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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Valu(e, Val(e)w, Val(l)ow, n. Also: walu(e, walw, valeu, walew, -eue, valowe, -ou, walow, valay, -ie, vaulue, wailowe, vallue, wallow. [ME and e.m.E. valeu, valow (Manning), value (Piers Plowman), walew (c1460), vallew (1638), OF value.]

1. a. The monetary or equivalent value or worth of a thing, etc.; the equivalent of a thing in terms of money or goods, lands, etc. Also ellipt. = Val(o)ur n. 2 b. 1398 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 38.
[To] pay the valeu of the prisoners ravnsonid 1445–6 Aberd. B. Rec. MS IV p. 427 (25 Jan.).
John Red … aw to pay … xviij s. attour the walw of 6 hiddis 1550 Dundee B. Ct. II 13b (12 Nov.).
To cum vnder the (pane) of dowble the waleue of the saidis euidenttis 1551 Thanes of Cawdor 173.
The wailowe of the marriage 1558 Aberd. B. Rec. I 310.
The soume of twa hundryt four scoir and fywe cronis of the sonne, or thane the wallow thairof 1608 Crim. Trials II 556.
Scho sall … repay … the liquidat valew of thease jewallis 1653 Grant Chart. 343.
He wes forcit to sell … his living … far within the just vaulue thairoff 1660 Conv. Burghs III 502.
A jornall (which is the value of fyve thousand pund sterling) of copper money 1664 Dunkeld Presb. II 457.
That they showld appryse the said manse … and give in the iust value of it 1676 Glasgow Chart. II 193.
That the vallow of the guids may be confiscat 1690 Conv. Burghs IV 126.
That they take exact accompt … of the saids ships, ther burden and vallow of each of themellipt. 1397 Douglas Chart. 37.
Al thingis … thai sal … deliuir in als gude plite as thai ressayve thaym in, or ellis the valw 1662 Decree in Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS 21 July.
Soumes to the valow afoirsaid

b. Of (small, etc.) value, of the value of (something), intyll walu (so much), having the value specified, also, of walew, having a high equivalence in money, etc. = Val(o)ur n. 2 a.(1) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 842 (D).
Pryam, quhom-of thow Tuke so gret giftis of walew 1423 (1429–30) Reg. Great S. 31/1.
Gif … ony of thir commoditez and profittis … falye … he sal tak up … of the profittis langand to the chamerlanry of Ananderdale als mekil … as at that thyng wos of walow that sua happynys to falye 1570–1 Reg. Privy S. VI 203/1.
The said silver … is of the wecht, valu and fynes abonewrittin 1573 Reg. Privy S. VI 385/1.
The same personage is of sa small valew as thairby the said Mr. Alexander can not be … sustenit 1573 Reg. Privy C. II 218.
Gif ony … ordinance salbe brokin … that recompence salbe maid of the lyke pecis gif ony be in the castell … or ellis of the valu to be maid of thingis thair fund 1575–6 Reg. Privy C. II 498.
The gudis takin … ar … to be redressit of the single and principall valu quhair upoun the billis … ar … sworne 1587 Carmichael Etym. 37.
Nauei, of the value of a nut-schel 1610 Crim. Trials III 100.
Ane box of jewallis … of grit valew 1649 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 102.
All work … sall be elewin pennie fyne and if thair be any wark fund of less walew … he sall be lyable for the samen 1653 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 175.
Coyned and markt on both the flatt sides and edges by engines and mills of greate vallue and weight 1663 Peebles B. Rec. II 55.
Ane silver cup of the valie not exceiding fyve punds sterling(2) c1420 Wynt. iv 2532.
That denere … Suld have bene intyll walu [W. valew] ay Ten pennys

c. To the value of (a sum of money, etc.) also, to (small, etc.) value, to the value which. = Val(o)ur n. 2 c. c1420 Bute MS 141a.
The … ref of swylk a thyng … to the valw of swa mykyl 1445 Melville Chart. 30 (see Ourcum n.). c1522 Doug. in Doug. (Sm.) I p. cviii.
He has ressauit … to the support of Scotland, to the valeu … of twenty … thousand Franche crovnis 1526 Reg. Panmure II 302.
The said Elizebetht sall be maid assigna to lowis the landis of … to the valow and profits of ane thousand pundis 1547 Armstrong Hist. Liddesdale cxi.
A lytill towne … whiche the Lorde Maxwell haitht in fee ferme to small valew 1648 Misc. Maitl. C. II 460.
Armes and amunition … amounting to the valew of ten thousand pistols 1666 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 225.
That the saids baptisms did not extend to the vallow which befor they had been esteemed at 1669 Edinb. Test. LXXIV 4.
In ther sellar of drink to the vallow of xl lib. 1678 Edinb. B. Rec. X 347.
He had built to a considerable valew which he wes not obleidged to build … he aught to have allowance … and that he being peyed thereof [etc.] 1683 Misc. Bann. C. II 290.
Debts … Item, furnished to the scolledge of Edinburgh to the vallow of xxj l. 1692 Misc. B. Rec. 60.
The inhabitants … caused build ane new ship … and haveing bestowed upon her and her loadening to the value of 20 000 lib.

