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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Fortune, Fortoun, n. Also: fortun, -town(e, -toune, -ton(e; fourtoun, foirton. [ME. (a 1300) and OF. fortune, L. fortūna.]

1. Chance or accident as a factor in human affairs. Freq. personified.(a) 1375 Barb. iii. 271.
Men … that fortoun contraryit fast, And come to purpos at the last a1400 Leg. S. xii. 214.
Quhene he al the tale had hard, How fortowne with that vyf had ferd c1420 Wynt. viii. 6097.
Fortown … war fals, gyve scho suld be Stedfast standand in a gre a1500 Bernardus 22.
Thoch alkyne stat … Be dame Fortowne, … And variance, ar fekyle as the wynde a1500 Bk. Chess 409.
The more that fortoune giffis thé of grace The war thow art 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. iii.
With maist … terribil battallis fochtin, be sindry chancis of fortoun 1549 Compl. 13.
Ane vailȝeant prince … hes gude hope that dame Fortoune vil mittigat hyr auen crualte 1567 Sat. P. iv. 172.
Quha may sustene the perillous auentuire Off fals fortowne 1616 Crim. Trials II. 586.
Quha … , by mad merriement and sport of Fortoun, ar cayreid vp to the heichest top(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxix. 303.
Forton … turnyt hyr bak one hym wrathly c1460 Consail Wys Man 269.
Na wyt nocht fortone thocht thow bee Misfortwnit that misgouernys thé 1535 Stewart 32365.
Ilkone … Betaucht thame syne into dame Fortonis will 1549 Compl. 113/15.
Inconstant foirton alterit the prosperite of the Cartagiens(c) 1456 Hay I. 65/6.
The quhilk fortune has schawin hir fekilnes in mony maner of wys a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1239.
Quhen fortune worthis vnfrende, than failieis welefair c1500-c1512 Dunb. viii. 7.
Fortun, allace! now may thow weir the sabill Sen he is gone 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 57.
O dame Fortune, quhare was thy greit confort … ?

2. That which happens by chance; an accidental turn of affairs.(a) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1836.
Oetus … Tolde a foule fenȝeit fortoune fals Of Pallamydes c1420 Wynt. iv. 714.
As in the fycht the fortoune felle a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1301.
Al the fortoune [that] the freke befell in the fight 1571 Sat. P. xxvii. 29.
Mony fairlie fortounes thow may find 1596 Dalr. II. 273/11.
To preiue the fortoune of the weiris he intendes to put to experience(b) 1375 Barb. iv. 649.
Ȝe wat nocht quhat-kyn forton Ȝhe mon dre in ȝour warraying c1420 Wynt. iv. 942.
Al othir wayis the forton wes 1513 Doug. iii. ix. 41.
To tell quhat forton had hym betyde Ib. 52.(c) 1456 Hay I. 59/12.
Quhen the senatouris saw the fortune gang agaynis thame sa aukwartly 1513 Doug. iii. v. 72.
Quhat fortune mycht sufficient happyn thé?

b. What falls to one by chance; one's lot. 1375 Barb. iv. 640.
Or ȝe pas I sall ȝow schaw Of ȝour fortoun a gret party c1420 Wynt. viii. 5429.
Here-by men may ensawmpill ta, How man may his awyne fortowne ma 1456 Hay I. 141/26.
As men of were, thai mon stand to thair fortune a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 412.
Fell is thy fortoun, wickit is thy weird c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxx. 31.
Gif evir my fortoun wes to be a freir, The dait thairof is past full mony a ȝeir c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii. 150.
God gif it war my fortoun than … I war conuert into the may Echo

c. With adjs. as gude, evill, hard, etc. a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 201.
God thé forȝelde, & fra wikyt forton thé schelde 1456 Hay I. 170/29.
All gude grace, gude fortune, and gude victory cummys fra God Ib. 54/29.
A man can … mend ane evill fortune apperand be vertynasse c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxvi. 7.
My hard fortoun wer endit than 1513 Doug. i. iv. 84.
Beis stowt, on prosper forton to remane Ib.v. iv. 133.
The favorabill forton, and thar happy chance 1531 Bell. Boece I. 166.
The Scottis began to rise ilk day in esperance of better fortoun a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxvi. 6.
Thre brether war we, … The hardest fortoun fell me

3. One's means or wealth. 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 16.
Mony … had rather depart riche nor leife pure, or diminew thair fortune ony wayis 1591 Waus Corr. II. 486.
The said Ser Patrik oblessis him … to pay … as tochir … togidder with ane yeiris finding and thair fortounis as effeiris 1640 Misc. Spald. C. I. 15.
To preserve … our lyfes, fortownes, and what else can be in hazard