Forms: 4– valour (5–6 Sc. wa-), 5 valowr, 5–6 valoure (5 Sc. wa-, 5–6 vo-), 6 vallour (Sc. wa-), 5 vallouer, 6 valouer. [a. OF. valour (valur; later and mod.F. valeur VALEUR), = Sp. and Pg. valor, It. valore:—late L. valōr-, valor VALOR, f. valēre to be strong, etc. See also VALURE.]
1. † a. Worth or importance due to personal qualities or to rank. Obs.
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 3402 (Kölbing). Kay, þe steward of valour. Ibid., 4179. A damisel of gret valour Was þo comen to king Arthour.
c. 1350. Libeaus Desc., 140 (Ritson). He was a noble dysour, Wyth ladyes of valour, A mery man of mouthe.
c. 1477. Caxton, Jason, 28. Ye that be so moche exellent and vertuous that alle my thoughtes ben torned … to you that ar of so moche hye valour.
1502. Atkynson, trans. De Imitatione, III. iv. 198. I am very noughte, nothynge hauynge, ne nothynge of valour.
1508. Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 185. He lukis as he wald luffit be, thocht he be litill of valour.
1586. B. Young, trans. Guazzo’s Civ. Conv., IV. 179 b. Whereby … your valour and worthinesse maie bee deciphered, and my insufficiencie not made vnknowne.
† b. Worth or worthiness in respect of manly qualities or attributes. Obs.
13[?]. Coer de L., 4920. Yif that he durste hym abyde, Undyr the forest off Arsour He wolde assaye hys valour.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxxi. (Eugenia), 421. Ane erle þat wes a fare man, quham for beute & waloure þe emprice luffit paramoure.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 2493. How Alexander in his armes all-way encreses, In valour & in victori & vertues so noble.
c. 1450. Merlin, xxii. 405. I shall lete hem well wite that I am not hidde, yef in me be so moche valoure.
1508. Dunbar, Poems, vii. 3. Renownit, ryall, right reuerend and serene Lord, hie trywmphing in wirschip and valoure.
c. The quality of mind that enables a person to face danger with boldness or firmness; courage or bravery, esp. as shown in warfare or conflict; valiancy, prowess.
1581. Pettie, trans. Guazzo’s Civ. Conv., I. (1586), 1. Lieutenant generall…. A degree … won … by meanes of his owne valour & seruice done to the king.
1592. Kyd, Sp. Trag., I. ii. 39. Captaines stroue to haue their valours tride.
1604. Jas. I., Counterbl. to Tobacco To Rdr. Our fortunate and oft prooued valour in warres abroad.
1654–66. Earl Orrery, Parthen. (1676), 54. He ow’d the Affront not to our Valours, but to his fears.
1667. Milton, P. L., XI. 686. In those dayes Might onely shall be admir’d, And Valour and Heroic Vertu call’d.
1715. Addison, Freeholder, No. 8. English Valour cannot be matched when it is animated by English Beauty.
1776. Gibbon, Decl. & F., vi. (1782), I. 184. Valour, and the love of discipline, [became] the only qualifications for military employments.
1822. Scott, Peveril, vi. Real valour consists not in being insensible to danger, but in being prompt to confront and disarm it.
1857. G. A. Lawrence, Guy Livingstone, ix. [She knew] that the better part of valour was advisable.
1878. Morley, Carlyle, 191. The same principle which revealed the valour and godliness of Puritanism.
personif. 1692. Prior, An Ode, i. Nor to melt at Beauties Tears, nor follow Valour’s Sword.
d. Used as a personal name or (with possessives) as a quasi-title; also, a person of courage.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., I. iii. 176. And at this sport Sir Valour dies; cries, O enough Patroclus.
1819. Scott, Ivanhoe, xl. An your valour be so dull, you will please to learn [etc.].
1839. Lytton, Richelieu, I. i. I,… Leading young valours … reckless as myself, Seized on the town of Faviaux.
1855. Kingsley, Westw. Ho! xxvi. But the stern-gallery? How … came your valour thither?
e. Comb., as valor-breathing, -loving, etc.
1605. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iii. Law, 13. Rock-batt’ring Bumbards, Valour-murdering Guns. Ibid. (1598), II. i. Furies, 35. The snares of vertue, valour-softning Hyrens.
1755. Praises of Isis, 150. Warrior steeds, and valour-breathing knights.
1848. Buckley, Iliad, 279. He sat in the tent of valour-loving Eurypylus.
1851. H. Melville, Whale, xxv. I. 183. Immaculate manliness … bleeds with keenest anguish at the undraped spectacle of a valor-ruined man.
