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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.

Snawdo(u)n(e, n. Also: -down, Snawedoun, Snaudo(u)n, -down, Snauldoun, Snadoune, Snowdoun. [See a below] a. Appar. a name given to the main tower of Kildrummy Castle and to that of Stirling Castle, see quots. below. It may be conjectured that the heraldic title arises from one or other of these. Also ellipt. as ‘the Snawe towre’.(J. H. Stevenson, in Heraldry of Scotland 48, favours the latter, but gives no hard evidence for so doing.) 1375 Barb. iv 181.
All a quarter of Snawdoun … thai tummyllyt doun … Bot quhen the king Eduuard hard say How Neill the Bruce held Kildromy [etc.] 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 633.
Adew fair Snawdoun with thy touris hie Thy chapell royall, park and tabyll rounde … Adew Lythquo [etc.]ellipt. c1563 Reg. Panmure I cxliv.
As also in the castel of Kildrwmy, In the grytest towre, callid the Snawe towre [etc.]

b. One of the six Scottish heralds. Also Snawdoun herald.(a) 1433 Cal. Doc. IV 220.
[Letters patent by James [I] K. of Scots specially empowering his familiar servitor] Snawdoun [his officer of arms, to renew the truce] 1449–50 Exch. R. V 382.
Per solucionem factam Snawdoun heraldo, equitanti in Angliam … de mandato domini cancellarii 1473 Treas. Acc. I 45.
Gevin to Snawdone … passande to Anwic 1474 Treas. Acc. I 50.
Snawdoune 1474 Treas. Acc. I 50.
To Snawdone herald … passande chargis of the Kingis to the Emperour 1474 Treas. Acc. I 69.
To Snawdonis wife … for certane expensis 1477–8 Cal. Doc. IV 295.
Snaudoun 1487 Cal. Doc. IV 313.
[Indenture between] Snawedoun [[herald] as commissioner of James K. of Scots on the] ta part [and] Carlile [herald and commissioner for [Henry] K. of England on the] tothir parte 1488 Treas. Acc. I 97.
To Lyon harrot and Snawdon to pas in France and Spaneȝe c1515 Asl. MS I 239/4.
Thai send furth Snawdoun the kingis herrod to Lundoun to bynd wp the trewis 1509 Exch. R. XIII 257.
Snaudoun 1530 Reg. Privy S. II 88/2.
Johnne Scrymgeour, maser, and Snawdoun herald 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 273.
To be ane cloke and hois to Snawdoun 1541 Treas. Acc. VII 463.
To Snawdoun herold to by him ane cote [of ar]mes 1555 Treas. Acc. X 280.
Snauldoun 1560 Treas. Acc. XI 34.
Lyoun, Ilay, Snawdoun and Bute heraldis 1624 Bk. Dunvegan I 254.
Snaudown 1636 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. VI 190.
James Law, Snadoune herald, charged him to … render his house of Arradoull within fifteen days(b) 16.. R. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 400.
His principal substituts as Ros herald … Snowdoun heralds etc.attrib. 1532–3 Acta Conc. & Sess. (St. S.) 148.
[A tenement in] Snawdownys Clois