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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
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Scaffald, Scaffall, Schaffold, n. Also: scaf-, skaff- and -alde, -auld, -old(e, -uld, -eld, -alt, -olt, -illt, -hold, -huld; -ell, -uill, -oll; scaffehold; schaffel(d; scaiffald, skaifell, -ill; scalfold, scalffauld, skalfolde, scalffet, skalfet; scaffat, -ett, skaffat, -et(t, -it; (sklaffauld); scoffold. [ME and e.m.E. schaffald (north., 1341), scaffot (1349), skaffald (1354), scaffold (1435), schafhold (Malory), chaffold (1514), schaffold (a1552), OF cha(a)faut, eschafalt, eschafaut (all 1160 in Larousse), vulgar L. *catafalcum, med. L. scafaldus, scalfaudus (15th c. in Latham).]

1. A military engine for use in assaulting a walled fortification. 1375 Barb. xvii 343.
The Inglis ost … assembill … With instrumentis of ser maneris As scaffaldis [C. scaffatis] leddris [etc.] Ib. 601.
Syndry scaffaldis [C. scaffatis] thai maid with-all That war weill heyar than the wall

2. A temporary platform, set upon supports or (later) suspended, to hold workmen and their materials, etc., during work of construction, repair, alteration, etc., of a building.Sometimes, ? esp. in pl., ? referring to the whole structure, supports as well as platform. = Scaffalting vbl. n. 1329 Exch. R. I 125.]
[Pro meremio empto pro scaffaldis faciendis pro opere noue cameresing. 1541 Treas. Acc. VII 499.
For making of ane scaffald for dountakin of the samin [sc. a bell] furtht of the stepill 1553–4 Edinb. Old Acc. I 110.
Payit for the making of … the playaris hous, the jebbettis and skaffauld about the samyn 1554–5 Ib. 148.
Men to beir up tymmer to mak the skaffald … xvj punsionis to the skaffald Ib. 149.
To sex men … [for] strikin of ane skaffald 1595–6 Dundee Treas. Acc.
For bigging ane scafhvld wpon the head of the scafhold 1598–9 Misc. Spald. C. V 71.
Aucht dalis to the clarkis chalmer … quhilk was scaffuld at the painting of it 1625 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 177.
For towis for hinging over the skaffold for making in of the holl for the lead pype 1645 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 110b.
For the skafillt of the new sink 1663 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 69.
To mak thrie holls for ane scaffold that Robert Mein or his tennents to [sic] turffe on 1680 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 19 June.
Scafold(b) 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. II 139.
xij dubill garrounis for the scaffat … iiij s. 1601–2 Montrose Treas. Acc. 7.
To the varkmen and cartairis for carting the dailis to the scaffett off the hospitall and to the stepill(c) 1582 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 126.
The setting of ane scaiffald in the new kirk(d) 1587 Dundee B. Laws 143.
To the measons at the vppseting and down taking of the skalfet(e) 1628 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 260.
Skaifell 1629 Ib. 268.
For doun taking the skaifill of his maiesties bed chalmer 1631 Glasgow B. Rec. II 2.
To mak ane skaffell … abone the yett on the west gavill of the Metrapolitane Kirk, that the said John may build and repair the brek of the wallpl. 1538–9 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 258.
For making skaffaltis gyraippis traissis and grayth to cartis 1552–3 Old Dundee II 127.
For the binding of the cuppils of the queir, making skaffats thereto [etc.] 1559 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 58.
Ane dusin garronis to be skaffetis 1574–5 Haddington Treas. Acc. 8.
For making of skaffattis to the eist galf wyndoke of the kyrk(b) 1505–6 Edinb. Hammermen 54.
For the scalffettis away bering(c) 1563–4 Edinb. Old Acc. I 448.
For making of skaffellis to put upe the said glas xviij d. 1598 Edinb. Masons 2b.
That all maisteris … of warkis … sie thair skaffellis and futegangis surelie sett and placit 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 112.
Naillis to mak the skaffuillis(d) 1611 Macgibbon & Ross V 7.
Ane wricht to help to mak the schaffels and futegangis

3. A platform, stand or seat sufficiently elevated to give prominence to persons of rank, officials, judges, etc. on public occasions, also to persons undergoing public punishment.(1) 1494 Loutfut MS 2a.
About the listes salbe … maid … scalffauldis, part maid to princes or vtheris lordis or jugis ordanit thair to(b) 1494 Loutfut MS 2a.
Giff the king be present in propir persoun thair salbe maid att the fut of his scaffald ane place quhar the … marschall salbe 1533 Boece 617b.
This jurnay chosin was in the North Inch of Perth, and jugis war sett on ane skaffald tharfor dewisit 1538 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 88.
That scho be putt in the irnis … aboue the croce on the skaffald, that all the pepill may se 1550 Treas. Acc. IX 435.
Debursit in preparing of ane scaffald the tyme of the accusatioun of Wallace 15.. Clar. ii 1343.
He ordanit eike two skaffaldis … The ane … for the kings majestie, Ane uther for the queinis royaltie And for hir dochter Ib. iv 981.
The king gart in ane scaffold by him neir … sit … lordis seir, For to be judge quha provit knightliest 1570 Leslie 143.
The said Sir Williame … apoun ane publict skaffald … wes degradit 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 162/2.
A king is as ane sett on a skaffolde quhase smallest actions & gestures all the people gazinglie do behoulde 1657 Balfour Ann. II 184.
Scaffeholds wer erected in 3 places of the toune Ib. 185.
Scaffhold(c) 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 68.
The quenis grace come doun to the tolbuith, at the quhilk was … twa skaffattis, ane abone and ane vnder that 1580 Old Dundee I 84.
She sall be had to the cuck-stule, and upon the skaffet thereof her hair sall be cut off(d) 1623–4 Misc. Spald. C. V 98.
For dressing wpe the scaffallis about the corss … 10 s.(2) 14.. Maner of Battale 226.
Ane prince … sal sit juge in scaffald above the entre of the listes 1494 Loutfut MS 2b.
The juge suld gang in the listis … and suld entir in scaffald [Lindsay MS skaffauld] his counsalouris eftir him

