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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Allya, Allia, n. Also: alya, alia, alea; alyae, aliay, alliay, allyay; allaia, allaya, allay (pl. allaies). [Variant of Allyé. The change in the final vowel is as in anna (annay), assigna, etc.]

1. An ally or associate. 1431 Reg. Great S. 45/1.
Androw Lyndesay our alya c1450-2 Howlat 610.
Ilk scheld … Thar tennand or man was, Or ellis thar allyas 1492 Fam. Rose 157.
Our man and alea 1495 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 596.
For ws … , oure barnis, kin, frendis, alias, anerdans & smal branchis of kin 1516 Reg. Privy S. I. 423/2.
His kynnismen and frendis … and all utheris his kyn, frendis, allyais a1578 Pitsc. I. 327/4.
The Earle of Angus, George Douglas, Archebald Douglas … witht all the rest of thair kin and freindis [and] allayis 1593 Acts IV. 25/2.
His said … Cousing and allia the king of denmark 1610 Crim. Trials III. 103.
Aganes his Maiesteis freindis, confiderates, and allayas c1650 Spalding I. 50.
The most pairt wes cum of the hous of Rothimay, kyn, freind, or allya c1650 Gordon Brit. Dist. 173.
The marquise of Huntly … lookes that Montrose will second him only as a helper, a freind, or ane allya

2. coll. Allies, associates; a body or number of these.(a) 1481 Fam. Rose 143.
Myn sonis, bredir ande bredyr barnis, kyn, alya ande party and inherendis c1475 Wall. xi. 991.
Sexte full sone Schyr Ihone [Menteith] gert dycht Off his awyn kyn and off alya born 1560 Rolland Seven S. 73/4.
In greit defame of vs … And all our kin, alya, and our freindis 1576 St. A. Kirk S. 418.
Quhairby he was constranit to … seik the assistance of his alya 1619 Edinb. Test. L. 255 b.
Kyn and alya(b) c1500 Fyve Bestis 374.
Thinkand to put this counsall fra that king, And his allya to the court inbring a1508 Kennedy Flyting 324.
Thy curst kyn, Deulber and his allya 1521 Liber Melros 631.
I, myne airis forsaid, our freindis and allya [etc.] 1533 Bell. Livy II. 27/4.
Thre tribunis, quhilkis war baith tendir allya & freyndis to Virginea 1549 Compl. 78/17.
He hed of strangearis that var his frendis, and of his allya … , thre hundretht thousand men 1571 Grant Chart. 145.
His … kyne, freindis, allyay and parttakkaris 1614 Lett. Eccl. Affairs I. 320.
I gaif him … better counsellis then he had from his allya(c) 1492 Myll Spect. 286/10.
Orestus … throw the help of his allia & frendis come aipone the said Egestus 1531 Bell. Boece I. 199.
Incontinent, all his allia and freindis ruschit to harnes 1571 Fam. Rose 260.
All oure kyne, freindis, … assistaris, allia, and all and syndre 1598 Wemyss Chart. 220.
Kyn, freindis, allaia, assisteris, fortefearis, … and servandis

3. Alliance, association.(a) 1444–5 Peebles B. Rec. 11.
Gif … the balyheis … fei ony chapellane for meide, prayer, cusynage, or alya or for ony cause 1466 Reg. Morton II. 214.
The said … Robert and Dauid with thar frendschipe and alia sal support … and defend the said James 1488 Acts II. 207/1.
To renew the haly aliay, lig and confideracioun maid betuix the Realmez of France and Scotland 1520 Peebles B. Rec. 51.
Ane behuffull chaplane … to be chosing nother for bud nor meid, for kyne nor alya 1549 Compl. 99/3.
The Romans heffand sic ane feruent loue to the cite of lucere, quhilk vas of their anciant alya 1568 Grant Chart. 285.
For keiping of luf … ather witht other, as vse of bluid and alya is a1578 Pitsc. I. 363/2.
He knew thair was great profeit … freindschip and alya to be gottin at the king of Frances hand 1615 Crim. Trials III. 19.
Sir James and the rebelles of the Claundonald ar of kynn, blood, and alia to Donald Gorme 1672 Wemyss Corr. 114.
My eldest sonn … who was in a capacity … to bring a considerable alyae and interest to it(b) c1515 Asl. MS. I. 191.
Becaus Arthure falsly agane his allya and band … maid weir on ws 1545 Thanes of Cawdor 167.
The bluid, allya, frenschipe and nychbourheid 1558-66 Knox I. 451.
With that other, our natioun hes continewed lang amitie and allya 1576 Reg. Privy C. II. 516.
Be his allya with the hous of Atholl the deidlie feid … wes reconcilit 1630 Haddington Mem. II. 169.
Being bound in so straett a band of allaya togither(c) c1515 Asl. MS. I. 190/4.
Falslie he brak his allia till ws and maid weire on ws 1531 Bell. Boece II. 198.
Thay war … brocht agane to amite and allia, under thir conditionis 1570 Leslie 129.
Ambassadouris … to treat apoun farther peace, amitie and alliay to be betuix the tua Kinges 1583 Misc. Spald. C. IV. 230.
As thair hes stand ald kyndnes, suir frendschip, and allia betuix our hous … and the erllis and hous of Huntlie 1610 Misc. Hist. Soc. II. 191.
The freindschip the gentlemen … boor to my father for kinred, allia, … or nychtboorhood