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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.

Wit(e, Wyt(e, n. Also: vit, witte, wight, vyt(e, uyte, wyit(t, -et, vyit, wytt, wycht, quhyt, wait(t, wayt, weit, weytt. [ME and e.m.E. wite (c1175), wijt(te (both Cursor M.), wyte (Chaucer), witte (c1440), wytte (1470-85), wyght (1528), waite (1600), OE wíte, ON víti.]

1. Blame, fault; blameworthiness. Also, in legal contexts, fault, responsibility for instigating or carrying out an illegal act. Also attrib. with Layar n., appar. in a personal name, one who lays the blame, an accuser or prosecutor in a legal case.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxii 632.
In science he wox parfyt & leid his lyf for-outyne wit a1500 Lay of Sorrow 37.
Gif I pray than semith myn the wyte 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 107.
I trest the wyit of this that he did was alluterlie be my Lady Errollis cast 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xix.
The wyte makes a wrong no more the better, nor did the trajection of our first parents fall 1677 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. III 179.
There were no children … of the marriage … because it was her own wyte that did not cohabit(2) 1516 Fife Sheriff Ct. 48.
The saidis Dauid & Marioune … war qwytt … of the said distroubilance bloid drauing & of the witte of the samyn 1518–9 Fife Sheriff Ct. 132.
Duncane Jamisone [etc.] … war maid quit be the said assise of the wyte of bloid & spoilȝe alegeit done to Johnne Scott 1524 Carnwath Baron Ct. (SHS) 18.
Jhon Veir grantit the blud & deniit the vyt 1531 Hannay College of Justice 34.
And he falȝe to do the samin it salbe imput to his negligence and wyte 1609 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 54.
Decernis William Fullartoun … in v merkis of vnlaw for stryking Niniane McClamroch … and decernis Niniane for vyte conforme to the actis 1667 Stitchill Baron Ct. 48.
Doe all in ane voyce convict and declare … ilke ane to be guilty of the wyte of the said ryot(3) 1317 Aberd. B. Rec. (SHS) 8.
Alexandrum Wytleyir, prelocutorem suum inculpauit Adam Fullonem quod idem Adam [gap] sua defamauerat, vocando ipsum falsum hominem 1317 Aberd. B. Rec. (SHS) 9.
Eodem die Johannes Halt per Alexandrum Wytleyir [gap] inculpauit [gap] Tidemannum Breme [etc.] 1317 Aberd. B. Rec. (SHS) 14.
Eodem die … comparauerunt in curia Johannes [etc.] … actores ex parte una, constituentes Dauid Cryn et Alexandrum Wytleyir suos prolocutores

b. To have (get, beir) (the) wite (of), to be at fault. Also proverb.(1) a1400 Leg. S. iii 804.
Fore commowne profyt, To wre leile men that had no wyt 1443–4 Aberd. B. Rec. I 10.
That Marioune … hes complaynit … that he … had al the wite c1450-2 Howlat 68 (B).
I se be my schaddow my schap hes the wyte 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 2165.
Thy vile indite Sall not be mine. I will not haue the wite! 1513 Doug. ix Prol. 71.
Gyf ocht be weill thank Virgil … Quhar ocht is bad … My lewytnes … hes all the wyte 1531 Bell. Boece II 164.
Quhen uncouth ky fechtis … gif ane … happenis to be slane and uncertane quhat kow maid the slauchter the kow that is homill sall beir the wyte [M. wite] 1564–5 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 142 (see Wit n. 8 a).
Wyit a1568 Scott xxxiv 129.
Thus ȝe haif all the wyte … That suld haif wit … And wisdome 1600-1610 Melvill 54.
The regent keipit the benefice in his hand undisponit mikle of twa yeir, alleaging, that Mr. Andro haid the wait, wha … wald defraud that collage … of sic a benefit because of his new opiniones 1603 Philotus 292.
His wyfe gets all the wyte c1610 Melville Mem. 80.
Gene ane promysis be maid … and not kepit, the king nor I has not the wyet 1634 Sel. Biog. I 282.
It is not my going that has the wyte, but my miscarrying minde 1639 Baillie I 183.
Let these whose untymous rigour hes at leist some part of the wyte answer itproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1436.
What wyt had the kid quhat the auld goat did(2) 1443 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 415.
Oure said cousin … has na wyte of the gret hereship made … vpon yhou 1456 Hay II 30/4.
Knychtis has mare wite of the mysgovernaunce … and mare dishonoure a1487 Gud Wyf & D. 269.
Vit c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 149/101.
Quod Ressoun than, The ballance gois unevin … I have not wyt thairof, quod Temperance 1533 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 104.
Gif he hed the wyit or ony falt art and part of the samyn 1535 Stewart 14433.
His negligens … Had all the wyit of his calamitie 1543 Linlithgow B. Ct. 2 April.
Se gyf thair be ony faltis in Godis seruice … and quha hes the wit thairof 1571 Sat. P. xxvi 80.
Spair all sic … had na wyte of nouther of thair deids 1600 Acts IV 208/1.
He … cryit … 'Allace! I had na wyte of it' 1602 Conv. Burghs II 140.
Gif the geir be spilt be leik, quhairof the skipper … hes na wyitt 1605 Dundonald Par. Rec. 75.
He haid the vyt of all the ill weddir the yeir c1610 Jok Uplandis Newis 1a.
Now guid man quhat neides yow spear … nothing has the wyte of this bot pryde 1628 Linlithgow B. Rec. 8 Feb.
That he had the wyitt of all done to the craft for selling deir schoone(b) Hawick Arch. Soc. (1908) 100.
Her Majesty said that all the shame that wes done, that, my Lord, ye shall have the wight of

