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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Lew, n. Also lewe. [MDu. and Flem. le(e)uwe, lêwe, le(e)u lion, and also as the name of certain gold coins ‘minted by Counts of Flanders and other princes’ freq. gouden leeuw (after F. lion d'or). Cf. also Leo.]

A Flemish or Dutch gold coin current in Scotland in the latter part of the 15th century. Also lewis of gold.Occurring chiefly c 1460–c 1510. 1464–5 Acts XII. 30/2.
It is speidfull that the lew be proclamit to xiij s. iiij d. 1467 Ib. II. 88/2.
The salute, the lewe and the ridar sall haif cours in this realme of our mone to the valour and equivalence of the cours at thai haf in Flandris, That is to say … the lewe to xv s. vj d. 1468 Ib. 92/1. 1475 Ib. 112/2. 1483 Acta Aud. *112/1.
[He] sall restore … xxvij salutis & lewis, & of tha xvj lewis 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 86.
In a purs of ledder … foure hundreth tuenti and viij lewis of gold 1489 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 549.
To pay to me … the sowm of twa hundreth li. in gold, that is to say … the lew xiij s. 1488–91 Treas. Acc. I. 167.
iiij c. xxxij li. in foure hundreth foure score lewis and halue rose nobillis gevin for auchtene schilling the pece 1490 Ib. 170, 1494 Ib. 239, etc. 1496 Halyb. 9. Ib. 31, 51, 52, etc.
Ressauit … for fynans … thir stekis of gold … 8 lewis, price 7 s. 6 1501 Ib. 268.
A cron with the son, a lews [sic], iii Ongrs ducatis 1566 Crawford Mun. Invent. 22 May. II. 89.
[Coined gold consisting of] slycht crownis … , lewis of wecht … , soueranis … , ane yowpindaill [etc.]