Compl. 2/13.
Penolope … or … ony vthir … verteouse lady that Plutarque … hes discriuit 15.. Clar. iii 826.
Vertewouse is scho; Scho is weill taught and full of gude maneir 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 13.
Alice Sandilandis, ladie Ormistoun … But the gude and vertuous lady [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I 157/23.
Quene Margarit was werie … werteous in hir husbandis tyme, bot sune efter his deid … scho became leichorous of hir body 1591 James VI in Warrender P. (SHS) II 165.
I have receaved hearing of your [sc. Lady Arabella Stewart's] so vertious behaviour, wherein I pray you … to continew, not that I doubt thereof being certified of so full concurse of nature and nouriture, bot you may be the more encouraged to proceade in your vertious demeanour reaping the fruict of so honest estimation, to the encresse of your honour and joy of your … freindes, speciallie of me whom it pleaseth most to see so virtious and honorable syonns aryse of that race whereof we have both our discent 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 121/4.
The principall blessing that ye can gett of goode cumpanie uill stande in youre mariing of a godlie & uertuouse uyfe 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 78.
He hath mareid Lady Margaret Seaton … a wyse and verteous lady 1660 Longforgan Par. 117 (see 1 a (b) above). 1670 Foulis Acc. Bk. liv.
Ane godly wyffe, wirteous and honest matrone(2) 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 47.
He … to prove the … conspiracy allegit ane fam[ous] witnes … the nobill and vertuus Lady Gy[ltoun] a1585 Maitl. Q. 281/3.
O cruel deith thow wes nocht ȝit content To cutt this noble lord with thy scharp huik Except his verteous lady excellent Thow cleik also 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. in Cath. Tr. (STS) 73 heading.
To the maist potent vertuous and Catholik princesse [etc.] 1584 Knox III 433.
To the right honourable and vertuous ladie, Alison Sandilands, Lady of Hormistoun c1590 Fowler I 15.
To the right honorable and most verteous ladye Jeane Fleming 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xvii title.
Epitaph of the wery excellent, vertuouse and trulie honoured lady, the Lady Arnestoun 1633 Annandale Corr. 289.
Remember my affectionnat duetie and service to your … vertiows lady a1691 Kingston Contin. Ho. Seytoun 58.
By this vertious lady he had 5 sons

2. Valorous, valiant, courageous. ?1438 Alex. ii 2086.
Lo! heir thre wenchis full pietuous, And we ar thre, stark and vertuous [F. vertuous] … The thre, I wait, weill luffis the tua [etc.] c1420 Wynt. viii 1345.
Jamys off Douglas … wes slayne at Ottyrburne He wes wertws, and manly And governyt the marchys wertwsly … Bot foure yhere erle … he wes; That tyme he spendyt in prowes 1456 Hay I 119/19.
Nowcht every man that is vertuous in the vertu of force settis thame nocht to poursu bataill c1590 Fowler I 16.
To illustrat … the names of thair [sc. the Romans'] vertewous, wysest, and valiant victors by … triumphs

