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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.

Vow, Wow, n. Also: vowe, wowe, wou. [ME and e.m.E. vou (c1290), vowe (1297), vow (Cursor M.), wow (Rolle), OF vou, vowe; Avow n.¹]

1. a. A solemn promise made to God, a saint or a pagan deity to carry out some deed or behave in some particular way in return for a favour or as a result of some event; a solemn engagement or resolve to behave in a particular, morally uplifting, fashion or achieve some morally desirable goal, esp. const. to mak. Also attrib. Passing into b. An oath functioning simply as a threat; threatening behaviour more generally. Some examples in b may belong in a and vice versa. c. I dare la wow, I make a wowe, I swear, I dare say, I guarantee.a. (1) c1420 Wynt. vi 454.
This Pape … Be wow [C. wow, W. He hecht] and clere devotyowne To the kyrk ilk[a] yhere … he heycht a denere To pay a1500 Bk. Chess 1203.
With men of armis come I heir to fecht As in a wow to gret God I hecht ?a1500 Obsecro 95.
My maneris and my lif to leid, My wowis and my ȝarnyng for to speid c1515 Kennedy in Asl. MS II 274/57.
Thocht we brek wowis prayeris pilgrimage & hechtis To the rosare and rute of our remeid 1535 Stewart 31158.
This gude Hungus … Completit thair baith pilgremage and vow 1580 Facs. Nat. MSS III lxx.
We abhorre … woues to creatures … purgatorie, prayeris for the dead 1690 Acts IX 127/1.
Of lawfull oaths and vows. 1. A lawfull oath is a part of religious worship … the person swearing solemnly calleth God to witnes what he asserteth or promiseth(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 1030.
To Sancte Nicholas he mad A wow, gyf he a knaf-chyld had that [etc.] a1500 Henr. Bludy Serk 80.
He said ‘ … think on it and syne on me Quhen men cummis ȝow to wow.' The lady said ‘Be Mary fre, Thairto I mak a wow’ c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3079.
Tyll his God ane wowe he maid … gyf he wan the victorye, That he the quene suld crucifye 1570 Leslie 130.
His life wes saiff … for the quhilk he thankit God and maid a solemnit wow he suld nevir be langar ane courteour a1578 Pitsc. I 17/10.
The queine … haid maid ane vowe to pas in pilgrimage to the quhytt kirk of Bricheine a1578 Pitsc. I 229/8.
To tak curage aganis thair enemeis of Ingland quho had suorne and maid thair wowis that they sould haue ws pressonaris(b) a1400 Leg. S. vii 79.
James mad a wou, that he But ony met ore drynk suld be, Til his Lord Criste that he had sene(3) attrib. 1600 St. A. Kirk S. 921.
David Lentron … delyverit to the thesaurar of the puir the sowm of threttie tua lib., as ane pairt of the vow silver gadderit in his ship this last veyage, desyring the samin, with the remanent sowmes gevin be marineris of this citie and thair equipages, to be bestowit upon rent to the puir, that the stok may be furthcumand to the use of the puir to quhome it is grantitb. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 368.
Thai mak gret aithis for lytill thing, Gret wous and gret manasing c1460 Thewis Wysmen 452.
Thai … wareis God of thar mail-es; … With wowis, aithis, and crakis gret 1460 Hay Alex. 1020.
Rycht gret wowis of thé I hard him ma, Sayand … That thow was bot ane ȝoung folt and a page [etc.] 1460 Hay Alex. 3796.
The douzeperis than gret wowis and mannance made Ilkane said and thai Graudefere now hed Be thare godis all, he sould [etc.] c1475 Wall. ix 995.
To God a vow I mak beforn And thai brek out to hyng thé heych to morn 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii 46.
Sair boistit thay my husband commoun-weill, And maid thair vowis and aithis him for to keill 1600-1610 Melvill 167.
Vowes maid be Captean James … that giff Mr. James Lawsone's head war als grait as a haystak, he sould cause it lope from his hausec. c1460 Consail Vys Man 352.
Lawte brekis nocht for no mycht, And suppos for a tyme it bow, It sall recouer I dare la wow a1500 Seven S. 814.
Bot ȝe him sla he will sla ȝow For it is lyke I mak a wowe That mair mischeif sall fall ȝe Than [etc.]

2. A solemn engagement to devote oneself to the religious life and abide by its rules, specif., of chastity, poverty and obedience.(1) a1400 Leg. S. x 380.
Eufagen[e]a, Throw a wou & halowit vaile alsa, Is spousit to the kinge of hewyn 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3387 (Ch.).
This abbot and this priores … Examine them … how thay obserue thair vowis 1562-3 Winȝet I 112/3.
Gif it be lesum or nocht that men of perfite aige, … wow chastitie? And that wow being complete, gif it be lesum thaireftir to mary 1567 G. Ball. 15.
Dum ceremoneis … And wowis vaine, quhilk thay did neuer keip 1580 Second Conf. Faith in Facs. Nat. MSS III lxx.
We … refuse the wsurped authoritie of that Romane Antichrist … his … wicked hierarchie; his thrie solemnit woues 1622-6 Bisset II 108/19.
He [sc. Pope John I] … institute thame with rewlis of leving and confermed thame with thrie vowes viz., chaistatie, wilfull povertie and obedyence(2) a1538 Abell 28b.
It wes nocht lesum to the Latinis to be dekin or preist without wow of continence c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5883.
Ȝe abbot, pryor and pryores … tyll obtene the abbasye Ȝe maid ȝour wow of chaistitye Off powertie and obedience

3. A solemn promise of love. ?1438 Alex. ii 5502.
Qvhen the Bauderane on his wyse Had maid his vow; … Dam Ydorus … Maid hir avow … Scho [said], ‘I haue to my lemman Hecht my lufe … And I avow … I sall him lufe … With steidfast hart'