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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.

Verify, Verefy, v. Also: verifij, -(i)e, veref(i)e, verrifie, werify, -(i)e, werefé, weryfy, -é, werafye, varefy, -é, warifie, warefy(e. P.p. also veryfit, werifit, warifiet. [ME and e.m.E. verifie (Chaucer), verify (1387-8), verefy (c1425), verrifie (c1449), veryfy (c1500), OF verifier, med. L. verificare.] tr.

1. To confirm the truth of, fulfill (a prophecy). 1375 Barb. ii 87.
I hop Thomas prophecy Off Hersildoune sall weryfyd [1571 verray] be In him … I haiff gret hop he sall be king 1456 Hay I 4/1.
The prophecyes … be verifyit in ȝour maist noble and worthy princehede 1456 Hay I 10/26.
Be the first angel is signifyed till us sanct Johne the Baptist … the quhilk is verifyit be the haly writt. For the prophetis callit him angel or he was borne a1538 Abell 31a.
The gret theif … gais clair away sa that it is werifit at is writtin Esa: … Princis & lordis ar … fostearis of thewis a1538 Abell 49a.
He fand the gretest hurd at euir wes fund … and sa wes werifeit the word of our salwiour Luc. 6: Date et dabitur vobis

2. To substantiate or confirm the truth of (something). a. By means of circumstances, events or facts. Also absol. b. With personal subject. c. Without specification of the agent of verification.a. 1456 Hay I 32/30.
The faith has tane mare … strenth throu … tribulaciouns … of haly marteris … na it did for the passioun of Crist for the tane has verifyit the tothir and borne witnes that [etc.] a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 354.
In to thy mowis and mokis It may be verifyit that thy wit is thin 1513 Doug. Comm. i Prol. 371.
Genus is that thing quhilk is common and may be verefyt of mony other thingis different in kynd … as this word, a beste, may be verefeit and is common till al and syndry kynd of bestis 1533 Boece 99a.
As the small pecis collectit ȝit verifijs 1567 G. Ball. 77.
Christ Jesus … is our aduocate … This can the scripture verifie 1570 Sat. P. x 413.
Resetting thé, now haif thay varefeit That thay bene weill contentit of this trasounabsol. 1584 Sempill in Sat. P. xlv 1027.
Albeit I was not there to see, He weiris it yit, to verefieb. 1535 Stewart 27616.
Lang peax … causis mony men The warld … to misken This suith example … I verifie ma richt weill be the Britis Quhilk throw lang peax [etc.] 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 88.
Mr. Randell … delyuerit to the said Johne Johnstoun thre thowsand crownis … at his cuming, the said Johne Johnestoun verifijt the samin in his faice 1584 Sempill in Sat. P. xlv 686.
As I befoir have specifeit, And Maister Willie will verefeitc. 1667 Strathendrick 10.
Anent ane scandell verifyed upon him for going to Edinburgh to ane sooth sayer

3. To prove (something) at law, by the production of formal (sworn) testimony or documentary evidence. Also const. that. Also absol.(a) 1478 Acta Aud. 60/2.
The saidis scheref deputis to be summond be the lard of Kynnoule to the said day to pruf & verifij ther executioun & indorsing foresaidis 1498 Acta Conc. II 219.
Verefy 1498 Acta Conc. II 285.
[To] cal … the persons witnes contenit in the assedatioun … til verify the sammyn 1537 Red Bk. Grandtully I 183.
To werify and appreif that he had fre regalite 1551 Prot. Bk. Sir Wm. Corbet 16.
Callit a certen personis and nychtburis to werefe the contract maid [etc.] 1551 Digest Justiciary Proc. B 57.
He producit na titill to verrifie that the hous … pertenit to him 1561 M. Napier Mem. J. Napier 70.
I nay it utterlie that the samin can ever be verefeit 1589 Misc. 3 Spald. C. II 5.
George Straquhin balȝe decernit ane testimoniall that it is sufficient verefeit and provin befor him 1592 Acts III 573/2.
Ony debt … verifiet be wreit or aith [etc.] 1625 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 151.
Thomas Blacwod so verifeit agains the said Patrik that he [sc. Patrik] shot & slew the dewis in his yaird 1672–3 Rothesay B. Rec. 244.
Quho depounit … the said sowme restan unpayit … which was verefeit be John Rankein who bocht a pairt of that making 1689 Acts XII 66/1.
The heraulds who denunced the viscount of Dundee at the mercat cross … did verifie their executiones upon oath(b) 1532–3 Bk. Dunvegan 71.
That ilk precept … execute varifiet and dewelie provin 1561 Misc. Maitl. C. III 289.
The saidis … diaconis warefyis that thai lawfullie chergit the said Mr. Thomas Meffen … to compeyr 1563 St. A. Kirk S. 156.
Fyndis the intent of the sayd Margret sufficientlie varefyed 1563 St. A. Kirk S. 187.
To allege and varefy sum … caws quhy [etc.] 1567 Digest Justiciary Proc. G 5.
Nathing wes prowin nor warifiet againes him 1582–3 Perth B. Ct. 9 Feb.
The … factis … knawne and varefeit in the iudgementisabsol. 1600 Crim. Trials II 121.
Anent [etc.] … ansueris that thair is na thing schawin to verifie; and protestis that it be nocht respectit vnto itt be schawin that we may ansuer thairto

