V.

_Verrey._ _Verray_, true, faithful.

_Voucher._ _Vouche_, contraction of _vouchen sauf_, to vouchsafe; _ere_, an agent. One who vouches a thing safe. In Chaucer, such expressions as _voucheth sauf_, vouchsafe ye, and _the king vouches it save_, the king vouchsafes it, were of common occurrence.

W.

_Waite._ _Waite_, to watch. Wait, Waitt, Wayte, kindred terms.

_Warden._ _Wardeyn_, a guard, a keeper of a gate.

FROM THE SCOTCH.

HISTORY—THE SCOT.

Who were the Scots? This is a question extremely difficult to answer. No satisfactory account of the origin of the appellation has been given. It has puzzled the most distinguished antiquaries, whose conjectures serve rather to perplex than clear up the difficulty. Nor is this surprising, when Varro and Dyonysius could not agree about the etymon of Italia, nor Plutarch and Selinus about that of Rome. All that is known with certainty is, that it was at first a term of reproach, and consequently framed by enemies, rather than assumed by the nation distinguished by that name. The Highlanders, who were the genuine descendants of the ancient Scots, are absolutely strangers to the name, and have been so from the beginning of time. All those who speak the Gaelic language call themselves _Albanich_ or _Gael_, and their country _Alba_ or _Gaeldochd_.

The Picts, who possessed originally the northern and eastern, and, in a later period, the more southern division of North Britain, were at first more powerful than the Caledonians of the west. It is therefore probable that the Picts, from principles of malevolence and pride, were ready to traduce and ridicule their weaker neighbors of Argyle. These two people spoke the same language—the Gaelic. In that language _Scot_, or _Scode_, signifies a corner or small division of a country. Accordingly, a corner of North Britain is the very name which Giraldus Cambrensis gives the little kingdom of Argyle, that the six sons of Muredus, King of Ulster, are said to have established in Scotland. _Scot_, in Gaelic, is much the same as _little_ or _contemptible_ in English; and _Scotlan_ literally signifies a _small flock_, but metaphorically stands for a small body of men. _Scuit_, a wanderer, is also from the Gaelic, and a few writers suppose that this may have been the origin of the name of _Scot_, a conjecture which seems to be countenanced by a passage in Ammianus Marcellinus, where the men are characterized “_per diversa vagantes_.” All that can be affirmed is, that, for some one of the reasons stated above, the Picts or the Britons may have given, out of derision, the appellation of _Scots_ to the ancestors of the Scottish nation.

At what time the inhabitants of the west of Scotland came to be distinguished by this name is uncertain. Porphyrius, the philosopher, is the first who mentions them, and this was about the year of the Christian era 267. Towards the middle of the fourth century Ammianus Marcellinus speaks of them along with other British nations.

Much discussion among antiquaries of note has taken place in regard to the origin of the Scots. Dr. Macpherson contends that they are of Caledonian, and Mr. Whitaker that they are of Irish extraction. Each supports his position with such arguments and authorities that an impartial inquirer is almost at a loss to know which to accept. What appears most probable is, that both are partly in the right and partly in the wrong. From what can be gleaned from past records the Scots seem to have been originally descended from Britons of the south, or from Caledonians, who, being pressed forward by new colonies from Gaul till they came to the western shore of Britain, passed over into Ireland probably one hundred years before the Christian era. Subsequently, about the year of Christ 320, they, or a large colony of them, returned under Fergus to Britain, and settled on the western coasts of Caledonia, from which place they had formerly migrated. As early as 340 they are found associated with the Picts in their expeditions into the Roman province, and for ninety or a hundred years afterwards Roman and British writers make frequent mention of their depredatory excursions.

The territory of the ancient Scots comprehended, before the annexation of Pictavia, all that side of Caledonia that stretched along the coast from the Frith of Clyde to the Orkneys. Towards the east their dominions were divided from those of the Picts by the high mountains running from Dumbarton to the Frith of Tain. In course of time the Scots, under the reign of Kenneth, son of Alpin, became so powerful as to subdue their neighbors the Picts, and to give their own denomination to all Caledonia, Pictavia and Valentia, which territories are still comprehended under the general name of Scotland.

Like those of all other nations, the historians of Scotland assume too great an antiquity for their countrymen, but are, however, much less extravagant in this particular than many others. According to them, the reign of Fergus, the first Scot monarch, is placed at 330 B. C. He was the son of Ferchard, an Irish prince, and is said to have been called into Scotland by the Caledonians to assist them against the Southern Britons, with whom they were then at war. Their language and manners he found to be the same as those of his countrymen. This happy condition of things rendered his position a very easy one. Placing himself at the head of his new allies, he engaged the Britons under their king, Coilus. Events proved him a brave and efficient leader. Coilus was defeated and killed, and victory soon settled upon the banners of the Scots. Shortly afterwards Fergus was declared, with the solemnity of an oath, king of the Scots. But he did not long enjoy his new dignity, for, being called to Ireland to quiet some commotions there, he was drowned on his return voyage at a place on the coast of Ireland, which was called for him, _Knock-Fergus_, or _Carrick-Fergus_; that is, Fergus’s Rock.

