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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Wel(e)fare, Weil(l)fa(i)r, n. Also: wel(e)fair(e, welfar, -feir, uelefare, uelfaire, weilfa(i)re, -fayre, weilefar, weil(l)fayr, weillfaire, weil(l)fear, veilfar, -fair(e, -fayr(e, veillfair, weylfar(e, weyllfa(y)r, wiellfaer, wellfair, -faer, wealfair, wealefaire, weallfaire, weel fare, weelefair, wylfair, waelfaer. [ME and e.m.E. welefare (1310), welfare, weylfare (both Manning), welefar (c1400), weelfare (c1440), wellefare (?1466), wellfair (1684); Fare v.]

1. A state or occasion of doing, being or turning out well; good fortune, success; wellbeing, happiness. Also personified.(a) 1375 Barb. viii 377.
Syne with presoneris that thai had tane Thai ar towart thar innys gane Fast lowand God off thar weilfar [C. veillfair] 1375 Barb. xii 156 (C).
Weill-fair [E. far] ?1438 Alex. i 326.
Weilfair c1450-2 Howlat 737 (A).
Haile, well of our weilfaire a1500 Henr. Fab. 178.
Scho tuke in mynd hir sister … And langit for to heir of hir weilfair c1475 Wall. v 524.
Weillfar c1475 Wall. viii 1686.
The harrold baid, on to the xx^ty day, With Wallace still, in gud weillfayr and play a1500 Prestis of Peblis 67 (A).
For the weilefar of his realme & gud [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 479.
All my luffaris … fyllis me wyne wantonly with weilfair and joy 1528 Douglas Corr. 131.
For the conservation, surte, and weilfaire of his derrest nepheis persone 1533 Gau 15/23.
Thay that ar displesit of thair … innimis weil fair or ar blith of thair aduersite 1549 Compl. 71/8.
Aduerse fortoune hes bene inuyful contrar my veil fayr 1549 Compl. 82/17.
Veilfayre 1568–9 Anderson Collect. Mary IV ii 189.
Veilfar 1570 Misc. Bann. C. I 41.
The weillfair of Godis kirke so dependis vpoun your grace 1590 Breadalbane Lett. 22 July.
Quhosomevir wald haif my veillfair done. I … dubitis nevir ȝe ar the samyn man that wald and desyris my lesum … bissenes and I lippin naine wthir a1578 Pitsc. I 9/10.
Veilfair 1578 Reg. Privy S. VII 250/2.
Prayer for his hienes gude estait and weilfair aucht and wont 1590 St. A. Baxter Bks. 46.
Ten libis money to be applyit to the veilfaire of the craft 1591 Douglas Corr. 187.
Weillfaire 1594 Edinb. Test. XXVII 216b.
I James Lowrie … now presentlie … to forsie & provyde the weilfare of my bairnes [etc.] a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 80.
Weilfayre 1600-1610 Melvill 9.
Weillfear 1600-1610 Melvill 30.
Word of his weilfear and singular estimation in Genev(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 90.
Hyre fadir hir hatit sa … That mare esful til hyre war Hyr dede an lyf or welfar c1450 Cr. Deyng (STS) 23.
The dede of gude men is … the entering to perpetuall joy and welfare a1500 Lanc. 1748.
In to larges al thi welfar lyis a1500 Seven S. 288.
Welfaire 1535 Stewart 61141.
He had maid all Scotland for to be In welth and wellfair and tranquillitie 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary II 255.
Welfair 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 55/2.
The uelfaire & peaxe of his people 1647 Stirlings of Keir 486.
Wellfaer 1665 Dunlop P. III 5.
I … am glad to hear of your welfeir(c) ?1438 Alex. ii 6516.
Marcien … thanked Cassamus … Of all his erand and welefair a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1239.
Quhen fortune worthis vnfrende, than failieis welefair c1500 Crying of Play 135.
Edinburgh … the lampe & a per se … Of welefaire & of honeste c1508 Ch. & M. Prints vi b 38.
God so wald his prophecye fullfill Remembring eke the wele fare of vs all 1521–2 Doug. in Doug. (Sm.) I p. cv.
I beseke your grace to remembre the welefare and securite of the kingis grace of Scotland 1525 St. A. Formulare I 269.
The gudis and houssis that ar necessar for thare sustentatioun and uelefare 1565 Cal. Sc. P. II 204.
As I will noch … be ane … stey to the welefair of ane commoun cause(d) c1475 Wall. v 352.
The persone ȝeid to se of his weyllfar c1475 Wall. vi 121.
Weyllfayr 1515 Douglas Corr. 68.
The promotione of her servandis and frendis is hyr weylfare [Doug. (Sm.) I xxxvii, weylfar] and autorisyng and hyndrying of hyr adversaryes(e) ?1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 240.
Almychtye God … preserve yowr nobill grace in lang haill and wylfair(f) 16… Crail Squaremen 19.
Wiellfaer(g) 16… Crail Squaremen 23.
Waelfaer(h) c1610 Melville Mem. 339.
The contre … wisses his weallfaire and prosperite 1624 Conv. Burghs III 179.
To doe … as thai … think most fitt for the wealfair of thair estait 1647 Stirlings of Keir 485.
Wealefaire(i) 1607 Reg. Privy S. VII 527.
Weelefair 1681 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. XXXVIII 162.
And do heartilie wish you all weel-fare in that place where the Lord hath casten your lottpersonified c1500 Crying of Play 146.
I and my thre feres aye, Weilfair, Wantones and Play, Sall byde with ȝou in all affray

b. An instance or example of wellbeing or success; the wellbeing, etc. of an individual. 1513 Doug. ii xi 53.
Quhat euer betyde, a weilfair and a skaith Salbe common and equale to ws baith a1578 Pitsc. I 22/5.
That thing quhilk micht redound to baith thair weilfairis and secuiretie contraire vtheris that haitit thame a1570-86 J. Maitland in Maitl. F. 435/48.
Auld fayis ar sindill faythfull freindis found First helpe the half and syne our harll the haill Wilbe ane wofull weilfair to our wound

2. Applied to material things: Abundance, good cheer. a1400 Leg. S. xxix 602.
Til ane inis haf thaim he can & gert mak thaim welfare Of al thing that was necessare a1500 Henr. Fab. 207.
The ȝoungest sister … brocht furth nuttis and peis, in steid off spyce; Giff thair wes weilfair, I do it on thame besyde c1475 Wall. viii 1724.
A worthyar … lyffand is nayn … The hie worschip and the gret nobilnes The gud weillfair, plesande and worthines The rych reward … he kythyt apon me