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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.

Villa(i)n, adj. (adv.). Also: -aine, -ayn, vilan, wellien. [ME and e.m.E. vileyn (Manning), veleyne (1447), vyllayne (1474), vilane (c1489), villaine (1540-1), OF vilain, -ein.]

A. adj. 1. Low-born; base. b. Of an occupation: Appropriate to low-born persons or those not of the status of knight. 1456 Hay II 68/33.
Quhat knycht that has his barnis in matrymoyne with ony villaine womman, he dois lytill honour to the noble ordre of knychthede 1456 Hay II 93/8.
It efferis nocht till a prince … tobe our familiare … with his lauly subjectis and namely of villaine na dispisand men 1456 Hay (Glenn) III 10/111.
He is a lord that has seignoury … in the quhilk lordschip thare is sa mekle nobles and in seruitude thare is sa mekle subiectioun … and than suld thare be alsmekle difference in the personis as thare is difference betuix the twa estatis for & a man tak the order of knychthede and he be villaine of his condiciouns and wykkit of lyf [etc.]b. 1456 Hay I 114/5.
The knychtis ar nouthir ordanyt to labour cornis … na to kepe bestis … na ȝit he suld nocht dresse nane insicht in housis na be na stewart, na procuratour, na advocate or ony othir villayn craft

2. Deficient in good qualities; evil, base. b. Of an action: Base, vile. 1456 Hay I 170/17.
Gif the Inglishmen be enclynyt to the syn of the flesche … thare sal cum of that folk, peple villain and wayke in the faith, and evill till arreste fra bataill, bot … untraist in all thair dedisb. a1586 Lindsay MS 38.
Houseanis ar maid to keip men fra filth … he that first bure thame … wes ane man travelland in vailliance and kepit him fra ony spot of villan deidis c1590 J. Stewart 32/96.
To satisfie his vitius vilan deid

B. adv. Evil, ill. 1549 Corr. M. Lorraine 296.
The Inglis men is marwelis dysplessit of this last carmis that my son our threw tham, and tha wellien contant and dystrow all this cuntre