b. To authenticate (a document). 1509 Glasg. Univ. Mun. I 46.
To the quhilk I haif pwt to mye litill syng and subscriptione manuall to warefye sammyne c1590 Skene in Misc. Stair Soc. I 101.
To werifie thé [Bell. Boece II 460, To verify that this is suith] this is suith I byte the quhit walx with my tuith a1605 Birrel Diary 34.
Hangit for making of fals writtis, and pressing to warifie the same 1629 Aberd. Council Lett. I 301.
To produce … his book of ressait verefeit be the skipperis subscriptiones

4. a. To confirm, ascertain or demonstrate the truth of (a situation, etc.) by action, witness or evidence, in legal or similar usage. Also absol. b. To confirm (a person) in his knowledge or understanding of a matter, to inform (him). c. reflex. To confirm (onself) to be (something), to justify (oneself).a. 1535 Glasgow Prot. IV 79.
[James Wallace made Andro Campbell his] assigna in and to his lyfrent … of vj ryggis of land … and to werafye the samyne hes ordanyt Jhon Park to paye yeyrle … to the sayd Andro viij merk of maell 1574 Reg. Privy C. II 382.
Quhilk with the forsaidis letters … being red … as alsua the haill narrative of the said supplicatioun verefeit and understand to thair lordships 1582 St. A. Kirk S. 492.
Being oftimes chargit be the assemble officiar, as wes verefiit [etc.] 1589 Exch. R. XXII 71.
Allowit to the comptar in support of his … expensis … in respect that it wes verefeit be the maister houshald that he wes nocht chairgeabill in the buikis of houshald for his meitt 1602 Conv. Burghs II 141.
Gif the schip … ressaue ony … skaithe and … the skipper wald put hir out of his handis than may he sell hir … ȝit sall he weryfe this before the best of his cumpany that thair was sic ressonable and neidfull occasioun 1629 Justiciary Cases I 115.
That thair confessioun uith thair confrontatioun befoir the pannell verefeis the indureance of thair confessioun 1629 Aberd. Council Lett. I 302.
Causing him send him his comptis … weill verefied a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 27.
That the chancellar command onlie matters to be called accordeing to the roll, and quhen any caus is sufficientlie verified, that he speir the votts 16… Exch. R. I 51.
That be thir rollis it is verified that in evrie schyre almest the king had castellis and housesabsol. 1633 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. V 555.
The procurator phiscall … producit the dittayis and desyrit the pa[nnell to be] accusit thairupoun and be put to the tryell of ane assyse. Pannell … denyit the first verefeitb. 1497–8 Acta Conc. II 107.
The lordis referris that mater to the Vycare Generale … requerand him that he … avise the proces and as he findis it and concludis in the sammyn that he send it to the lordis … that the kingis hienes may be veryfit in the mater how it is procedit 1498–9 Acta Conc. II 314.
Til require Schir Mychell Geddes chapellane and notar in the premisses til verefy the lordis in the thingis abonewritinc. 1661 Laing MSS 283.
He is very bussie in giving informatione for to verify himself, as the bearer will tell you of his being with the Lord Hackertown. It is a wonder how he hath the impudence to say [etc.]