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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.

Purvay, -wa(y, v. Also: -waye, -wai; -vey, -wey; -woy. P.t. and p.p. purvait, etc.; also purvat, -voit. [ME and e.m.E. porueie(n (c 1290), purueie(n (a 1330), puruai (Cursor M.), -veye (15th c.), late ME also peruey (c 1400), late ME and e.m.E. also pourvey (1446), -ueye (Caxton), AF por-, purveier, purveeir, OF porveeir (12th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), veoir, -veioir, mod. F. pourvoir (L. providēre Provid(e v.).]Only in early texts, last recorded in 1513. Though the stress appar. more regularly falls on the second syllable, in several of the poets (including Barb., Wynt. and Wall.) there are also instances of appar. first syllable stress, as occurs also in ME.To purvey, chiefly in senses now obs.; to provide.

1. tr. To arrange beforehand, to bring about by advance arrangements; to prepare in advance, to make ready; also, to (fore-)ordain. Variously const.(1) 1375 Barb. xviii 58 (E).
We sall tak that God will purwai a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 977.
He gert purway A-pone Sancte Nicholas day A mangery 1513 Doug. iv viii 15.
Les scho onwar, but caus, hir deth purvayt, Hir list na thyng behynd leif onassayt(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvii 23.
God purvat hyme to be A chosine weschale c 1445 Liber Plusc. 386.
That thai ma nocht heire purvay To graith thaire gait on to thaire langest hame c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 827.
Than was nocht ellis bot quha mycht best purvay To graith baith hors and harnes for the day(3) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvii 77.
Bot God thane purvoit tho that he Ferlyt quheyne that cumyne mycht be ?1438 Alex. ii 7954.
The morne sall the great battell be, For-thy suld we puruey and se How that [etc.] 14.. Quon. Attach. c. 47.
The king … has purwait grantit & ordanit that … it be lefull [etc.](4) ellipt. 1375 Barb. v 74 (E).
That we samyn ta Dissese or ese … Eftyr as God will ws purway ?1438 Alex. ii 9480.
All thing gais As God demis, purueyis and mais c1420 Wynt. ix 1094.
In till the tyme [etc.] … The secownd Robert [etc.] … As God purwaid made endyng

2. intr. To arrange, provide or prepare in advance for or of (a probably or certainly forthcoming event). c1420 Wynt. ix 30.
The king set syne a certane day, And for his crownyng gert purvay 1456 Hay II 112/14.
Of ane unkynde ȝere of distresse of … vittailis, men may better purvay na it war unknawin na unpurvayde of before c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 318.
Sen man … mone de anis, it is gret wyt to purway weill tharfore in tyme 1461 Liber Plusc. 385.
This warld is maid for that warld to purvay 1513 Doug. vii vii 146.
Than bissely Rutilianys … Can athir othir fast exhort … for werfar to purvay

3. a. tr. To see to the provision of, arrange the supply of; to provide, furnish; to procure. 1375 Barb. iv 64 (E).
The erle … mete and fuell gan puruay [: ay] Ib. xi 76.
Wapynnys & armowris purwayit thai Ib. xvii 246.
He gert engynys and cranys ma And purwayit Grec fyr alsua Ib. 249. a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 1316.
The bischope … purwayt for thaim gud herbry c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1850 (D).
[That] Vlixes And Dyomeid … gart purwey Two fals lettres fenȝeandly

b. absol. To procure or furnish supplies; to provide (for a person). 14.. Acts I 335/2.
Of purwayaris … Quhar thai haf to puruay thai ger purway mar than thai haf in bydding and gaderis to thaim self singler proffyt ?14.. Ship Laws c. 6 (A).
The maister is nocht haldin to ger hele him [a wounded seaman] na to purway nocht for him [B. na to purvay for hym] a1500 Sir Eger 1245.
I bade the ostler … To purvey both for them and me

c. To engage or enlist for some function or post, to procure or ‘find’ (a qualified or suitable person). Const. for oneself or another or dat. pron. 1375 Barb. xii 220 (C).
That ilk man for his awne honour Purvay hym a gud baneour a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 148.
This byschape … Gret the clergy wakk … God to pray That thai mycht a gud man purway 1424 Acts II 8/2.
That the juge … purvay & get a lele & a wys aduocate to folow sic pur creaturis caus 1456 Hay I 115/13.
To ger purvay for thame lechis, and medicinaris c1460 Thewis Gud Women 292.
Norys thaim to perfyt age, And purway madenis of mareag Eftir thar stat

