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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sailȝe, n. Also: sail(l)y(e, saylȝe, sailȝie, sailyie, salye, selȝe, sellie. Pl. also saillis. [e.m.E. salew (1542), sale (1560), sallye (1589), sallie (1590), sayle (1611), salley (1617), saillie (1664), OF saillie (c1160 a sally, 1287 a projection, in Larousse), p.p. of OF saillir Sailȝe v.]

1. An assault by besiegers on the besieged place; a military attack, more generally; ? also, a siege. Also, transf., an amorous advance. 1460 Hay Alex. 2737.
The assalt past to with ledder, myne and sailȝe And laid sege to with plane battailȝe Ib. 4131.
He … past … About the toun and sone gaif it a sailȝe c1475 Wall. iii 158.
Inglismen … Beforce etlyt throuch out thaim for to ryde. The Scottis … With suerdis schar [etc.] … A sayr sailȝe forsuth thar mycht be sene Ib. vi 564.
About the king full sodandly thai gang And traistis weill the sailȝe [1570 assailȝe] wes rycht strang Ib. ix 1901.
In Tayis mowth the hawyn … Quhar Wallace was than at the saylȝe still Ib. xi 18.
To Burdeous ȝit he past. … On out byggyngis full gret maister thai maid Still saxte dayis at sar sailȝe thai baid Ib. 374.
The fyrst sailȝe we think thar to bid Ib. 411.
Than all the lawe … Ȝeid till aray agayn to sailȝe new a1500 Sir Eger 73.
What ever he was that gave thee sailyie, It was not little that made thee failyie 1535 Stewart 20552.
Instrumentis … That neidful war to mak sailȝie or salt Ib. 47915.
Richt nobill men … traist and trew, So souer als in all tyme at ane sailȝe 1643 Fugitive Poetry II xx 6/7.
The canons play'd with redoubled voleyes On their leaguer, with most fearfull saillyestransf. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 952.
Now, vailȝe quod vailȝe, Upon the ladie thow mak ane sailȝe

2. a. The projecting of part of a building beyond the face of the building, prominence; a projection from a building.Also corbal(d) sailȝe, see Corbel(l n. 4.(a) 1538–9 Edinb. Guild Ct. 13 Feb.
In the founding & vprasing of his turnpik ferrar furth … than the star thairof wes of befor and in the furthputting of the round & sailȝe thairof 1551 Ib. 14 Oct.
The corbellis of the secund stair … be cuttit and haue (na mair) of sailȝe langer nor the nether corbell bot thre incheis … and that the sailȝe of the garroun … cum na further furth nor the said (corbellis) be fyve incheis and ane half 1555 Ib. 21 June.
In the furth setting of his corbell selȝeis & twa square windois in his north gavill(b) 1535–6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 192.
For lxxi pece battelling ilk pece iiii d. viii pece saillis ilk pece ix d. 1589–90 Mylne Master Masons 67.
And sall big the haill lummingis and kaip the samin and haill foirwall with hewin wark the saillis of the samin

b. A stone cut to project from the face of a building. Also comb. with stane. 1535–6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 139.
And for salyes witht reprise ilk pece wyning and furtht bering x d. Ib.
xiiii pece sailyes for reprise to round kirnellis ilk pece … ix d. Ib. 145.
Salyes Ib. 146.

c. attrib. and comb. 1535–6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 147.
For ix draucht sailyes stanis 1680–2 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XI 530.
For the stone bridg of Innernes … to the messins … for hewing … of sevin bowes of odgers ornal pen sellie breces flags for the fundation and pillar feit