b. specif. An elevated platform on which a public execution takes place.(a) 1558–9 Edinb. Old Acc. I 280.
For making of the skaffald to justifie the Franche men Ib. 281.
Thre gaittis … to mak the skaffald and set up the jebait 1565–6 Ib. 504.
To the pynouris for the bering of dailles and pouncheonis … with the gibbet and madin to mak ane scaffald … the day quhen Thomas Scot was justefeitt 1566 Edinb. B. Rec. III 217.
For making of the skaffald quharvpoun Thomas Hoppringill wes heidit 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 23.
James Hamiltoun … was … heidit at the skaffald at the trone of Edinburgh Ib. 98.
Scott wes hangit [etc.] … vpoun ane skaffalt at the mercat croce a1578 Pitsc. I 59/27.
Alexander quhene he was wpoun the skaffold … maid ane singular goode wriesone Ib. II 265/13.
The lordis … had maid ane scaffauld to have heiddit the provest of Dundie 1584 Gowrie P. 36.
The scaffeld … was covered with linin cloth, then sand, next cloth, then scarleth 1600 Crim. Trials II 254.
Quhill we sie him die on the scaffald for it [etc.] 1600-1610 Melvill 117.
He was condamned to be headit on a sklaffauld Ib.
Skaffalde a1605 Birrel Diary 49.
Scaffolt 1608 Crim. Trials II 260.
Sprottis depositioun vpoun the skalfolde: … Sprott … at the foure nvkeis of the scaffold ratified his formar depositiouns(b) 1565–6 Crim. Trials I i 475.
And thair, vpoune ane scaffall, his heid to be strikin fra his bodie 1581 Acts III 197/1.
The said aduocat … produceit the depositiones … wpoun the skaffell the tyme of his executioun 1594–5 Misc. Spald. C. V 59.
Scaffoll(c) 1584 Gowrie P. 36.
[He was] conveyed to the schaffeld by his kepar 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 91.
Our king was brought to a schaffold, the other slain be a assasin

c. (To go) till … skaffauld, to be executed. 1600-1610 Melvill 202.
They ar seditius, … and thairfor man till exyll, banissment, preasone, and skaffauld

4. A platform or (temporary) stage on which a performance or public entertainment takes place.(a) 1460 Hay Alex. 17458.
In diuers rewis, playis and personagis, Sum contenance on scaffaldis and on stagis 1533 Bell. Livy II 176/17.
Thocht sic thingis semys mare ganand to be rehersit on scaffaldis for … delite of pepill 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 111.
Thow saw … Disagysit folkis … On ilk scaffold, to play ane syndrie storie 1540 Id. Sat. 1953 stage direction.
Heir sall the karle lowp of the [s]caffald 1552–3 Edinb. Old Acc. I 76.
For making of ane skaffalt on the hill to the clerk play 1587 Carmichael Etym. 33.
Forus, the overloft of a ship, or scaffald for players 1595–6 Dundee B. Rec. in Mill Mediæv. Plays 175.
For bigging the scafhold the tyme the barnis of the school playd 1596 Dalr. II 456/14.
As sum dayes to the hunteng, playes, scaffoldis [etc.] … tha gaue thame selfes to 1587-99 Hume 53/45.
Make scaffalds clare for cumlie comedies 1662 Lamont Diary 158.
The montebancke … had his peopell that played on the scaffold, ane ay playing the foole [etc.] 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 69.
He [sc. the mountebank] sunk all most dead upon the scalfold or stage(b) 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. I 272.
For … scheiratts till the skaffetts for latting of dyn to be maid be the playars feit 1575 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 21 July.
The counsell ordanit the thesaurar … to sett skaffitis for to the play(c) ?c1605 Pitsc. Add. (1728) 233.
In the Poultrey a scoffold was erected, where … to delight the queen … nine trumpets … did actually sound the Danish March

5. A raised stand for spectators. 1533 Bell. Livy I 119/21.
Thai war constrenit to mak public setis and scaffaldis in commoun placis quhare playis war devisit 15.. Clar. ii 1334.
To caus be maid, For sight of lordis, skaffaldis heich and braid, On ather half, … Hecher and lower efter thair degree Of nobillis and barrouns on tham sould stand