4. To provide, furnish, supply or equip (a person, or an establishment or an institution) with or of (something necessary or desirable).In the active, the obj. is freq. the reflex. pron.active 1375 Barb. iv 64 (C).
The castell weill vittalit thai With met and fwaill can purvay Ib. x 591 (E).
Than the erle … Puruayt him … With thretty men c1420 Wynt. iv 637.
Thai thame purwayd off diffens 1456 Hay I 165/6.
Bot a prince … suld purvay him of wis counsale before all thing, and syne of gude worthy men of were Ib. II 112/9.
And men wist … that it suld be a calde wynter this ȝere next tocum men wald se for wod and eldyn and purvay thame of better clething c1475 Wall. vii 496.
Off men and stuff it was to purwa new 1513 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 24.
That this said servand of his … awin proper cost purwaye himself of the samen [weapons]passive 1425 Acts II 11/1.
That all men … be wele purvait of the saide harnes & wapynnis Ib. I 113/2.
Purveyit 1494 Loutfut MS 15a.
Sic a noble office … suld be purvait of folkis that wnderstandis the said office Ib. 40a.
For he wes sa weil purvaid of al misteris be [etc.] a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 465 (M).
Had thay bein sa purvait of schot of gunimpers. passive 14.. Acts I *91/2.
Geyff scho haf noȝt of hir awin quhar of it may be purwayt hir of a man [L. vnde sibi prouideri poterit de viro] efter the estimacioun of the alderman [etc.] … it salbe purwayt til hir of a husband [L. de viro … prouideatur]

b. intr. for reflex. To provide oneself of (what is desirable). c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1488 (C).
Me think it sped … That … Of some defendour ȝhe purwaye

c. To procure or provide necessaries for (a person). d. To man, provision and equip (a ship, a city under seige); to prepare in this way. a1400 Leg. S. xvi 418.
Thane he & scho but abad Purwayt & a schipe redy mad Of althinge, that [etc.] c1420 Wynt. viii 3249.
And thare to ger hym purvaid be Ib. 5655.
Wyth Wate he tretyd off Curry, That purwoyd [C. purwaid, W. purwayit] a schipe in till [W. at] Dunde And hardy men thare in put he c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 4124.
With all power the citie purvayit he, For he wist wele thare was bot do or de 1513 Doug. x ii 54.
And netheles to mak reddy for weir Purvay thar schippis, provide armour and geir [L. præfigere puppibus arma]

e. ? To provide or prescribe legal action to be taken against (a criminal). c1420 Wynt. vii 2769.
Had he noucht thare-off dwne justys, Thai had hym grewyd mony wys As thai war purwayd [C. purwaide, W. purvait] off the lawe

5. reflex. To prepare or equip oneself, to make ready, make arrangements, take advance measures. Variously const.(1) 1375 Barb. xi 10 (E).
That sic space he had To purway him, he wes rycht glaid Ib. xvi 339 (C).
Quhen the housis biggit wer, He gert purvay hym richt weill thar. For he thoucht for till mak infair, And till mak gud cher till his men Ib. xi 75, 79, xix 535.(2) c1420 Wynt. vii 3074.
Fourty dayis assuffryd ware thai Thame for that passage to purway(3) 1375 Barb. xi 64 (E).
And all that luffis ws … Purway thaim at that time to be Boune a1400 Leg. S. xxxviii 569.
That I ma purway me to ga In honeste sic band to ma(4) 1456 Hay II 112/23.
For fault of corne or wyne … men wald purvay thame that thai suld pas with lesse