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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.

Varie, Vary, v. Also: var(y)e, war(i)e, -y(e, verré. P.p. also variit. [ME and e.m.E. vary(e)(n (both Chaucer), varie(n (Wyclif), varrey (a1513), varrie (1600), OF varier, L. variāre.]

1. intr. Of circumstances, etc.: To change, alter, differ.pres. c1420 Wynt. v 1598 (C).
A hundyr wyntyr and sexteyn, Or nere thar by, as sum men wrate, And waryis as thai set thar date 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 114.
& sa may the recognicion in mony maner wary be caus of the askyng & the ansueryng 1456 Hay I 128/28.
Lawe of nature, that is hede of all lawis, na may never vary, na change for na law c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 178/9.
The stait of man dois change and vary [M. varie], Now sound, now seik, now blith, now sary c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 184/6.
This warld evir dois flicht and vary. Fortoun sa fast his quheill dois cary 1588 King Cat. Sig. I iij.
Seing the præcise reconing of his [sc. the sun's] inæqual or trew motion do varie euery ȝere 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 107.
A lardship of 5000 livres rent wil sell in France for a 100,000 livres … the prix being ay 20 years rents. It may wary in many places of Francep.p. 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 48.
Than may that mut on mony maner betwix the ayr be variit outher the woman clames the doury as nemmyt or [etc.] a1570-86 Shaw in Maitl. F. 385/28.
Dreid this danger gud freind and brudir And tak exemple befoir of vther Knaw courtis and wynd hes oft sys vareit Keip weill to ȝour cours and rewle ȝour rudir

2. To differ, diverge; to deviate from a course or expected pattern of behaviour. Chiefly, const. fra, in.(1) c1420 Wynt. iv 1816 (C).
Befor Kenyauche Makalpyne … Sum fel collateralle, And regnande our the Scottis haile, As coursse made and qwhalite Ayris wareande to be Sum [etc.] c1490 Porteous Noblenes 174/17 (A).
Thai [sc. nobles] suld without warians or dreid of ony man serue thair king & defend thar subiectis and gif thai wary & be disordanit that thar subiectis ar nocht defendit be thaim … I saye thai ar becummyn … of mair vyle condicioun than be dronkart or ruffien 1611 Crim. Trials III 142.
Gifand and nocht grantand that the pairtie pannellit had maid ane leising or vareit and bene inconstant and sa waverit in his depositioun(2) c1450 Cr. Deyng (STS) 46.
The deuill assais, gif he can gare ony man vare in the treuth, as to put to hyme, that he wald neuir dee 1496 Acta Conc. II 39.
The sade Peter allegit that the sade Jhone had varyit in the saying of the sade vij Franch crounis … in the sade purse … sayand sumtyme that thair was … bot thre … and uther tymes v 1538–9 Crim. Trials I i 217.
I haue happynnit reklesly to vary in the dait of my instrument 1602 Dundonald Par. Rec. 15.
Scho swa waried in hir speichis the Sessioun continewit hir to that day aucht dayis(3) 1456 Hay I 298/12.
Na for avarice, na for prayeris na favouris he [sc. a king] suld never vary, na declyne his hert fra justice 1533 Boece 281a.
We sall nocht varie fra oure first mater bot … prosew oure purpois 1626 Justiciary Cases I 50.
Scho was compellit be hir sister Margaret to confess and sa scho haifing openlie vareit frome hir first confessioun … hir first confessioun sould nocht be respectit 1629 Stirling B. Rec. I 163.
That they ar commone lieris and to varye everie ane of them fra utheris in thair depositiouns 1648 Misc. Maitl. C. II 462.
That the intention is not to vary or recede from that agreement, but on the contrary mutually to continue firme and steady to the same

3. Of a person: To change, alter with regard to one's own or another's views, ways, conduct, etc. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 157.
Throw thar prayeris … the blynde men get thar sicht … To seike folkis or in to sairenes syne, Till all thai wald be mendis or medicyne. And quharfor now ȝe in ȝour tyme warye [Ch. warie]? As thai did than quharfor sa may nocht ȝe? a1500 Quare Jel. 475.
For every wicht that is with lufe ybound And sad and trewe in euery faith yground Syne likith nocht to varye nor eschewe; [Ra]ther suffer schall he the dethis wound 15.. Christis Kirk 95 (M).
I wait nocht quhidder his hand cud varie Or gif the man was his freynd Bot he chapit throw the michtis of Marie As man that na ewill meynd(b) a1500 Quare Jel. (1976) 303.
This may be clept a wrech … In lak of hert ay stant this maladye To him the quhich … verreis to stond in lufis kynd

4. To wander in one's mind, to let one's attention wander; to rave. c1490 Irland Asl. MS 44/10.
Thocht the mynd of the persone vary and think on other thingis prayand with that the person do it nocht of certane purpos … and the prayere and vrisoun be weile begonne the persone tynis nocht the merit of the prayere & vrison c1500 Crying of Play 9.
Bot … Ȝit I trowe that I wary, I am the nakit Blynd Hary, That lang has bene in the fary 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 101.
My febill wil I wary, My desie heid quhome laik of brane gart vary 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1871.
Ȝit studie nocht ouir mekill a dreid thow varie c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 62/91.
Luve … blindis men so far In to thair myndis it makis thame to vary 1513 Doug. vi Prol. 53.
Al thocht he [sc. Virgil], as a gentile, sum tyme vary, Ful perfitely he writis seir misteris fell

5. To differ in opinion, disagree. a1578 Pitsc. I 141/26.
Albeit thai did varie and discoird in sum effairis ȝeit they concordit alltogither in trumperie and fallsit 1606 Edinb. Test. XLII 154.
Sa lang as scho and my eldest sone aggreis togidder And gif thai warie I ordane my said spous be nocht trublit be my said sone

6. tr. To alter or change (something). a1500 Seven S. 590.
He trastit that tryst to wary And to the palace sped him sone 1513 Doug. i Prol. 485.
Sum wald swer that I the text haue vareit, Or that I haue this volume quyte myscareit