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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Clething, Cleithing, vbl. n. Also: clethyng(e, -inge, -in, clethtyng, -ing, klethtin; cleything, cleithinge, -in; cleathing. [ME. clething (c 1300), clethyng(e, f. Clethe v.]

1. Clothing, apparel, dress.Very common throughout the 15th and 16th cent., usually in the form clething.(a) 1375 Barb. iv. 398.
With clething and armyng … The vndirwardane arivit was Ib. v. 394. a1400 Leg. S. vii. 822.
Ilk man one his clethynge A takine fand of new, fresche blud Ib. xxx. 396.
Manis clethinge scho gat bon, And cled hyr rycht as man scho ware c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2512.
He put him sone of his awne clething And cled him in-to semple weid c1420 Wynt. i. 100.
Kennand that thai nakid ware, And had of clethyng gret mystare Ib. v. 3915.
In mete, or drynk, or clethyng ?1438 Alex. ii. 1922.
Gaudefere bad his chalmerlane, Bring him clething … Kirtill and mantill he brocht him swith 1456 Hay I. 59/13.
Than cled thai thame in clething of sekkis, and in wedis of doloure Ib. II. 131/30.
Than suld men have gude warme clething and gude fyris 1457 Acts II. 49/1.
The Realme in ilk estate is gretumly puryt throu sumptuos clething baith of men and wemen 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 71.
To Maister Iohne Patonsone … to by his clething and vthir thing again Ȝule a1500 Seven S. 2421.
He … cled hir on a newe fassoun With clething of his awne cuntre c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 268.
Be courtly ay in clething, & costly arrayit 1513 Doug. iv. ix. 49.
Hys cote armour, and othir clethyng all Ib. vii. i. 109.
Hir gay clething … Gan gleit … and birn vp in a bles 1524 Reg. Privy S. I. 497.
Gifand him fe, liveray, clething, busche of court and dewiteis usit and wount 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 116.
Ilk craftisman, with bent bow in his hand, Full galȝeartlie in schort clething of grene 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 227.
To propine and gif to the prouest … ane hundreth pundis worth of clething and spycery 1561 Carte Northberwic 81.
The said Paull … to fynd the said Thomas … meit and clethyng for bed and bak a1578 Pitsc. I. 202/11.
They mist him, and gat pairt of his cofferis with money and clething 1587 Acts III. 508/1.
That the saidis strangearis … sall furnishe thame … in meit, drink, clething, bedding, wesching, and wringing a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlix. 17.
As pairtly by our clething may be kend, And vncouth armes, that errant knichts we ar 1607 Crim. Trials II. ii.521.
Bedding, naiprie, clething, abuilȝementis, insicht & plenissing 1622-6 Bisset II. 225/17.
They sal have the cofferris, and commoun claythis … , except clething of greit pricefig. 1456 Hay I. 18/5.
A … herisye in clething of gudelynes 1490 Irland Mir. I. 135/30.
A westament and clething of hir nature a1585 Maitl. Q. lxv. 160.
Thy best clething salbe the scheild of deith(b) c1420 Ratis R. 638.
To help thir nakyt with cleithinge c1460 Thewis Gud Wemen 29.
Nocht outragous in hire cleithinge 1474 Reg. Cupar A. I. 194.
Tha sal be honest in thar cleything c1475 Wall. iv. 694.
The Scottis … Tuk wp thair gud … Cleithing and stuff 1490 Treas. Acc. I. 186.
Thir ar the sowmis of mone laid down for cleything to the Kingis awin person c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2873.
Scho laid apart hir awin cleithyng, And tuke the rayment of ane king 1568 Fleming Q. Mary 511.
The inventar of the Quenis graces cleithing … send to hir grace furth of Loch Leuin a1578 Pitsc. II. 122/24.
Thay … saw thair schip perrische with … mony jowallis, siluer, and cleithin 1596 Dalr. I. 89/6.
Nathir war thay seine diligate in thair table, nor ornat in thair cleithing 1622-6 Bisset II. 258/28.
Uthir sic veschellis … quharin the maryneris brocht furth there cleithing(c) 15.. Clar. v. 381.
When … thay at leasour changit thair cleathing 1588 Cath. Tr. 214/7.
The ouer delicatte treating of oure bodyes, in eatinge, drinking, sleipinge, and cleathinge 1540 Lynd. Sat. 676.
Be my cleathing ȝe may ken That I am cum of nobill men Ib. 722.
Hes na man clarkis cleathing to len us?

b. A garment; a suit of clothes. 1456 Hay I. 284/5.
The clethingis of Jhesu Crist apperit … of quhite colour Ib. II. 63/35.
He that takis … plesaunce in … joly clethingis 1511–2 Treas. Acc. IV. 231.
Mastres Musgray … to Robert Spetele, tailȝour, … for making of hir clethingis 1583 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 103.
Ane dosane steilbonetis … , ane haberschone … , and our clethingis worth xl lib. 1589 Treas. Acc. MS. 139.
To Iohn Glassinwrycht, pure dependar in the hous, for bying him ane cleithing 1591 Edinb. Test. XXIII. 357 b.
I leif to my fader … ane cleithing of my best claythis 1610 Ib. XLVI. 165.
He leiffis to Iames Clerk merchand … ane cleithing of his claithis 1622-6 Bisset II. 127/24.
Thir thrie last ordouris … appeiris to be … distinguised be there habittis, or robbis of there clethingis

2. A facing or covering applied to a surface or framework; the work of making or fixing this. 1532 M. Works Acc. II. 32.
Keling soundis for glewing of the syle clething of the wallis & for durris clething Ib. 54 b.
Ane dozane rauchtaris to the said clething 1555–6 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 195.
Sawing of nyne cuttis of treis … to be cleything to the barrowis 1560–1 Ib. II. 143.
The clething of the bakis of the ij windois 1563–4 Ib. I. 470.
For v hundreth stair nails for cleithing of the foir stair 1626 M. Works Acc. XIX. 25 b.
For making some beddis in the castell, cleithing of the stair [etc.]