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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pover, Pouer, Power, adj. and n. Also: pouere, powere, -ir. [ME and e.m.E. pouere (Layamon), pouir, -er (Cursor M.), poer (Wyclif), poeu(e)re (14th c.), pover(e (Gower), power (York Plays), poware (1554–9), OF povre (c 1050), povere (also poure: see Pour(e adj. and n.²⁾, (mod. F. pauvre): cf. Pour(e and Pur(e.] Poor, in applications of Pur(e adj.² and n.

A. adj.(1) predic. a1400 Leg. S. xxiii 98.
The sewine … gafe largely Til al that pouere ware 1527–8 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 93.
That all maner of man, pouir and reich, … sal … follow the fray(2) 1375 Barb. xvi 292 (E).
Bot for a pouer lauender ?1438 Alex. ii 6989.
Power worthy men c1420 Wynt. vii 3599.
Yhwmen powere karl or knawe That [etc.] c1460 Thewis Gud Women 4.
Pouer 1515 Treas. Acc. V 34. 1527 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 90.
That schir Niniane Brydin gat comand of the lard to posseid the ground with the samyne poundis of the pouir manis … for the said pouir man is stringibill in your tenement 1531 Ib. 115.
This inquest … lycens Michaell Loremer with favouris, becaus he is ane pouer man, to byg at [etc.] 1531 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 358.
[As Douglas is] ane pouer gentilman [and cannot well furnish his own expense (etc.)] 1537 Crim. Trials I i 180.
Sene we ar pouer men and hes no … guddis to sustene ws 1561 Reg. Privy C. I 191. 1561 Thirds of Benefices 69.
Fra thge pouer parochinaris be reasone of thair extreme povertie 1563 Reg. Privy S. V i 396/1.
As provisioun for the pouir bursouris and maisteris to teche 15.. Black Bk. Taymouth 155.
We among ws ay sall … rype in faith mony pouir wedois skelf 1566 Reg. Privy C. I 460.
And the said James ane sobir pover gentilman is flemit fra his awin hous 1567 Ib. 517, 586. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 262.absol. superl. 1532 Acts Sederunt I 9.
Bot do ws justice as … aucht to be doune to the pouerest of our realme(3) a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 91.
Tho scho wes in pouir stede(4) 1375 Barb. iv 343.
The pouir folk of this cuntre Ar chargit … Of vs, that ydill lyis her a1400 Leg. S. xxx 219.
As the pouir folk sais of thé 1525 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 78.
Power 1571 Treas. Acc. XII 280.
Pouir — a1400 Leg. S. vi 453.
Vith powere folk com to the place 14.. Burgh Laws c. 70 (B).
And the brede sal be delt to pover folk — 1527 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 85.
Under the pane of delyng all the laif to the pouer foulkis 1541 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. vi Myller v Huntar.
We will … minister iustice in the sad mater insafer as we may of law vpoun Friday in the pover folkis tabill(5) a1400 Leg. S. vi 224.
& the apostile … Pouer men relewit mony ane Ib. v 120. 14.. Burgh Laws c. 73 (B).
And the ale sal be delt to povir men(6) 1560 Maxwell Mem. II 23.
Swa that the withhaldaris thairof oppres na fardar the pouir peopill of the cuntre(7) 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 201.
And put to libertie with the remanent pover personis that wes in the said place(8) 1458 Perth Guildry 451 (10 Nov.).
And thai ar oblist to mak na wranguse extorsionis of the power comonis(9) 1565 Reg. Privy C. I 402.
That thair majesteis pover liegis sall allutirlie be … defraudit of thair sustentatioun(10) 1492 Reg. Episc. Morav. 244.
The corn that growis in the grond perteining to the said housis be gevin to the power men of the samyn for this crop 1568 Maxwell Mem. II 2.
And amangis the rest, as he sayis, thir puyr men, viz: Johne Scheillis [etc.] … ar comprehendit vnder his escheit, be ressoun the said Lard of Nethirpollok is rentallar to the bischop of Glasgow of the pover menis landis; and swa nane aucht to haue ado with the pover men bot onelie he(11) 1589 Misc. Spald. C. II 278.
Seing … the mutabileteis … daylie falling furth amongis the haill estaitis of this power realme(12) 1424 Cambuskenneth Let. to Jas. I.
Ȝour pouer chapellaynis the abbot and conuent of Cambouskynȝ a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 921.
A power seruand for the gret Prince of Price 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 80.
And to our pouir powaris we salbe trew Scottis men 1558 Acts II 524/2.
To flie furth of this realme … for salftie of his pover life as natour directit c1616 Hume Orthog. 3.

B. noun. The poor, collectively. a. absol. b. plur.a. (1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 338.
He suld thochtful be Of pouer that ware in necessite c1460 Consail Vys Man 359.
And help all power at thi powar 15.. Black Bk. Taymouth 164.
Oppres to pouir na way with violence(2) ?1438 Alex. ii 10306.
He sparit nothir pouer nor rike(3) 1375 Barb. xx 604 (E).
The gud erle gouernyt the land And held the power weill to warand a1400 Leg. S. xii 263.
Powere c1460 Dietary 45.
Wise[t] the pouer [v.r. puyr] 1540 Treas. Acc. VII 336.
To the advocat for the pouer for his fee, xx li. 1566–7 Reg. Privy C. I 498.
To the pouer and hospitallis of everie burgh 1572 Thirds of Benefices 241. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 35.
So the pover was herijt 1605 Melvill 597.
Powirb. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 262.
To the great greiff of the poveris 1589–1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 1 b.
For the poueris, iii frankis