Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Signet, v. Also: -ete, -at, sygnet, signey. [Signet n.¹] To stamp (a document, letter, etc.) with: a. A signet (Signet n.¹ 1). b. The Signet (Signet n.¹ 2), as an authorisation or authentication.a. 1559 Corr. M. Lorraine 426.
Of Hamilton this xxviij, Your grace humill oratour and servitour, Sanctandrois. My stamp is absent and thairfor nocht sygnetit 1565 Crim. Trials I i 460.
The said sentence [sc. of divorce] signatit and subscriuit 1568 Reg. Morton I 42.
As to the chargis … ȝe sall caus mak thame to sik men as ye pleis … and I [sc. the Earl of Argyll] sall subscrive and signet the saming 1576 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 12.
The samen clame is signated and merkit in the margyne 1580 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 79b.
Lauchfullie constitud be his procuratore signatit and subscrywit 1582 Misc. Stair Soc. I 110 (see Signet n.¹ 4 (1)). a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 259.
A packald of stampis signatit of Arrols armes 3; of Angus armes 6 1600-1610 Melvill 673.
Missive lettres, wryttin and signettit to be directed home to Scotland 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 110b.
Stewards, or baillies, sall haue ane signet: … with the quhilk they sall signet all letters, and precepts execut be them 1612 Acts IV 518/2.
The samyn signatit be Patrik Boncle clerk of the said cietie(b) 1685 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXV 104.
We expect … a speedy answer from the lords proprietors … which we desyre they may signey and seall as we have donefig. 1663 Mackenzie Religio Stoici i 6.
With whose image it is signetedb. 1496 Treas. Acc. I 321.
To a boy, to ryn … to Linlithquho to Watte Chepman to signet tua letteris 1538 Misc. Spald. C. II 190.
Secretar, ve charge you … signet the letter … with the signet ye kep your self … and that ye signet the said letter nochtwithstanding that it is nocht subscrivit be our thesaurar ?1542 Misc. Spald. C. II 195.
We charge yow [sc. the Secretary] that … ye signete the gift of the lordschip of Menteith … to our deirest fallow the Quene nochtwithstanding that it is nocht subscriuit bot be ws alanerly a1578 Pitsc. I 90/27 (see Signet n.¹ 2 (a). 1590 Acts Sederunt ii 18.
In the fals and wrongous executioun of all sorts of letters quhilks aucht first to be signetit be our signet 1622-6 Bisset I 126/21.
That the clerkis … sall nawyis … alter ony summonis … eftir the samin be signettit ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. II 210.
Ordained to be ane warrant for execution heerof, or passing through the seales, albeit it be not signetted 1664 Wodrow Hist. I (1828) 400.
The said clerk … to signet the same with the signet of the privy council 1671 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. II 551.
It not having been presented on the day it bears to have been signeted 1675 Aberd. Council Lett. V 414.
The Keiper of the Signet refuses to signet them gratis