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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.

Seling, vbl. n. Also: selyng(e, seleng, selin, seil(l)ing, seyling, sealling, sailigne. [ME and e.m.E. selyng (1338), sealynge (1546), sealing (1555); Sele v.]

1. a. The action of affixing a seal to a document by way of ratification. See Sele v. 1. b. The use of a seal or the seal itself in sense 1 of Sele n.²a., b. 1412 James I in Hawick Ann. 12.
Thes present lettres we wrate with our proper hand, under the signet usit in seyling of our lettres as now at Croydon 1428 Ayr B. Acc. in Sc. Hist. Rev. XXXI 142.
For the selyng off the commissioun [xiiij d.] 1456 Hay I 281/34.
Rycht sa … of notairis, gif ane dois falset under the sailigne of ane othir, I say all sik men suld be wele and cruelly punyst 1498 Fam. Rose 167.
And incontinent, at the seilling … of thir indentoris [he] sall … hanfast the said Alyn, as law will 1500 Edinb. Hammermen 34.
For our selin & annuale xij d. 1540–1 Treas. Acc. VII 429.
To geve to the convent of Dunfermling for seling of the charter of the Brint Eland 1556 Melrose Reg. Rec. III 218.
Quhair we lamentit the fraudfull seling of ane chertour of Murhouslaw … quhair your lordship promist to cause redelyver the samyn c1575 Balfour Pract. 271.
For making, seilling and subscryving of reversiounis 1584 Acts III 353/1, 2.
That the act anent the seilling of wryittis of importance is nocht to be vnderstand of sik wryittis [etc.] … as ar … registrat in the buikis of our souerane lordis consale … seing the parteis consentis to registrat the same quhilk is ane griter solempt act nor the seling therof

c. The action of affixing a stamp to cloth or marking other manufactured goods, etc., as a proof of quality. Also attrib. See Sele v. 2.1540 Acts II 376/1 (see Sele v. 2 b). 1574–5 Haddington Treas. Acc. 20.
For seiling of naprye and sylverwark in tyme of the communion 1606 Glasgow Merchants House 100.
The deine of gild … hes appointit Tuysday nix-to-cum to begin for ordour taking with sealling of the stopis 1620–1 Dumbarton Common Gd. Acc. 24.
For making thrie seilling irenis to the almshous and for his seilling thairin twa dayis 1621 Inverness Rec. II 158.
For establissing keiperis of the seil for seiling and stamping of lether and tanning of hyidisattrib. 1619 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 200.
To bring the hail stuffis maid be thame … to be tryet be the visitoris appoyntit be the gude toun and seillit and that ilk seilling day in the oulk [etc.] 1620–1 Dumbarton Common Gd. Acc. 24 (see b above).

2. The action of fastening with or as with a seal. See Sele v. 3. a1400 Leg. S. vii 786.
Jhesus quhene he rase fra dede, … al vnsterynge the stekyne Of the presone & the selynge, Owte of the cawe than can me ta 1544 Treas. Acc. VIII 316.
For laiding, seleng and carting of my lord governoris wyne, and upbringing to the castell of Edinburght