† 2. Value or worth in material or other respects; = VALUE sb. 6. a. In the phr. of (…) valour. Obs.
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 3265 (Kölbing). A launce he tok of gret valour. Ibid., 6353. His stede he smot of gret valour.
c. 1400. T. Chestre, Launfal, 984. Kyng Artour gan her fayre grete, And sche hym agayn, with wordes swete, That were of greet valour.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., lxxiv. 191 (Wemyss). In all þat land wes nane Temple standand of valoure.
c. 1475. Harl. Contin. Higden (Rolls), VIII. 511. That parliamente of kynge Ricardus was made voyde & as of noo valoure.
1526. Tindale, Romans iii. 23. The prayse that is off valoure before God.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. 9 b. These hys powers,… of what valoure they be, and to what end we ought to wey them.
1631. R. H., Arraignm. Whole Creature, ix. 69. Their Viands are of no valour, no valew without these.
1642. R. Carpenter, Experience, II. viii. 196. If we compare his works being of infinite valour with our works.
† b. In other constructions. Obs.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), IV. 35. Not discordenge in eny thynge, neiþer in valoure of wordes, neither in ordre.
1502. Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W., 1506), II. xvii. 126. The lyfe contemplatyf excedeth in valoure and in worthynes the lyfe actyf.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., I. 559. In peice and rest … Ane small thing growis to ane greit valour.
1565. Harding, Answ. M. Ivelles Chalenge, 220. This is the doctrine of the churche, touching the valour of the Masse.
1616. Champney, Voc. Bps., 307. For the effectuall applying of the merite, valour, and effect thereof vnto us.
† 3. The amount (in money, etc.) or sum that a thing is worth; = VALUE sb. 2. Obs.
c. 1350. Libeaus Desc., 1039 (K.). He haþ me sent þe valour Of faire fiȝtes four, Seþe he ferst began.
c. 1430. Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 3000. Not for the valour of al this tovn Wold I lenght thi life soo.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 135. To restore agayne the thing or the valour.
1538. in Marsden, Sel. Pleas Crt. Adm. (Selden Soc.), II. 67. Our goodes … to be solld … and of the monye that shall cum of the valour of those goodes [etc.].
1566. Painter, Pal. Pleas. (Marsh), 56 b. A verye beautifull ringe of great price and estimation, which for the valour and beautie he was very desirous perpetually to leave unto his successours.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 97. He sall pay to his parents, the valour of his marriage.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Valour, value.
† b. In the phr. of (great, little, etc.) valour.
c. 1450. Lovelich, Grail, xxvi. 332. This olde gentyl knyht … purveied him of Gold & of tresowr, and of mani a jewel of gret valowr.
1496–7. Plumpton Corr. (Camden), 123. She hath in coyne in old nobles, cli,… with other goods of great valour.
1528. Roy, Rede me (Arb.), 32. Oure fyngres shyninge with precyous stons Sett in golden rynges of ryche valoure.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., III. xv. 99 b. A long and large girdle of silke and gold of no small beautie and valour.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 439. [Zemes] caused his treasure, plate, jewels, and other things of great valour and light carriage to be trussed up.
† c. Const. of. = VALUE sb. 4. Obs.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), IV. 267. That euery man … scholde … offre a peny in valoure of oure x. d. usualle.
c. 1440. Alph. Tales, 526. He wold not gyff þer-for þe valour of a shred clowte.
c. 1475. Harl. Contin. Higden (Rolls), VIII. 473. Londes and rentes unto the valoure of a M li.
1541. Act 33 Hen. VIII., c. 12 § 27. Plate iewels or other goodes … of he valour of .xii. d. or aboue.
a. 1578. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.), II. 176. The quene gaif him ane cheinȝe to the wallour of ane thowsand crounis.
1600. Holland, Livy, XLIII. v. 1159. To send presents … to the valour of two thousand Asses over and above.
† d. spec. (See quot.) Obs.–1
1607. Cowell, Interpreter, Valour of Mariage … is a writ that lyeth for the Lord, hauing profered covenable mariage to the Infant, without disparidgement, against the Infant, comming to his yeares, if he refuse to take the Lords offer. And it is to recouer the value of the mariage.
4. The amount, quantity, etc., of (so much or so many). rare.
1614. B. Jonson, Barth. Fair, IV. vi. I thinke wee were best put hem in the stocks,… for the valour of an houre, or such a thing, till his worship come.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, s.v., It might be about the valour of three hours, two miles, four acres, etc.
