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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.

Ver(r)aly, -ie, Ver(r)ily, -ie, Ver(r)ely, -ie, adv. Also: verralye, werraly, weraly(e, -ie, veraily, verayly, veryly, verilé, werilie, ver(r)elie, verrellé, verelye, werely, -ie, verielie, werielie, vralie, warel(i)e. [ME and e.m.E. verraily (Cursor M.), verryly (Manning), verraly, verreyly (both Rolle), verali (c1350), verely (Wyclif), weraly (1422), varily (Cath. Angl.).] In truth, in a truthful or real fashion, in fact or deed, actually, truly, really. b. Placed at the beginning of a clause or sentence for emphasis.(a) 1375 Barb. xv 442 (C).
The Nevell, that wist werraly [E. witterly, E. (MS) wittily] That [etc.] a1400 Leg. S. xviii 1244.
I coniure thé That thu ma mare werraly se Quhat [etc.] ?1438 Alex. i 684.
Had he knawin him werraly, He suld [etc.] c1420 Wynt. ii 178.
A sone he gat on Saray, That Ysaak was calde werraly c1450-2 Howlat 264 (A).
Thai weraly [B. verelye] awysit [etc.] a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1036.
Verralie c1490 Irland Asl. MS 77/1.
I haue nocht trowit verraly and fermely that [etc.] 1490 Irland Mir. I 136/3.
This lady suld traist this weraly and gif ferme credens and faithe thar till 1490 Irland Mir. II 107/26.
Weralye a1500 Bk. Chess 312.
Verralye c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 180/90.
Gud Maister Walter Kennedy In poynt of dede lyis veraly 1513 Doug. xi vii 157.
Turnus, hed and causar verraly Of thir myschevis Arundel MS 280/57.
Grant me … to knaw veraly quhat euer thy sone desiris of me a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 117/14.
Nocht the les He is verraly God 1562-3 Winȝet I 87/19.
Gif ȝe beleue that our Saluiour did this thingis veralie and indeid, or be ane certane jouglarie craft(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxx 383.
Ve[r]yly c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 73.
Verily c1475 Wall. (1570) vi 34.
Verrily a1538 Abell 9*a.
Penitent verile wes kyng Mannasses 1569 Cal. Sc. P. III 33.
[I have] verilie langit to heir from your self 1647 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 81.
The … pestilence quhilk wes werilie instantlie expected to be [etc.](c) c1515 Asl. MS I 193/2.
And thus war the Pictis werely put out be ws Scottis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3278.
I promit thé verelie, To gif to thé ane cuppill of kye 1562-3 Winȝet II 42/21.
He tuke nocht our natuir on Him finȝetlie … bot verelie 1558-66 Knox II 298.
Thei verrelie supposed that the quenys majestie wold keapt promeisse made unto thame a1578 Pitsc. I 260/29.
Werelie 1584 Perth Hammermen fly leaf iii.
Quha sall be callit thair progenie Followand thair futsteppis verelie, In wark, in word [etc.] 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 161.
Swa that inspiratioune … cam verrelle and trewlie to pas(d) c1535 Lennox Mun. 347.
And me, warele, I wyll ay mak ȝow jug 1562-3 Winȝet I 86/22.
Thai call it [sc. the sacrament] … Christis body and bluid warelie [pr. warray body and bluid]b. a1500 Colk. Sow i 7.
And verrely as I hard [etc.] a1497, 15.. Gray MS vi 13.
Veraly may nane divyne The vanite that now avowis c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 99/52.
And verralie that war gryt rycht c1520-c1535 Nisbet Luke xii 44.
Verralie I say to you [etc.] 1524 Douglas Corr. 95.
Vralie ȝe sall knawe that I ame cumyt in this countrie tho speik with my Lorde of Lenox 1524 Douglas Corr. 97.
My lord, veraly I beleif surly the sammyne … of my suffrane 1532 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 128.
Verely I kene nocht quhydder Thome Patersone resavit thaim fra Volle Carnes … or fra Jok Hog 1533 Gau 72/18.
Veralie veralie I say to ȝow [etc.] 1551 Hamilton Cat. 131.
Bot veraily and properly thair is na goddis bot ane 1570 Leslie 72.
Verayly … no caus of brek was ministrat be either of the princeis a1578 Pitsc. I 225/29.
Werielie a1578 Pitsc. I 350/4.
The wickar ansuerit, werelie brother, I [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. II 70/30.
He sall fall into the myre. Ȝe verielie he is fallin into it alreddie a1578 Pitsc. II 72/5.
Verrilie I say [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. II 131/14.
Werilie