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

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

Siling, Selinge, vbl. n. Also: syl(e)-, syll-, seyl-, seel-, sejell- and -yng(e, -ingg, sayline. [ME and e.m.E. celynge (c1380), sylyng, cylyng (both 1483), selyng (1548), cieling(e (1555), seeling (1577); Sil(e v.²]

1. The action of Sil(e v.², the lining or panelling (with boards) of the interior walls or roof of a building or apartment; the lining or panelling itself. b. The construction of undercovering of a roof or floor; the undercovering or ceiling itself.(1) 1497 Treas. Acc. I 357.
To the kervour that tuk in task the siling of the chapel 1531–2 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 74.
For imputting of crukis and bottis to the syling of the wallis in the myd chalmeris 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 106.
To the saidis wrychtis for makin grathing and syling of the kingis chekin dressory 1535–6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 190.
v^xx knoppis to the siling of the samyn [sc. a chapel] 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Laquear, vel laquiarium, the syling of ane house 1616 S. Leith Rec. 15.
Sylinge 1629 Boyd Last B. (1629) 612.
The stars which are like golden nailes into the syling of the world 1670 Cramond Cullen Ann. 53.
Ane just copie … off the inscriptione writen on the syleing off the south ile off the church of Cullen ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. II 258.
[He] had gott upp and was lurkinge above the syling of the churche(b) 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 67.
For … xii braid drauchtis estland burd for pannalis sylling of certane kasit wyndois 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 333.
Twentie twa draucht of dailles and twa draucht of tries for sylling of the bouthous(c) 1354 Coldingham Priory p. xxviii.
Computat in selinge et reparacione cori ecclesiae de Coldingham xlvj s. viij d. 1354 Coldingham Priory p. xxix.
Selingg 1591 Newes from Scotland in Crim. Trials I ii 220.
Capring so directly up, that his heade did touch the seeling of the chamber(d) 1628–9 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 245.
For 800 blind naill dore naill schank for the sayline of the tua chalmeris(2) 1504–5 Treas. Acc. II 280.
Burdis to the said chapell siling 1523 Dundee B. Ct. I fol. 140 (22 April).
And quhat reparalyng the said Dauid makis on silyng or vther wais inneuth the chop 1530 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 29.
To Johne Drummond wrycht [etc.] … makand cowmis walplatis for siling and furnessand lwmys and skaffalting 1531 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 85.
Grete garron naill for the brasis of the syling upputting 1537–8 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 215.
The expensis of cullouris … to the … sylingis 1539–41 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 280.
To Johne Kelle for harling of the hale chapell within and under the siling 1601–2 Montrose Treas. Acc. 5b.
For mending the syling above the loft vj s. 1629 Boyd Last B. 227.
The olde syling, that was once fast joyned together with nailes, will beginne … to gape 1637 Kirkcaldy Presb. 119.
Syleing(b) 1590 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 64.
To Androw Dog, messon … for mending the mullenis in the sylling 1638 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 410.
They found ruiff of the kirk … sufficient, except it be in sylling and sarking 1684 Glamis Bk. Record 38.
The third storry was cumsylled above, which sort of sylling is … a nest for ratts(c) 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Æn. i 726.
Dependent lychni laquearibus aureis: pendent e camera, testudine, aurea (seyling)

2. The roof of a box pew. 1625 Cramond Ch. Boyndie 9.
The goodman of Tarpersie ordeinit to tak down the cowme sejelling of his desk of the lands of Rhettie as hinderful to the heiring of God's word to them that sittes in the queir 1671 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS 11 Dec.
To take inspectione of the syleing of the counsell seat in the kirke