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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.

Sail(l)ing, Saling, vbl. n. Also: sayling, salene, seill-, seall-, selling. [ME and e.m.E. sailyng (Manning), sayling (1540), sailing (1593), ME also seillynge (Trevisa), ceylynge (Prompt. Parv.), OE segling; Sail(l v.] Sailing, in senses of Sail(l v. Travelling under sail by ship or boat, voyaging; going by boat on water; going by ship or putting to sea for the purposes of trade; (more or less skilled) navigating; (of a vessel) travelling on water by sail. b. An instance of these. 1484–5 Acta Conc. I *98/1.
Causande him and his schip to tary in this realme, fra his saling in breking of thair charter partj 1489 Acts II 221/1.
Anent the act of saling of merchandis [sc. an act of 1487] … that the samyn act [etc.] 1491 Acta Conc. I 205/1.
I am apone my saling and may nocht lang tary 1516 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 163.
Gif ony burges colloris the sailing of chepman and vther pure merchandis, nocht havand half ane last of guidis 1535 Stewart 326.
Throw lang saling that tyme in wynd and waw, Thair victuallis haill wer consumit aw 1550–1 Perth Guildry 276 (6 March).
To pay xx s. for thre tymes saling for stallanger fee 1558 Inverness Rec. I 26.
For the sowme of xl s. of the rest of sex pundis he suld hawe payit for his licence of saling 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 170.
Captane Weymis … narrowly escaped … be guid sailing 1578 Inv. Wardrobe 211.
Ane tapestrie of the historie of the salene of Aeneas 1596 Dalr. I 3/12.
Thay being sa noble seymen and sa expert in sayling a1605 Birrel Diary 30.
Stuillis came sweming doune the streit … lyke as they had beine selling doune the vaterb. 1533 Boece 132b.
Be mony wilsum and strange salingis tha devayit apoun the rowme seis certane tyme

c. In expressions of distance by sea; (so many hours, days, etc.) sailing, as a measure of distance.(1) c1500 Crying of Play 71.
Sevyne dayis saling betuix hir kneis Was estymit and maire 1535 Stewart 3371, 3373.
The passage wes … Ane ouris saling fra the narrest land And now it is befoir ane folowand [pr. felowand] wynd Sax houris saling bayth with fuk and blind 1632 Lithgow Trav. i 37. 1685 Dunlop P. III 15.
We are saife arayved heir in 12 weekes sealling(2) 1533 Boece 66b.
This Ila is maist large and betuix it and Albion the saling is verray schort 1535 Stewart 304.
Rycht lang saling thai maid bayth day and nycht

d. fig. Ladies sailing, voyaging in calm, easy passage. 1629 Boyd Last B. 185.
Man for a space like a shippe before the winde … may glide gladlie ouer the sea of this world with a full saile. Hee may get ladies sailing, as wee say

e. attrib. Used for sailing or travelling by sea. 1591 Edinb. Test. XXIII 7b.
Ane couper boitt with hir haill sailling geir 1597 Ib. XXX 63.
Ane boit with hir haill sailling and rowing geir 1613 Sc. Hist. Rev. II 360. 1650 J. M. Beale Fife Schools 143.
[To] buy ane sutte of cloathes, and cause make thain to him and also sailing cloathe as well four sarkes to him