c. To (im)put, lay, give, etc. wite to or with indirect object, (up)on or in a person. Also with wite as the subject of redundis.(1) ?14.. Ship Laws c. 21 (H2).
Geif thai tak scaith the maistir is haldin to mak all gude and he aw nocht to put the wite to the ladismane c1450-2 Howlat 995 (A).
Wryth me now wyte 1460 Hay Alex. 203.
Thair may nane put wyte vnto the worthie king 1528 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 295.
Sa that weir sal happin to mufe tharthrow, the hale wyte tharof salbe laid to his charge 1528 Douglas Corr. 138.
I gave his grace na wyte of ocht that was done to me 1533 Boece 411b.
The hale wite of the murthure suld be ascrivit to the cubicularis 1535 Stewart 8632.
Put the wyte of all the haill mischance Till ill gyding 1535 Stewart 30159.
No wyit thairof to thame redundis 1537 Acts Sederunt i 31.
That na wite, reproche, nor cryme, be imput to him thairfor 1555 Aberd. B. Rec. I 283.
Vyit 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1681) i 59.
Other some brought home the pox; Giving foul linnings all the wite(b) 1550 Reg. Privy C. I 104.
In caise ony failȝie be maid, he salbe … accusit thairfor, and the witte salbe imputt to him as accordis(c) a1578 Pitsc. II 157/27.
They gif ȝow the haill quhyt(d) 1561 M. Napier Mem. J. Napier 74.
Gyf Jhone makis ane uthir rehairs to excus hymself, and to put the weit to me Lord, belyf it nocht(2) a1508 Want of Wyse Men 50 (Bann.).
Quha hes the war is worthin on him all the wyte 1535 Stewart 6762.
I bid nocht for to nyit On thé he lais the haill caus and the wyit a1570-86 Maitl. F. 39/51.
Sum the wyt on thair wyffis layis 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 34.
Of all this ȝe can lay the wyte on na man vther bot ȝour selffis c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxv 12.
Mistrust … hes baneist esperance That I am forceit to perische quhae sould mair & trast the wyte vpon rememberance 1614 Melrose P. 164.
Ane verie byiting lettre, laying the weytt of the taking of the house … vpoun the negligence of my keiparis thairof 16.. Hist. Kennedy 41.
Wytt 1648 Baillie III 46.
Casting the wyte on others(b) 1600-1610 Melvill 688.
The abot laid all the waitt on the bisschoppes(3) a1568 Bann. MS 13a/112.
The serpent … Perswadit me … In him lyis all the wyte 1629 Maxwell Mem. II 202.
I was plane with his lordship that he was pairt of the wayt thairof … he pat the wayt in me

