Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

(Schavaldour,) Schavaldwr, Schawaldowr, n. Also: schawad-, schawat- and -our; (schavadout). [ME shaualdour (Wyclif), shaueldore (Lydgate), schaveldowre (Prompt. Parv.), also schalldour (c1440–50), med. L. (Eng.) schavaldor (1322), schavaldus (1323), savaldor (c1330), saveldarius (a1347), AF schaualdour (a1369) a reiver; cf. OF chevalcheure (1250 in Godefroy) a group of persons on horseback, pursuit, etc., on horseback, cavalgadura (Wartburg) the action of going on horseback, cf. also v.r. cheualdre in etym. of Schaulder n. which suggests a connection with cheval in some form, and OF chevaler, chevaleter (Wartburg) to pillage, steal.] A reiver or brigand of the Scottish border region. — 1375 Barb. v 205 (C).
[For] a knycht … Said it wes to gret perell, So neir the schavaldwris [E. sodiourys] to ga c1420 Wynt. viii 4365.
Willame off Carrothyris … gat till hym a cumpany, That as schawaldowris [C. schawadouris, L. schavadoutis, Au., E.² schawatouris, A. outlawis] war wa[l]kand In till the vale off Anand