Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

(Simnel,) Symnel, Semell, n. Also: symmell, synnall, semill. [ME and e.m.E. simenel (13th c.), symenel (c1290), symnelle (1464), simnel (1584), OF simle, seminel (both late 12th c. in Wartburg), L. simila fine wheat flour.] A type of bread made from the finest wheat flour.(a) c1420 Bute MS fol. 167.
The lafe of the symnel of bettyr bultyng sal wey les na the wastel 14.. Acts I 333/2.
Off the chalance of baxtaris … at thai bak nocht ilk kynd of bred as the law of burgh requeris that is to say wastell symnel alsamyn samyn bred and demayn 14.. Acts I 312/2.
The assise of brede eftyr the price of the qwhete … Qwhen the bol of qwhete is sauld for ix penijs … the quachet salbe of that ilk bultyng and of that ilk corne and … it sal wey mare then the wastel … the symnel [L. panis symnelli] laf salbe bettyr bultyt and sal wey les na the wastel … be ij s. and v penijs c1420 Bute MS fol. 167b.
Qwhen the bol is saulde for xx d. the paste of the halpeny wastel qwhite and wele bultyd sal wey xlii s. and the halpeny wastel wele bakyn sal wey xl s. … the brede of the symnel of the bettyr bult clath sal wey les than the wastel be xiii d. 1597 Edinb. Test. XXX 290b.
Twa dusson of synnallis estimat to xlv s. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 150b.
They make not all kindes of bread, as law requyres; that is ane sage, symmell, wastell, pure cleane breade, mixed breade, and bread of trayt(b) 1643 Dundee B. Laws 350.
In beakinge of bunnes, semells [pr. sewells], oat lowes, kaikis and bappes to the tawernis 1697 Dundee B. Laws 352.
That ther should [be] no unfre boy … that can work any semill or wastill or pie [pr. pis] of beakin meat