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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.

Stelin(g, Steil(l)ing, vbl. n.¹ Also: stelyng, steillin, stielling, steal(l)ing, steeling, stelling(e, stilling, stollin. [ME and e.m.E. steling (14th c.), stelyng (1526), stealing (1568); Stele v.]

1. The action or fact of stealing (goods). Also absol. and pl. Also (once) a-steiling.For peit-steiling see Pete n.¹ 3 (7) and see Schepe-steling n.(1) 14.. Acts I 49/2.
Of the stelyng of that mone c1515 Asl. MS I 248/4.
And for the steling of a hund or ratche thai fell in discord 1505 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 51.
Till … underly the law … for the thiftuis steling of ane gray hors 1525 Carnwath Baron Ct. (SHS) 37.
Margret Anderson ȝe ar ditit for the thiftus stelin of … iiij ellis of gret hardin lenyng a1538 Abell 31a.
For the steling of ane apill we wer … banist out of … Paradis 1549 Reg. Cupar A. II 239.
Kepand our orchrat … fra entres of ony bestiall, or steling of our fruct, as ane gude trew gardnir aucht to do 1604 Urie Baron Ct. 5.
Sik personnis as beis fund onlauchfull … in stelyng of keyll(b) c1500 Rowll Cursing 238 (M).
[Tailors] to schaip thair grayth In hell for steiling heir of clayth 1527–8 Stirling B. Rec. I 31.
The thiftuis steillin of … holand clayth 1567 Acts III 30/1.
Steilling of leill mennis gudis 1574–5 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 9.
Convict of pykrie and specialie for steilling of aittis and beir 1595 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. (Reg. H.) 79.
The wrangus steilling … of ane soir bald meir 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 112.
Hewing challengit and apprehending the steiling thair peittis 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 5.
George Ollawsoun, … is dempt to quyt himselff of the breking of his maisteris skeo & steilling of cheis 1610 Crim. Trials III 92.
Tressonabill breking vp perforce of his lettrone thair, and steilling furth thairof xxxv li. money 1622-6 Bisset II 223/9.
Gif faultis beis committed in the weyaige to wit sinking of schipis, steilling of guidis [etc.] 1670 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 2 July.
For … steiling away moneyis gold merchand waer and goods(c) 1629 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. II 135.
And fyllis the said Jon Young of the furth taking and stielling of the said stray in respect of the said Jon Young his refusal to sweir(d) 1524 Cant Hist. Perth II 66.
Convicted … John Butcher for stealling a gray mare, tane hand havand 1597 Misc. Spald. C. V 64.
For the stealling of a ship of Danskin furth of the herbrie of Brunteland 1601 Elgin Rec. II 88.
Stealing 1661 Justiciary Ct. Rec. I 6.
Found guilty of hame-sucken and of the robbing and stealling of her back cloaths and houshold furniture 1666 Boharm Kirk S. 16 Dec.
To have broken the Sabboth by stealling of persones timber at the water syde of Spey(e) 1616 Shetland Sheriff Ct. MS 24.
Steeling … thrie cuttellis larett with lining clothis 1662 Old Ross-shire II 51.
Put up ane gallas upon the hill of Tuttintarvach … that any that sall be fund in steeling of scheipe … may be naillit tharto(f) 1588 Burntisland B. Ct. 25 Sept.
Andro Lambert … confessit the stellinge off the said scheip 1623 Inverness Rec. II 161. 1623 Black Bk. Taymouth 379.(2) absol. 1533 Boece 48b.
Be thift and steling thai trubillit the bordouris of Pichtis 1533 Douglas Corr. 141.
It was the Kingis plesir, at my departing, as I sowld kep the said hows bot frome steling 1556 Crim. Trials I i 393.
Breaking into the parish kirk of Forese, and stealing and concealing furth thereof 1567 Acts (1597) ii 14b.
Quhatsumever person … giuis … assistance to any thieuis in their thifteous stealling 1567 Acts (1597) ii 15.
Quhen ony thieues repairis in steilling or reifing within the incountrie that [etc.] 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 34.
This kynd of men dois … dishonour to nobilitie in stealing 1596 Dalr. I 97/22.
Be steiling and reif, thay rather seik thair meit 1596 Dalr. I 146/5.
Thair he sett a garison of men of weir, quhairby of al reif and steilling he clenset thay partes 1603 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II 25.
Haveing na moyan nor geir to leif upone bot onlie be steilling 1685 Sinclair Satan's Inv. World 218.
Another prayer used by the thieves and robers on the Borders after meat in order to stealing from their neighbours(b) 1647 Dumfries Treas. Acc. MS 10.
For mett to ane lad and ane las that was put in the pledghous for stilling(c) 1466 Acts II 87/1.
At na merchandis gudis be revin nor spilt with vnresonable stollin as with spakispl. 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xx 3 (1678) 214.
Whosoever intercommuns with thieves, or assists them in their theftous stealings, … shall be pursued, either civilly or criminally(3) a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 297.
Geve sum unbrydlit men of Johnestons had not hapnit to ryd a steiling … in the lands … pertening to the Lord Sanquhar

b. The action of appropriating (land) to oneself dishonestly. 1584 Rec. Earld. Orkney 304.
The said Magnus was accusit … for steiling and grippind the kingis landis and for with halding of certane outbrakis brokin furth upoun the kingis balk … and appropriat the samen to thair awin heritage

c. The action of ? kidnapping or ? rescuing (a person). 1500 Acta Conc. II 453.
The sade Georg tuke him til our soverane Lordis remissione for the thiftwise steling of Jhone Calff, Inglisman, fra the sadis Wilyeam and Adam furth of the burgh of Drumfries

2. The action of going to or away from (a place) secretly or surreptitiously. 1533 Boece 399.
Larouns of Ros passing on the nycht in steling to Murray 1613 Inverness Rec. II 110.
Thou … art indytit for the cuming … vnder silence of nicht to Alexander McConchies house … and thair thou past in at his windo, and theifteouslie steiling away with thé ane barkit hyid