a. (and sb.). Forms: α. 5 varri, 6–7 varrye (7 -ie), varry, 6–7, 9 varrey. β. 7–9 vairy, 8 vary. See also VERRY a. [a. OF. vairy, f. vair VAIR sb.
The mod.F. form vairée has been employed in some heraldic books.]
1. Her. Of a coat, charge, etc.: Varied or variegated with two or more colors; having divisions and tinctures like those of vair.
Some writers have drawn a distinction between vair and vairy, using the latter when tinctures other than argent and azure are blazoned.
α. 1486. Bk. St. Albans, Her., B iv b. Thre cootarmuris be ther called restryall in armys. Oon is whan a cootarmure is varri of dyuerse colowris to the poynt.
1562. Legh, Armorie, 52 b. A playne crosse, varrye. Ibid., 131 b. The eight doubling is Varry, and is so properly called, although it be Or, and Vert, or els Vert and Or.
1592. Wyrley, Armorie, Ld. Chandos, 97. A patie crosse of red in gold he bare On which fiue losinges varrey placed are.
1610. Guillim, Her. (1611), I. iv. 15. As for the rest, viz. Verry and Varrye, they are meere fantasies and improper termes.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., VI. 321. Tavestock in Devon shire gave Varrey Or and Azure, on a Chiefe Or, two Mulletts. Gules.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Varry … signifies that which is diversified with argent and azure.
c. 1828. Berry, Encycl. Her., I. Gloss., Varrey in point.
β. 1706. Lond. Gaz., No. 4217/4. The second Vary, a Canton.
1762. trans. Busching’s Syst. Geog., V. 235. The arms of Oettingen are vairy ruby and a shield saphire.
1868. Cussans, Her., iii. 53. If the field were Or, and the bells Gules, it would be blazoned as Vairy, Or and Gules.
† b. Vairy-cuppy, tassa (see quots.). Obs.
1610. Guillim, Her., I. iv. (1611), 15. This sort of furre or doubling was … of some old Heralds called varry cuppy and varry tassa.
1704. J. Harris, Lex. Techn., I. Vairy Coppy, or Potent Counter-Potent, is a Bearing in Heraldry.
1766. Porny, Heraldry, ii. § ii. 27. Potent-counter-potent, anciently called Vairy-cuppy, is when the Field is filled with Crutches or Potents counter-placed.
¶ 2. Furred with vair. Also used as if the name of a material.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., Vairy gowns are observed by Julius Pollux to have been the habit of the antient Gauls, as Ermins were of the Armenians.
1861. Ainsworth, Const. Tower (1862), 187. Wrapped in cerecloth of many folds, and in an outer cover of cloth of vairy and velvet,… the corpse was laid out.
