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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.

Ventour, -ur(e, -er, n. Also: ventar(e, -ir, went(o)ur, wenter, -ure, -ar. [Late ME and e.m.E. venture (a1450), venter (a1566), aphetic f. Aventure n. Cf. also Aunter n. and Eventure n.]

1. In various phrases, chiefly referring to the financial risk entailed in a commercial enterprise, usu. involving overseas trading. a. Upon (one's) (awin) ventour, at one's own risk, ? by way of a speculative venture. Also ellipt. b. To bere, bide, stand (the) ventour of (a circumstance involving finances, a financial transaction or a commercial enterprise). c. In (be) ventour, as or by way of a commercial enterprise entailing financial risk, accepting such risk.a. (1) 1572 Inverness Rec. I 219.
The said Gilbert … suld cause James Blair delywer me the said fische on the scheoir of Dundye … and fra the port of Dundye till France upon the said Johne his wentur(b) 1574–5 Inverness Rec. I 241.
Thrie barrellis beiff, quhilk the said Johne Neilson send wyth him vpon his awin wentour to be sauld in Flanderis 1590 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 260.
All boitis that arrywis within this burgh with vittual vpoun ventour … ilk boit sall pey … ane peck vittuall(c) 1663 Glasgow B. Rec. III 11.
The monye quhilk is to be deburst for the paill of belles to the steiple … be sent to Holland upon the tounes venterellipt. 1581 Lanark B. Rec. 79.
Comperet master James Weir and accepet the said offece of skuillmaster … The said toun sall pey the said James the said soum … with xl d. of ilk toun barne … and samekill quarterly, and his venter of uttounes barnes 1592 Lanark B. Rec. 108.
Venturb. 1584 Edinb. Test. XIII 152.
I haif ane ring & ane pece of gold pertening to … Mr. Alexander Roy quhilk lay me in plege & ar lousit bot not ressauit the ventour of the quhilkis he standis ay & quhill thay be ressauit 1588 Burntisland B. Ct. 5 April.
The said James to beir wentar off the said schipe 1589–1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 75a.
Thes is the count of the chelderis mony that I haue reseuet fra tham to delyuer to Wellem Loromelt for porofet as I do my awne tha berene the wenter as I do for my awne 1604 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 158.
I obleis me to … ather obteine … ane … chartour of alienatioun … to the said William … of the sevin merk land … or … delyver him the said gold againe, I bydand the ventour thairof fra this furth 1633 Lithgow Poet. Remains 90.
Where's the merchand that will freely enter, To put these men to work; and byde the venter Of doubtfull successe; … there's none … That now dare hazard further than his eye 1661 Glasgow B. Rec. II 464.
Exceptand alwayes all sick victuall … happines to be brought in by sie by friemen bearand venter therofc. (1) 1591 Edinb. Test. XXII 346b.
Send in wentour … four dayis befoir hir deceis in the schip callit the James … aucht last of barrellis 1591 Edinb. Test. XXII 362b.
Outreikit in ventare … xviij bollis salt [etc.] 1615 Edinb. Test. XLVIII 173.
In ventar to Dunkirk and Deip … woll hydis salmond and vther merchandeice 1615 Edinb. Test. XLVIII 179.
In venture in John Symson in Dysert his schip ane tun of wyne custome laikage and expensis being defrayit 1670 Paterson Ayr & Wigton I 74.
As to our French traid, we hav not had ane hogset of wine in venter there ten yeirs bygain(2) 1607 Glasgow B. Rec. I 265.
Ane Duchman … arryvit within the said river with the said schipe be ventour laidnit and burdenit with deilis

2. A commercial venture or enterprise involving a considerable degree of risk, chiefly in overseas trading. b. comb. With a commodity (salt, seck, etc.) for sale, and schip, the vessel carrying such a cargo. 1633 Lithgow Poet. Remains 90.
My townes are denude Of policie and venters; men please themselues, And care not though my fortune split on shelues: Haue I not floods and seas, good ships and ports? 1658 Glasgow Trades House 352.
Baillie Neilsoune … and the … bretherine of their counsall being conveined it is wnanimouslie condiscendit that they sall tack thar pairt of the ventar of salt offered and that the collectour give band to Alexander Cumyng for payment of the excys tharof … and the salt to be sellared downe the water 1670 Paterson Ayr & Wigton I 74.
And for our Norroway traid, it is weill known we had no venter to Norroway upon our own accompt this ten yeirs bygain 1670 Wemyss in Sc. Diaries 128.
I did enter in the corporation of the fisherie trade … and I to have my peart as other in the benifitte or my sheaire in the losse of the wenture 1684 Insh Colonial Schemes 164.
I suppose thou hast wrott ere now … to thy brother George and proposed to him to bring down his veshell here to carry passengers to East Jersey. I doubt not but he may make as good a venter that way as any he can propose, and knows how to project a retourn for himselfb. (1) 1652 Glasgow Trades House 303.
Fra the proveist for the hospitalls pairt of sume venture salt cam in £66 13 s. 4 d. 1663 Glasgow B. Rec. III 10 marg.
Venter seck 1671 Glasgow Trades House 450.
Ane ship of ventir daills lying at Greinock made offer of to the toun be Dirrick Petersone of fyftein leg dollors the hundreth(2) 1605 Glasgow B. Rec. I 239.
For … thair intromissioune with the townis pairt of the salt of the wentur schip brocht in be ane Dutcheman 1607 Glasgow B. Rec. I 265.
The saidis twa burrowis [sc. Glasgow and Dumbarton] haifand vndowtit rycht privilege and entres to the friedome and libertie of the wattir and river of Clyd, and to blok, by, and bargane all manir of ventour schipis and barkis cuming and repairing within the said river of Clyd 1607 Glasgow B. Rec. I 266.
The saidis balleis … findis that the said Williame Andirsoune [etc.] … to have done wrang in bying of the said ventour schip of deilis, and in making bargane and blok thairfoir privatlie … befoir any offir was maid to the saidis twa townis … and for preventing of the said ventour schipis incuming within the said river, thairby foirstalling the rycht … and friedome of the saidis twa burrowis 1651–2 Dumbarton Common Gd. Acc. 185.
The ventur shipp of Bristoll

3. Chance or risk of something. b. To geve a ventour, to make an attempt. c. In venter, in case (by chance). d. At a venture, by chance, without due consideration. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1862) I lxxviii 200.
Your Lordship hath now a blessed venture of winning court with the prince of the kings of the earth c1700 M. Bruce Good News in Evil Times (1708) Sig. A 2.
That it is better for you to come and take your venture of suffering nor bide awayb. 1561 Cal. Sc. P. I 610.
[Rather than this amity I have so long travailed in be not brought to pass] I shall geve a shrewde ventour, [trusting God will prosper all works laid on so] juste a fondationc. c1580 Maxwell Mem. II 147.
Cum ȝe nocht awey quhill ȝe gett ane releif in ventur itt cummer ȝow war efterwart 1590 Burel Pilgr. ii 433.
Gif thay … the perils ken Ill companie thay would seclud And hant with honest men Attend ye, and mend ye, That loups befoir ye luke, In venter, ye enter, Quhair ye resaue rebuked. 1630 Rutherford Christ & Doves (c1709) 22.
Met at a venture, and sundered at a venture