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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.

Vex, v. Also: wex. P.t. and p.p. also vexte, vexet, vext. [ME and e.m.E. vex(e (1426), wex (Alph. Tales), OF vexer, L. vexāre.] tr.

1. To harass, threaten, trouble, afflict (a person, land, etc.) (in his rights) (be, with violence, aggression, etc.) (for a purpose or to do something).(1) 14.. Acts I 7/2.
The … seriandis aw to suer … that the men duelland wythin the schirefdome wranguisly thai sal not vex 1456 Hay I 153/15.
He may … ask law and justice of him that agayn the law has vext him 1460 Hay Alex. 3464.
Sen that ȝe se ws vexit thus [sc. by an army] 1463 Wemyss Chart. 82.
Gyff it sall happyne me … till distrobylle, wex, inquiet, or infest the said Johne a1500 Henr. Fab. 2658 (Bann.).
‘Weill,’ quod the wolf, ‘ … ȝour fader … Held me at bait … He wexit me' a1500 Colk. Sow ii 188.
Men of grit availl That ar nocht wyis bot wrangus in thair deidis In cas thai mak the quhiles vex^t a1538 Abell 124b.
Wemen quhilkis quhilis without caus thai will wex thare husband a1570-86 J. Maitland in Maitl. F. 285/24.
Sa gude renoun quhilk raillarris rage reprevis Advansis moir, the more invyaris wexit 1596 Dalr. I 302/1.
Malcolme sair vexet was in the weiris(2) 1431 Highland P. II 167.
Gyf ony wald vex thaim or pled thaim in the rychtis of the saide landis 1465 Montgomery Mem. 35.
Gif it hapyns the said Schir Vilȝham … to be vext, inquiet, or distrublyt in the possessyon … of the landis 1474 Acta Aud. 36/2.
That Robert Patonsoun wex nocht thaim nor distrouble in the broukin & joysin of the samyne 1492–3 Acta Conc. I 281/1.
Dauid Balfour … as procuratour for Henrj Chene … askit a nocht that Johne Chene … persevit & vexit the said Henrj Chene in the landis of Mekle Arnage 1496–7 Acta Conc. II 59.
That the sade Georg suld broik and joise the twa merk of annuale … and that the saidis Wilȝeam … suld nocht vex nor distrouble him thairintill 1497 Acta Conc. II 82.
The sade Master Georg has … purchest the sade denery in the sade court of Rome … and tendis thairthrow to vex him [sc. Gavin Douglas] in his sade benefice 1498 Acta Conc. II 245.
Vexit and made impediment to thame in the having of thare merchandice to the schippis 1531 Boyd Fam. P. No. 8 (1 Oct.).
Quharethrow the sade Patrik … may be trubulit vexit or inquiet in the peciabill brouking … thareof(3) pres. 14.. Quon. Attach. c. 25.
Gif the party will vex the court be fraudfull & dissaytfull excepconis 1472 Lennox Mun. 87.
That I … sall neuer … distrubill, vex, clame, folow or perseu the said Lord … be ony maner of breve [etc.] 1473 Holyrood Chart. 152.
That na man … vex him with hors, haulkis or vthir sic chargis a1500 Henr. Fab. 2746.
Lordis that … settis to the mailleris ane village … gressome payit … Syne vexis him, or half his terme be gane, With pykit querrellis 1490 Irland Mir. III 133/2.
Thai truble the pepil infinit wayis vexand thame be thar officiaris, procuratouris [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I 137/15.
The king of Ingland … did wex my realme and leidges saiklesle witht incursiounisp.t. 1596 Dalr. II 313/26.
Euerie day tha vexed the Frenche men with lycht combatisp.p. 1447 (1450) Reg. Great S. 70/2.
Gif it happnis the said landis to be distroublit or vexit be way of Inglismen c1515 Asl. MS I 194/16.
We war … ay wexit with vther nacionis … and langast be the Romanis a1578 Pitsc. I 16/1.
Febill personis … quha ar maist crewellie vexit and afflicted be wicked vnhappie tyranis c1650 Spalding I 338.
Nicht and day, by his drinking, bosting, and bratlying, Mr. Thomas … ves sore vext c1650 Spalding II 320.
This … marquess is vext daylie with his fellow subiectis but auchtoretie of ane king 1660 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 55.
Ane certane knowen excysse upon all goods … is the only best meane to keep the leidges from being vexit and troublit by the questioneing of the exacters of the excysse 1705 Boharm Kirk S. 24 June.
The session, being wexed with delinquents(4) 1519–20 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 195.
For the payment of the quhilk sowme the merchantis … ar hevelie vexit, molestit and troublit c1610 Melville Mem. 324.
Vexing the haill wreters and lawers to mak sur his giftis

2. To distress, disturb, upset, agitate or annoy (a person, his mind, etc.) (with trouble, anxiety, etc.).(1) c1420 Wynt. iii 355 (W).
Quhen he persauit he wes Sa thraly throu his wantones Wexit [R. infesteyde, C. infest] sa that him behuffit Mak hir ansuere [etc.] c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 174.
Though that my spirit vexit was … In sueu[en]yng, alssone as euer I woke, By twenty fold it was in trouble more 1456 Hay II 125/8.
Bathe the membris of mannis body and his witt is than vexit and travailit 1533 Gau 94/25.
Al men quhilk ar vexit in thair hartt, doutand for thair sinnis a1538 Abell 74a.
For all wis wexand hold in ane hold man alanerlie cowitus wexis ȝoung 1569 Q. Mary in Facs. Nat. MSS III lix.
Thinking that the samin dois tuitche ws so hiechlie in honour and conscience that it … troublis and wexis our sprite a1578 Pitsc. I 33/5.
The kingis taikin … wexit him mair nor all the troubillis that he had of befoir(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 191/12.
I vexit am with havie thocht a1538 Abell 43b.
A wemen … at wes wexit with a incube 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 47.
And with thir outrages trauellit to vex his saule at his last braith 1596 Dalr. II 36/33.
The gouernour … was vexte hauilie with the ȝoung daftnes of his awne sones c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxxi 3.
My hairt is wexit inwartlie with pane & greif

3. To distress, afflict, trouble (a person, etc.) in his or her physical well-being, esp. with a disease.(1) 1460 Hay Alex. 122.
The childe began to steir, He vext hir sua, … That vneth mycht sche sit, stand, or ly, Sche was within sa trublit grevously 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV ii 67.
She … so vexit and weryt, that hir body, spirite and sences [etc.] 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 4.
Quhais bodie exteriourlie apperis weil at eis, bot interiourlie is maist heuelie vexit 1591 Edinb. Test. XXII 347.
Agnes Knychtsoun … perfyte in witt and remembrance wexit and diseasit in body(2) c1420 Ratis R. App. i 73.
Quhen the deuill fyndis a man wexit and torment with seknes [etc.] 1460 Hay Alex. 4.
The stour was gret, Thay war sa vext with pulder and with het 1531 Bell. Boece I 27.
Quhen thay saw thair freindis vexit with lang and irrecoverabill malideis 1535 Stewart 25907.
Vexit he wes with grit infirmitie 1545–6 Reg. Privy S. III 237/2.
Adam Ramsay … is hevelie vexit with the gut and gravell 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9591.
He was sa vext with seiknes 1596 Dalr. I 246/17.
Scotland … lang was frie [sc. of the plague] … Nathir saw ony man Scotland vexte with this seiknes

4. passive. To be busy, occupied. 1456 Hay I 241/4.
War the custume that is in Provence that women … led the bestis to the pasture, quhen the labourer war othir wayis vext