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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Poldavy, -ie, n. Also: pole-, poil-, poeill- and -dav(y)e, -dawie, -dawy(e, -daive; -dowy, -dowie, -dovie; -deuy; podavé. Plur. -daveis, -is, -es. [e.m.E. poldavyt (Cely Papers, 1487), poldavy (a 1490), also poldavys appar. collective plur. freq. used as sing. (1482), appar. f. Poldavide, a place on the coast of Brittany.] A coarse and strong canvas or sacking, appar. orig. made in Brittany. Also comb.Also infl. as plur., id.Used as sailcloth, for making palliasses, for lining and stiffening garments, and for other purposes requiring a strong or a coarse cloth.(1) 1534 Treas. Acc. VI 234.
For vj boltis poldavy … to be salis to the kingis schip xxiiij li. 1562 Reg. Privy C. I 225. 1565 Treas. Acc. XI 388.
xxx elnis of poldavie to be palȝeayis and awaloupis 1575 Inverness Rec. I 245.
Poldawie 1582 Treas. Acc. MS 35.
Poldavye to be palȝesis 1597 Bk. Rates 3 b.
Poldaue 1601 Tailor's Acc. Bk. 16.
iij quarters … of poldavie to stent the bodyis of this same goun xiij s. iij s. 1616 Dunbar Social Life II 76.
3 quarters poldawie to the doublet [15/-] 1616 Stirling B. Rec. I 144.
Poldavye 1633 Black Bk. Taymouth xxii.
Poldavie(b) 1569–70 Soc. Ant. VI 52.
For to be ane doublat of poldowy to the meir 1619 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 10 June.
To by his sone … ane quhite poldovie(c) 1598 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 121.
Sex elnis poldeuy(d) 1577 Glasgow B. Rec. (M.C.) 66.
[11 s. 11 d.] for certaine poildavy 1598 Treas. Acc. MS 85 b.
Poildaue to be sockettis to the standart(e) 1642 Tailor's Acc. Bk. B. 57 b.
Poeilldawie(2) plur. 1511 Treas. Acc. IV 301.
xl boltis poldavis of the gretest sort 1512 Ib. 304.
Tua pece of poldavis to be hir tua bonettis 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 318.
Poldaveis 1614 Laing MSS. I 135.
For poldaves and quhail bone Ib. 136.
Podavescomb. [1561–2 Treas. Acc. XI 110.
xx elnis of canvves of poldawie to be ane palȝeas the elne iiij s.] 1562 Ib. 227.
[37 ½ ells] of poldavie canves to be palȝeais the elne v s. iiij d. Ib. 228.
Poldawie canves 1565 Ib. 381.
Poldavie Ib. 382. Ib. 407.
j^c elnis of poldavie cammes to mak garderobis 1572 Elgin Rec. I 134.
Poledawy canves 1573 Treas. Acc. XII 356.
xxiij elnis of poldavie canves to be ane palyeas 1581 Ib. MS 82.
lij elnis poldaiue canves tobe nyne hors scheittis to his hienes grite hors 1586 Ib. 85.
Sex elnis of poldavie canves to be ane dayes scheit to the soir horse 1586 Perth B. Ct. 28 Oct.
For certane poldavy canves 1589 St. A. B. Ct. 12 Aug.
Poldauie cannes 1590 Ib. 8 Dec.
Ane steik of poldawye canues 1597 Bk. Rates 9.
Poldauie canues 1602 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 418.
Ane dowblat of poldowie canves