3. Of actions, behaviour, speech, life, etc. a. Characterised by moral excellence, goodness and morality. b. Valorous.a. a1400 Leg. S. xix 634.
God to Christofore gafe sic grace Of vertuyse lare, that in hym was a1400 Leg. S. xl 50.
Vertuse 1456 Hay I 83/11, 20, 22.
Men sais in the buke of moralitee that it is mare vertuous thing to geve na to tak … And tharfore is it better to assaile na to defend … it is mare clere and mare vertuous thing to assaile … and mare is touchand to the vertu of hardynes, and sa is it mare vertuous 1456 Hay II 61/18.
Vertuouse 1456 Hay II 92/34.
It is mare glorious in a king that for his noble vertuouse and wyse speche his folk desyre … to here him c1490 Irland Asl. MS 1/26.
The viij chapitur tretis of vertuos fasting 1490 Irland Mir. I 64/17.
Thar appetit … was … gidit be ressoune and wertuis direccioune of the volunte a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 199 (Asl.).
Wertuos 1513 Doug. xi Prol. 25.
Wrangis to reddres suld wer be vndertane … To speke of moral vertuus hardyment, Or rathar of dyvyne is myne entent 1528 Lynd. Dreme 1075.
Exampyll to thy peple all, Exersing verteous deidis honorabyll 1531 Bell. Boece I iii.
The proheme … schawand the fine of vicius and virtewis leiffing 1533 Boece 492a.
Except familiare talk na thing bot vertuos langage was herd 1537 Kennedy Aberd. Ann. I 70 n.
That we wald our burght of Aberdene was in quyete … and the commound gud werteously spendit … and gewis ȝew leyff to cheys siclik personis … that are abill to minister in the officis be doyng of justice and wertewis using of ȝour commoun gud 1549 Compl. 2/3.
The vniuersal pepil ar be cum distitute of iustice … ande of al verteus bysynes of body ande saul a1568 Scott i 28.
Vertewus c1590 Fowler II 131/8 (see Vertuously adv. 1). 1591 James VI in Warrender P. (SHS) II 165 (see 1 b (1) above). c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxii 14.
Verteuis 1613 Crim. Trials III 245.
The said ileand of the Lewis quhair … Lord Pittinweme [etc.] … accumpaneit with dyuerse inlandis gentilmen, his Maiesteis peceable … subiectis war landit and in planting of dyuerse housses … lipning for nothing less nor to haif bene invaidit and withstuid in thais thair vertious proceidingis 1647 Cramond Cullen Ann. 44.
They shall leive honestly vpoun ther awin vertious industrie 1666 Laing MSS 350.
I dout not bot you will do in this lik your self but tho ther war nothing of vertious friendship in the case … I think they ar not wyss that will not mek ther owen shur and kynd friends as considerabell as they canb. c1590 Fowler I 6/12.
Thy vertuous valiant mind

4. Of a state, object, concept or quality: Of, pertaining or conforming to morality, moral excellence or goodness. c1420 Wynt. iv 1976 (see Haboundance n. (2)).
Wertuws c1420 Wynt. v 907 (W).
As in the ryall and vertuouse buke Ȝe may find writtin c1420 Ratis R. 1347.
Dyuisione … Betuex vertwis and vicious thing a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 939 (Asl.).
Off euery wo the werray deliuerans … Victorious tryvmphe of wertuos haboundans c1530-40 Stewart in Bann. MS 277a/3.
For to declair the he magnificens And grit bontie that into ladeis is The wirdines and vertewis excellens [etc.] 1549 Compl. 2/7.
Ȝour honorabil amplitude of verteouse dignite incressis daly 1551 Hamilton Cat. 107.
Quhasa wald … gyde thair toung … mone leir to haif thir thre verteous conditionis that followis. The first is use discretioun 1596 Dalr. II 169/21.
Quhen he cam to perfectioun this vertuous seid now sawne in his tender ȝeiris sa flurised and grew vp in him that [etc.]

5. Of a thing: Having power or efficacy. a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 4, 9.
Qwa wil the vertu wyt of stanis … ane … callyt is ‘Margaret’ Vertuyse, clere, lytil, and quhyt … Vertu it is blud to restrenȝe … & is vertuyse … Agayne ane il [etc.] c1400 Troy-bk. ii 205 (D).
A ferly token of the heuen … O thing full mekle werteous [C. wirteous] 1456 Hay II 129/16.
Quhat ever a man les of his blude … the vertuous sesone, with gude nutrimentis and governementis restoris naturaly all agayne 1456 Hay II 143/27.
Herbis of divers naturis faire and vertuous, gaynand for bathis 1494 Deidis of Armorie 58.
Escharbukle is a rycht vertues stane quhilk giffis clernes schynnand in al myrk place 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1483.
Verteous [L. vertuus] stanis … that blude wald stem Arundel MS 257/61.
Myr and must most vertius & suaif

B. adv. = Vertuously adv. 1. c1420 Ratis R. 421.
Do so wertows thi part That [etc.]