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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Napkin, Napekine, Naipkin, Nepkine, Neipkin, n. Also: napkine, -kyn(e, -kaine, (-kynin), nappkyn; napekyn; naipkine, -kyn, -kein, -king; nepkyn, -king, -ken; neipkine, -kyn; neapkin(e, -kyn, -kein; also Naping and Naptaine. [Late ME. and e.m.E. nappekyn (1420), napekyn (Prompt. Parv.), napkin (a 1483), -kyn, appar. OF. nappe, also nape, a cloth, + dimin. suffix -kin.] A piece (? usu. square or oblong) of linen or other cloth with the following specific uses.

1. a. A (pocket-) handkerchief. b. A neckerchief.The usual uses also in the mod. dial.In the majority of instances the contexts are insufficiently specific to enable the examples to be distinguished with certainty.(a) 1436 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II. 139.
Vnum napkyn pro domino episcopo
1513 Treas. Acc. IV. 419.
For sewin of serkis and napkinnis
1518 Ib. V. 147.
Napkynnis
1546 Ib. IX. 45.
My lorde governouris sarkis and napkynines [sic. in pr.]
1547 Ib. 83.
Napkynnes
1551 Ib. X. 18.
To be kemmyng claithis, nycht quaffisand napkynnis to his grace viij elnis holand claitht
a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxviii. 100.
Thay snycht thocht thair na mister be That ȝe may thair trim napkyne se
1590 Crim. Trials. I. ii. 218.
Anie part … of foule linnen cloth … as shirt, handkercher, napkin or any other thing
1637 Rutherford Lett. (1822) 134.
We must do as those who keep the bloody napkin to the baillie, and let him see blood
1644 Edinb. Test. LXI. 1 b.
Thrie stand of clais … with sarkes, ruffes, napkines [etc.]
1656–7 Fam. Rose 367. 1682 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 28 Sept.
Marioune Willisone … confesses her ressait of the tuentie shilling peice and napkaine and ane night cap
(b) 1551 Treas. Acc. X. 38.
Napekynnis
1584 Misc. Bann. C. I. 105.
His eyes being covered with a napekine or cloath
(c) 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 150.
For vij quartaris of Hollande clayth to be naipkynnis to the King
1502 Ib. II. 38.
Naipkinnis
1511 Ib. IV. 322. 1522 Dunferm. B. Rec. 209.
Ane brest curch, ane naipkyn
1545–6 Treas. Acc. VIII. 438.
For ane doubill hanke of gold to corde the saidis naipkynnis
1564 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 142.
The said Patrick shew certane cloutis and naipkynnis and laid the money … upoun ane burd
1576 Crim. Trials I. ii. 56.
He … coft ane pund of feggis and … put thame in his naipkin
1578 Inv. Wardrobe 236.
Thre naipkynnis of crisp [etc.]
1583 Prot. Bk. J. Borthwick 16.
The soum of iiijxx ix merkis knyt in ane naipkyn
1585 Reg. Privy C. IV. 35.
They stoppit ane naipkine in hir thrott
1591 Crim. Trials I. ii. 254.
The slauchter … of ane barne … be rubbing of hir face with youre naipkin … quhen sche fell vpoune the calsey
1600 Ib. II. 357. 1602 Tailor's Acc. Bk. 29.
For twa camrage naipkinnis
1613 Edinb. Test. XLVII. 226b.
Sex dosane of gold knapis to naipkinis
1618 Ib. L. 78. 1622-6 Bisset II. 342/2.
Ane naipkin … quhairin he … imprentted the ressemblance of his visaige
1623 Inverness Rec. II. 162.
Ane naipkein of holland claith sewit about with goldin threid and goldin knappis
1632 14th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. iii. 235.
Naipkine
(d) 1585 Perth B. Ct. 27 Apr.
Item four sarkis & four nekkis, item tua nepkynnis
16.. Nat. Lib. MS. 22.2.11 penult. p.
Dipe the end of the nepking in the patients water
1609 Crim. Trials III. 46.
Nepkyn
1662 Haigs of Bemersyde 472. 1674 Sc. Ant. I. 178.
For my poynt nepken 13 lib. 14 s.
1676 Forbes Baron Ct. 301.
[That] he hade gotten blood and called for a nepkyne from his wyfe to keap it
(e) 1530 Balmerino & L. Chart. 32.
xxj neipkins & brest cowrchis … thre nek cowrchis
1565 Treas. Acc. XI. 421.
Smale lynnyng to be sarkis, neipkynnis and muchis
1566 Old Ross-shire I. 58.
Tway sarks with ij neipkynis
1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 21. 1621 Acts IV. 625/2.
That no persoun … salhave pearling or ribbening vpoun thair ruffes sarkis neipkines and sokkis except [etc.]
(f) 1558-66 Knox II. 387.
Skarslie could Marnock hir secreat chalmer-boy gett neapkynes to hold hyr eyes drye for the tearis
1603 Moysie Mem. 54.
Ane quhyt neapkein
1600-1610 Melvill 25.
With twa piece of gold in a neapkine
1684 Monimail Reg. Ct. 29 Apr.
His neapkin full of blood

c. Attrib. with knop (knap) (= tassel), nucke (= corner), teap (= tape). 1592 Edinb. Test. XXIV. 73 b.
Certane naipkin knoppis sauld for ij s.
1617 Ib. XLIX. 267.
Naipkin knapis
1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 819.
Ten pundis stirling furth he tuike And knit it in a neapkyn nucke
1658 Brechin Test. VI. 163.
Four pair of bandstringes sex stand of napkine teaps [etc.]

2. a. An altar-cloth. a 1500 Coll. St. Salvator 158.
Tua nappkynnis for the he alter ane nedill werk and ane dornwik
1530 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 129.
Ane chaleis … thre naipkingis ane broodin and tua quhyt

b. Appar., a table-napkin.The commonest Eng. use: the Sc. word for this was serviet, serviot, servit. 1697 Old Ross-shire I. 129.
Ane dossone damask and dornick table clothes and twelff dossone nepkines estimat to Ic. lib.

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"Napkin n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/napkin>

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