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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.

Serviet(t, -iat, Servet(t, n. Also: servyet, serveit(t, serviot(t, serrviot(t, -wiot(t, serwiat(t, servit(t, -wit(t, -vot(t, servitie, sarvyet, (schirweit(t, sheriot). [F. serviette (1328 in Larousse).] A serviette; a small towel or table-napkin. Chiefly pl., once, uninfl. pl.For forms in sch-, see the note to Service n.sing. 1571 Bann. Memor. 67.
The said erle hearing me cry, bad his servant … put ane serviat in my throat 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Mantile, a seruyet [1617 serueit] 1583 Elgin Rec. I 172. 1590 St. A. B. Ct. 8 April.
Ane serrwiot 1591 Crim. Trials I ii 253.
Ane seruiett with beif, woimplit about the guise 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 40.
[A wine pedlar carried] in his on hand a glass full halfe with win; in his other a pint stoop; over his arm hinges a servit … . He lets any man taste it that desires 1696 Edinb. Test. LXXX 191b.
Ane boday pitecoat tyed in a servit(b) c1610 Melville Mem. 174.
Saruyetinfl. pl. 1525 Household Bks. Jas. V 73.
viij vlne pannj lineij pro le seruiettes pro tabula dominj regis 1540 Treas. Acc. VII 304.
xv elnis quhyte taffites of Janis to be serviettes to hald the torchis at the baptyme of my lord prince 1561 Inv. Q. Mary 46.
Seven seruiettis damaskit 1587–8 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 515.
Thai sall nocht … be sene in the streits with thair aiprunes and seruiets as commoun cuikis … vses to do 1613 Dunferm. Weavers 89.
And all serviettes of this sort shall be three-quarters of a yard broad when whitened 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 42.(b) 1569 Edinb. B. Rec. III 261.
Ane dissone of seruetis c1575 Balfour Pract. 235.
The air sall have … twelf servettis and ane buird-claith of dornique 1649 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 781.
Ten dison of linnen and dornick servets … Four dison of round servets 1689 Brechin Test. VII 215b.
A duȝone of course servets worth xviij s.(c) 1605 Paterson Ayr & Wigton III 198.
Serveitts 1617 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 385.
To Andro Creiche 2 laid work serveites(d) 1489–90 Acta Conc. I 131/2.
xij seruiotis of dornewik 1501 Treas. Acc. II 28. 1517 Caldwell P. 55.
Three stands of dornwyk, with thare towellis and serviots 1525 Household Bks. Jas. V 76.
Pro duobus le seruiottis ad tabulam Dominj Regis x s. 1587 Perth B. Ct. 31 July.
Serrviottis 1642 Edinb. Test. LX 90.(e) 1513 Doug. i xi 17.
With soft serviatis [Sm. serviettis, Ruddim. seruiotis; L. mantelia] to mak thar handis cleyn 1540 Maxwell Mem. I 408.
Braid serwiattis 1565–6 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 97.
1 dosene of serviatis, 2 drying towallis(f) 1562 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 649/1.
Servitis 1568 Inv. in Moray Mun. (Darnaway) Box 2.
vj schoyd serwittis 1581 Brechin Test. I 47.
Ane dossone of tuidling seruittis 1627 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 529.
Servits 1630 Bamff Chart. 223.
Serwits 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 26 Sept.
Of kichine servits nyne 1635 Haddington Mem. II 304.
Lining servites, … harden servites 1659 Craven Ch. in Orkney II 196.
Two hardin servites for covring the chist(g) 1567 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. App. 314.
Ane burdclaith, the hie burd, ane dussoun servities [etc.](h) 1567 Bamff Chart. 70.
The haill nepry and coveris of the thre burdis with thair burd claths and servottis 1589 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 299. 1640 Brechin Test. V 275.(i) 1597 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 28 Feb.
Schirueittis(j) 1517 Misc. Spald. C. II 78.
Tua hale stand of dornwik small napry, with xii sheriotis, price viij lib. … viij stand of gret napry, with sheriotis concordant thairto, price of the stand xx s.uninfl. pl. 1704 Sc. Ant. I 129.
Four dornick servet