d. (For) so much (of) value, value so much, monetary worth or cost, usu. as laid out in an account. 1644 Acts VI i 76/2.
Payment of excise … holand cloath for the value of each tuentie shilline 1 s. 1644 Spalding II 313.
On everie tuelf pund value of all kynd of maid wark brocht home, xiij s. iiij d. 1673 Leith Customs 4.
8 knaggs black beare value 12 s. 1680 Blackness Customs 3b.
Leam plaitts valu three pund

e. A sum (of so much money), the amount of a fine, etc. 1535 Blackfriars Perth 225.
To compeir … under the pane of xi markis valay 1616 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 207.
He should never have … reaped the valow of one denier 1670 Ure Rutherglen 44.
They shall be lyable … in ane fyne and valow of twentie punds money 1671 Goudie Shetl. Antiq. 234.
Power … to pronunce and for payment of small sowmes within ten pounds Scottis money, and not to exceid the same valowe and amercemends of the said Bailye Court

f. At a price. 1667 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 246.
Selling the same at ane ordinarie valow

2. The worth or importance of a thing, the estimation in which it is held. Also applied to something of nugatory value. = Val(o)ur n. 3. b. Applied to a person. = Val(o)ur n. 4.(1) 1375 Barb. i 372.
Quhar it failȝeys na wertu May be off price na off valu To [etc.] 1379 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 2.
And in case gif I … in the contrare … sall attempt … I wil & granteȝ that our folowing be nocht herd as thing of na valu no of strenthe but fraude or gyle c1400 Troy-bk. ii 229 (D).
Pallas … Seyd that this tokene of walew [C. walue] Hade in it suche a wertue, That [etc.] c1420 Wynt. v 187.
Hale in to that land wes nane Tempill standand off walu c1420 Wynt. v 1351.
For thi suld men in thare yhowthede Be techyd well … Gyff that thai grewe swa off walu Throuch wyt wyrschype and wertu That [etc.] c1420 Wynt. vi 343.
He wes … In hys deyd bot a dasyd man In nathyng repute off valu, Na couth do na thyng off wertu a1599 Rollock Wks. I 405.
The letters … ar sair and strong, bot his bodilie presence is waik, and his speich is of na value 1632 Red Bk. Menteith I 356.
Whilk wes mor wallow to me nor if he had given me ane thousand crownes(2) c1420 Wynt. vi 2174.
I cownt noucht the tothire twa Wycys the walu [E. valeur, A., E.² waloure, L. valour] off a strab. c1420 Wynt. ii 725.
Sottys wyle off na walu c1420 Wynt. vi 2461.
Edgare Ethlyng Wes lytill for yowthhad off walu 1589 James VI in Misc. Spald. C. I 4.
We will dessir yow … that ye will send ws sic ane haiknay as ye will ansser for … as ye will testefie vnto ws your guid affectioun to our honour … and will do ws rycht acceptable plesour to be remembert aboue the walew 1692 Melville Corr. 171.
He saw our king still where the greatest heat of the fight was, and did declare that he had the highest value for him

3. The validity of a legal document or process. = Val(o)ur n. 7. 1398–9 Acts I 211/1.
That contremandment be of na valu na of effect 1399 Holyrood Chart. 113.
[The indenture] sall be of na valow … bot be qwit of it selfe 1434 Ayr B. Ct. 19 July.
The quhilk borht was of valow 1439 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 49.
Alssone as the payment of the saide tene pundis is made … this wedsett … sal be of na valew 1440 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 192.
His clamys richtis process … the quhilkis … sal be jugeit and admittit als ferre as thai arre of force and of valu 1474 Reg. Morton II 223.
[We] annullis destroys … & brekis al & sindry charteres euidentis … that may mak derogacioun … to the said lord … I wil thai be of na valou forse no effect in jugement 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 585.
Als diverse subjectis … hes takin assurance of the saidis thevis … and payand blak maill to thame … For remeid quhairof and releif of the … ignorant people that throw misknawlege of the valu of sic unlauchfull bandis [etc.] 1617 Ure Rutherglen 13.
That this present charter of confirmation … shall be of alse great vallow, strength, and efficasie [etc.] 1627 Rep. Parishes 4.
This waluation we testifie to be off walow onlie in tyme of peace