d. (To be) in (the, his) wite (of something), to be in the wrong.(a) 1425–6 Acts II 12/2.
Gif the balȝeis … findis na man in wyte bot of suddande case that may nocht be forsene [etc.] 1518–9 Fife Sheriff Ct. 132.
[They] had wranguslye … draune bloid … and war baith in the wyt tharof 1530 Misc. Spald. C. IV 141.
Gif the said George … beis diuorcit … fra the said Elizabeth … and the said George in his wyt and defalt will not contract mariage lauchfully agane with hir 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2114.
Of that cummer I sall mak ȝou quyt Howbeid ȝowr self be in the wyte And mak ane fals narratioun 1546 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 548.
[The lords found the macer to be the cause and mover] and in the wyte 1560 Cal. Sc. P. I 488.
[I can] wyt [no man but him, being in office, but whoever is in] wyt [ … ye know the great inconvenience which will follow] 1606 Inverness Rec. II 41.
The judges … fund the said Thomas in the weit 1643 Falkirk Baron Ct. 9 June.
Vnlawis the said Allexander … in ten pundis he being fand in the wyte of all 1643 Baillie II 65.
I am much in the wrong, and yow are a part in the wait of it 1668 Corshill Baron Ct. 79.
Likewise found the said Jonet in wytt thairof by her provocationes(b) 1607 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 52.
The inqueist fyles Androw Davidsone in the wycht of the tuilȝe betuix him and Jhone Wauchie

e. Of blame: To be (ly, remain) in a person or thing. 1513 Doug. xiii vii 86.
I trastit evir thar was no wyte in thé 1535 Stewart 34355.
Sayand … Of the grit wrang wes done to him … the wyit wes all into his bruther 15.. Clar. ii 312.
Lady, in him lyis all the wyt; Bot ȝit … Ȝe sall have mercie heir of his misdeid 1569–70 Waus Corr. 67.
We protest … that the wyt is nocht in ws bot in thame that refuissis 1570 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 646/1.
Gif the saidis masounis … happyn to ly idill for non furnissing of the said money … the wyte thairof sall nocht be in the saidis masounis bot in the inlaik of money a1599 Rollock Wks. I 392.
The wyte is in ȝour blindnes that ar appointed to damnation 1605-6 Welsh Forty-eight Serm. 485.
What is the cause that so many perish? … the wyte is in the men themselves 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. iv 15.
Causles is sche blaim'd, in hir no wayt remaines 1614 Aberd. Council Lett. I 128.
For I have … send you thair counsell quhilk ye refusit … swa that the wyt be in ȝour selff 1615 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 45b (17 Jan.).
That … scho sould returne to cohabeit with hir husband or els to report ewidence that the wyt was in him

2. The source or origin of blame; the instigator of something blameworthy. 1513 Doug. i Prol. 360 (Sm.).
Our langage is imperfite, Quhilk in sum part is the caus and the wite, Quhy that of Virgillis vers the ornate bewtie Intill our toung may nocht obseruit be 1513 Doug. xii x 115.
Scho was the caus and wyte of all this greif 1535 Stewart 25064.
How Wortigerne wes all the caus and wyte Of baith the battellis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2454.
I am the wite … of hir deid a1568 Bann. MS 212a/21.
I dreid me soir that thow be fund the wyt 1568 Cal. Sc. P. II 498.
Hir grace self is all the wyitt 1558-66 Knox II 70.
Sche was nocht the wyte, bot the wickit counsell of hir freyndis 1591 Annandale Corr. 275.
We ar nocht the occasioun nor wyte of ony evill heirefter 1596 Crim. Trials I ii 396.
Williame Bannatyne wes the wyte of all the Maister of Orknayis plattis laying 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 90/5.
Thay are the speciall uyte of the corruption of the cunyee a1599 Rollock Wks. I 396.
Thou mon ever be the wyte of thy awin deith 1629 Monteith Stewartry Ct. 17 Dec.
Jon M^cgrewour … was the wytt and occasioun of the blude … committit be him vpoun the said Jon 1629 Maxwell Mem. II 202 (see 1 c above).

3. Further examples of Bludewite n. 2. 1147–1218 Liber Calchou in Barrow Anglo-Norman Era App. C 119.
Blodewite c1200–10 Barrow Anglo-Norman Era App. C 202.
Blodwit