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.
Quotation dates: 1375-1626
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Chevalry, Chevelry, n. Also: cheu-, chevalrye, -al(l)rie, chewalre, -ry (-allrie); chevel-, chewell-, chavelrie; chevilry, -illrie; chivalrie, chyvalrye. [ME. chevalrie, -ry, chevalerie, chival(e)rie, etc., OF. chev-, chivalerie.]
1. A body of armed and mounted men; a fighting force of knights. 1375 Barb. ii. 210.
Gret chewalry with him he had 1375 Ib. 224. 1375 Ib. iv. 187.
He gaderit a gret cheuelry, And toward Scotland went in hy c1420 Wynt. v. 3185.
All the chewalry … That wes in Brettayne … He wytht hym to the se has tane c1420 Ib. viii. 6510.
He assemblyd in hy His gret ryalle chewalry 1456 Hay I. 303/5.
Quhen that he rydis in were fare, … all his peple and chyvalrye may se him a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 341.
Than to Paris thay pas, all that cheualrie c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iii. 200.
Wallace in deide he wrocht so worthely, The squier Boid, and all thair chewalry c1475 Ib. xi. 892.
He with him mycht bryng few chewalre c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 193.
With all the choise of Venus cheualry Thay come, and bikkerit vnabaisitly 1533 Bell. Livy I. 159/25.
Spurius Cassius [was] the first maister of cheuelrie [L. magister equitum] c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3926.
That prince … did abhor the cumpanye Of his most nobill chewalrye c1552 Ib. 4010.
2. Knightly prowess or valour. 1375 Barb. i. 25.
That … oft in hard stour off bataill Wan gret price off chewalry 1375 Ib. iii. 462.
Off the croice a gret party He wan throw his chewalry a1400 Legends of the Saints v. 612.
A knycht … that … had bene in landis syndry For til haf lose of chevalry c1420 Wynt. iii. 992.
Floure in Grece wes off clergy, And off wyrchipe and off chewalry 1456 Hay II. 16/6.
The noblenes of the poyntis and proprieteis of chyvalrye 1456 Ib. 24/20.
Noblesse of chevalrye, and of curage, and of gude thewis a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 295.
Thow of Charlis cumpany, Cheif king of cheualry a1500 Golagros and Gawane 513.
Thai salbe fundin right ferse, and full of cheualrie c1500-c1512 Dunb. vii. 82.
Sweyrd of knightheid, and choise of cheualry c1500-c1512 Ib. l. 3.
Ane gentill knycht, … wyse and wicht And full of chivalrie [v.r. chavelrie] 1513 Doug. ix. Prol. 90.
Now of prowes and hie chevelry Behuffis me to write and carp a quhile 1531 Bell. Boece II. 151.
It was na time as than to dul in sleuth, sen thay war born to chevalry a1578 Pitsc. I. 135/6.
Quhen the realme of Ingland did flourische in chevallrie a1578 Ib. 235/21.
The king of Ingland heirand of the gret fame and chewallrie of Scotland 1622-6 Bisset II. 165/6.
His father wes beloved of thame … for his godlie and virtuous leving and … cwragius chevelrie
b. A deed, or deeds, of valour. 1375 Barb. vi. 12.
Tharof all forvounderit was, How ony man … Micht do sa gret a cheuelry 1375 Ib. ix. 584.
Schir Edward, that gret ȝarnyng had All tyme for till do cheuelry
3. The occupation of a knight; warfare. 1513 Doug. xi. vi. 81.
From that weirfar and cursyt chevalry [L. militia] We cachyt ar to syn dry costis 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xi.
Thus is my life ane ithand chevalry 1531 Ib. 214.
Thair frequent chevelryis, sa lang continewing aganis the fury of Romanis and Britonis 1533 Bell. Livy I. 85/23.
Ane subtil slicht and craft of cheuelrie to distroy thare inemyis 1533 Ib. 94/23.
The munycioun and ingynis of chevelry [v.r. chevillrie]
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"Chevalry n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 10 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/chevalry>
