A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1412, 1468-1633
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Malvesy(e, Mavasy, n. Also: -vesey, -wesy, -vasy, -vasé, -wasy, -vysy, -vysie, mallvesie, -vissye; mavesie, -wesé, -wes(s)ie, -vasie, -wyssy(e. [ME. maluesye (Chaucer), mawvesie (1362), e.m.E. -weysy, -vasie, OF. malvesie, MDu. malveseye, -vaseye, -viseye.Ultimately f. Malvasia, the It. name of a town in the Morea, Gk. Monemvasia, where the wine was orig. produced.]
The wine, malmsey.(a) 1412 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 389.
That he had assithit fullely Lankyn Wist marchand of Brugis the price of a bote of maluesye 1468 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 23.
Of ilk tun wyne, xvj d. Item of ilk bote malvesy, xij d. 1499 Halyb. 181.
A bot off mallvissye cost … 5 li. 15 s. 1502 Ib. xxi.
Malwesy 1508 Aberd. B. Rec. I. xxi.
½ galloune of maluasy, price iiii s. 1546 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 124.
Malvysie 1554 Ib. 283.
In arlis of ane bloke of malvesey and figgs bocht be the town a1578 Pitsc. I. 337/1.
Batht quhyte wyne and clairit, mallvesie musticat and allacant(b) 1493 Halyb. 17.
2 bottis of mawyssye, ilk bot cost 6 li. 16 s. 1499 Ib. 181. 1501–2 Treasurer's Accounts II. 140.
Mavasy c1500-c1512 Dunb. xl. 14.
All wyne to test scho wald disdane Bot mavasy [v.rr. mawessie, mavasie] scho bad nane vder 1548–9 Corr. M. Lorraine 294.
Coper sal haffe them to his howse drynkand mawese a1578 Pitsc. I. 186/9. 1603 Philotus xx.
Than tak to stanche the morning drouth Ane cup of mauesie 1633 Edinburgh Testaments LVI. iii b.
Fyftie pyntis of mavesie at xxx s. the pynt
b. Attrib. with boce, bot and wyne. 1489 Acts Lords of Council I. 129/1.
Thre malvysy bocis — 1477 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 408.
A fat made of a malvasy bote 1510 Rentale Dunkeld. MS. 77 b.
Duo lie malwasy boittis 1512–3 Treasurer's Accounts IV. 470.
Ane malvesy boit of xl gallownis — 1554–5 Ayr B. Acc. 122.
Malvasy wyne [at 8s. 8d. per quart]
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"Malvesy n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/malvesye>
