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.
Quotation dates: 1600-1699
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Sarcinett, Sars(e)net, Sas(i)nett, Sessenot, Sesnet(t, n. Also: cesnat, cesnut. [ME and e.m.E. sarsinet (1378), sarsenet (1394), sarcenet (1477), sarsynet (1483), sesenet (1521), sarsnet (1610), AF sarzinett, prob. dimin. of sarzin Saracen(e n. and adj.: cf. MF drap sarrazinoiz (1567 in Tobler-Lommatzsch), med. L. pannus saracenicus ‘Saracen cloth’.] Sarcenet, the silken material. b. Sessenot-taffetie, sesnetis taffeties, taffata-sarsenet, taffetas sarcinett, ? a taffeta of this variety, a specially fine silken variety of taffeta (also e.m.E. taffeta sarsnet (1610 B. Jonson Alchemist ii ii)). — 1635 Balfour Her. Tracts 117.
3 ells reid sasinett for 2 branches at £4 the elne is £12 … 6 quarters blew sesnett for ane branch £6 … 6 quarters ȝellou sasnett for ane branch £6 1685 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries LVIII. 359.
A shirrie cesnut collar cloath … A stamped cesnut night goune lyned with cesnut 1696 Edinburgh Testaments LXXX. 191 b.
Ane striped gouin lyned with cesnut—b. (1) 1624 Edinburgh Testaments LII 321.
Nyne ellis sessenot taffetie at xlvij s. vj d. the elne 1625 Ib. LIII. 32.
x elnes pappingo grein cesnat taffitie 1631 Ib. LV 136.
Four scoir … elles panis and sesnetis taffeties 1674 Lauder Journal 271.
To my wife to buy a petticoat of cesnut taffety —(2) 1642 Caldwell P. 94.
I pray you send me fortie ells of taffata sarsenet such as will not run & scatter in the threads for thinnes nor will not frett by stiffnes 1657 Balfour Ann. II 108.
His [sc. King James VI's] skin vas als softe as tafta sarsnet 16.. Alchem. MSS V.
And breye it in a brasen morter into ane fyne pouder be searceing it in a pottingars box throcht a taffetas sarcinett
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"Sarcinett n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/sarcinett>