Feritharis, brother of Fergus, succeeded to the throne to the prejudice of his nephews—Ferlegus and Mainus. His reign was not a peaceful one, for Ferlegus fomented strifes and dissensions, which failed of success, and only resulted, after the death of his uncle, in his being set aside from the succession. The throne was conferred upon his brother Mainus, Ferlegus having died in obscurity. The reign of Mainus and those of Dornadill and Nothat afford nothing remarkable. Reutha, Thereus, Jafina and Finnan then followed in regular succession, but no transactions of note marked their administrations, save that of the last, where we find the first beginnings of the Scottish Parliament. Durftus, Even and Gillus then succeeded, but their reigns were barren of interest. Even II, the nephew of Finnan, who came after Gillus, is said to have built the towns of Innerlochy and Inverness. He overcame Belus, king of the Orkneys, who had invaded Scotland. His son Ever, who next assumed the reins, became king at the time of the invasion of Britain by Julius Cæsar, and assisted the Britons against the common enemy. Even III, his successor, was a monster of cruelty and lust. His great wickedness occasioned a rebellion, and ended in his dethronement, imprisonment and death. Nothing memorable in the history of Scotland is met with from this time until that of Agricola, who having completed the conquest of the southern parts and in a great measure civilized the inhabitants, formed a like plan with regard to Scotland. Here he met a most formidable opposition, but Scotch valor was not proof against the discipline of Roman troops and the experience of their commander. The subsequent history of the Scot, his contact with the Dane, the Angles and the Saxons, and the Normans, must be left unmentioned. We have called attention to these people for the reason that they had in manner and language impressed the Scot of their days, and left an influence behind which is even felt in his progenitors of the present time. Our purpose at the beginning was to give but the history of the origin of the name and of those who had it imposed upon them, and this we have briefly, and it is to be hoped, successfully, accomplished.

SCOTCH—AS IT NOW EXISTS.

Modern Scotch, or the language as spoken even a hundred years ago, differs very materially from that in use by the Scots when Cæsar invaded Britain.

Like the Erse, the latter was an important branch of the Celtic, or Keltic, family of Indo-European languages, of which the Irish, now almost extinct, affords a good illustration.

Eighteen centuries, with their destructive and modifying influences, have been at work upon its structure till its genius has departed, never to return. The Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Norman have supplanted many of its word-forms, and done away with its peculiarities of speech. What is now left of its former glory is but the shadow.

It is true we meet with Celtic words in current use, but time and neglect have so disfigured their physiognomies that even the practised mind of the philologist often fails to indicate their kinship.

Scotch words, or we might say with greater propriety and exactness Scottish words, for _Scotch_ is seemingly nothing more than a corruption of _Scottish_, the English form of the Anglo-Saxon _Scyttisc_, vary their inflections as English words do. The changes, when there are changes, follow the usages of the Anglo-Saxon.

As should be expected, when is considered the influence of the Teutonic and Norman-French invasions, the sounds of certain letters, whether taken singly or in combination, must necessarily have varied. This, as we shall now see, has been the case.

_Ch_ and _gh_, in Scotch, have always the guttural sound.

The sound of the English diphthong _oo_ is commonly spelled _ou_.

French _u_, a sound which often occurs in the language, is marked _oo_, _ui_.

In genuine Scottish words the _a_, except when constituting a diphthong, or when followed by an _e_ mute after a single consonant, sounds generally like the broad English _a_ in _wall_.

The Scottish diphthong _æ_ always, and _ea_ very often, sound like the French _e_ masculine, while the Scottish diphthong _ey_ sounds like the Latin in _ei_.

NAMES—THEIR DERIVATION.

A.

_Aiken._ _Aik_, an oak; _en_, indicative of an adjective. Oaken.

_Auld._ _Auld_, old, ancient, of long duration.

B.

_Baude._ _Baud_, bold, courageous, brave.

_Bauder._ _Baud_, bold; _ere_, an agent. A bold person.

_Bearne_. _Bearn_, a child, a human creature.

_Bent._ _Bent_, long grass, wild fields where bents, etc., grow. Bente, a kindred term.

_Bentley._ _Bent_, long grass; _líc_, like. Resembling bent.

_Bicker._ _Bicker_, a kind of wooden dish, a short race.

_Birkey._ _Birkie_, a clever fellow.

_Bonney._ _Bonnie_, bonny, handsome, beautiful.

_Blyth._ _Blyth_, joy, sprightliness, liveliness. Blythe, another spelling of the word.

_Bradley._ _Brade_, or _braid_, broad; _líc_, like. Broad-like; broadly.

_Brauley._ _Braw_, brave; _líc_, like. Brave-like; bravely.

_Brenner._ _Brenn_, burn; _ere_, an agent. That which burns, or gives light.

_Briggs._ _Brigs_, bridges.

_Brock._ _Brock_, a badger.

_Bunker._ _Bunker_, a window-seat.

_Burn._ _Burn_, water, a rivulet.

_Burney._ _Burnie_, diminutive of _burn_, a rivulet. A small rivulet.

_Buss._ _Buss_, shelter, refuge, protection. Busse, a kindred name.

_Bussell._ _Bussle_, a bustle, great stir, tumultuous hurry.

_Butt._ _Butt_, outer room.

_Byers._ _Byres_, plural of _byre_, a cow-stable, a sheep-pen.