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

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

Werra(y, Warra(y, v. Also: varra(y, war(r)y, verray, werrey. P.t. also wairt. [ME and e.m.E. warrai, werrai (both Cursor M.), werray (a1340), werrey (Chaucer), warray (a1513), OF werreier, var. of guerreier.]

1. tr.To wage war against (a ruler, country, etc.). Also transf.pres. 1375 Barb. ii 465.
To … serve the king off Ingland … And werray the Brws as thar fa 1375 Barb. viii 24.
Fayne wengyt wald he be, And send Philip the Mowbray With a thowsand … Off men … To Kile for to werray [C. varray] the king 1375 Barb. viii 365.
Giff he come rycht with the king Come he to werray [C. varra] Scotland 1375 Barb. ix 646 (C).
Warra a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 328.
Sone cane sume folk assay Of Rome the emperoure to verray ?1438 Alex. ii 1381.
Ȝe wary [F. gerroier] hir and all hir kyn; Hope ȝe sagait hir lufe to wyn? c1420 Wynt. ii 1526 (C).
Out of Grece be consail wes To warry thaim sende Ercules 1460 Hay Alex. 10591.
Quhat wourschip is to thé or quhat honoure To warry folk that levis on labourep.t. c1420 Wynt. i 1363.
This Bretayne, Quhen Peychtys warrayd [C. warrayt] it stoutly [etc.] c1420 Wynt. iv 632.
Yonas nere by the se Wytht his nawyne warrayde [C. warrayide] he c1420 Wynt. iv 1226.
Brennyus … Warrayid [C. warraide] wytht the Frankyis men, The Romanys in to thai dayisp.p. 1456 Hay I 140/20.
Gif a lady … is warraid with a hautane knycht of Gascoyne 1456 Hay I 161/20.
Quhat caus makis thir sely creaturis for to be warrayittransf. a1400 Leg. S. xxxii 136.
Scho had tane Cristine fay, That he to werray schupe hym ay

b. To persecute, annoy (a person). Cf. Wer(e v.² 2.(a) a1400 Leg. S. ii 541.
Saule, Saule, quhy warrais thou me? a1400 Leg. S. ii 622.
Is nocht this he, that all the men Werrayt in Jerusalem a1400 Leg. S. xxx 504.
I suere thé, … That werra thé sa sal I That thu sal reny Hym ful sone, That for thé one the croice wes don a1400 Leg. S. xl 286.
It ware throu hym that he ay Schupe hyme of pryd to verray 1456 Hay I 17/6.
Sanct Augustyne, Sanct Jerome, Sanct Ambros, … with mony othir quhilkis warrayd the inymyes of the faith(b) 1619 Ritchie Ch. S. Baldred 116.
Euphemia Wolf … confessit that she had fallen in fornication with ane man quha had forcit hir … He cam fra Dunbar, wairt her on the road … she alleges she could find na help

2. intr.To make war (on a person). Cf. Wer(e v.² 1. Also fig. 1375 Barb. i 140.
Messingeris till hym [sc. Edward] thai sent, That was than in the haly land On Saracenys warrayand 1375 Barb. ix 655.
In a ȝer sa werrayit [C. warrait] he That he wane qwyt that countre Till his broderys pes the king 1375 Barb. xii 363.
Bot quha-sa werrayis wrangwysly Thai fend God all to gretumly ?1438 Alex. ii 9953.
Towart the south he waryed lang c1420 Wynt. i 1369.
Thai off Denmark warrayd [C. warrayit] Bot yhit thai tynt it at the last c1420 Wynt. iv 2433.
Tyberyus wes warrayande [W. werreyand] Thre yhere in this Duch-land c1420 Wynt. vii 3148 (C).
The kynge of Frawns … To warray past on Goddis innymys Than in to the Halylande 1460 Hay Alex. 9111.
Quhen Gaudefere warrayit with duke Bitesfig. 1456 Hay I 110/4.
Thare suld na subject obey till his soverane to werrey agaynis his God