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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Vermilio(u)n, Vermel(i)oun, n. and adj. Also: vermyllon, wermilioun, -ȝoun, -yling, vermillion, vermelyng, wermelone, -ing, vermiewling, wermione, vermenioun. [ME and e.m.E. vermelyon (1296), vermiloun (1300-1), vermilioun (1336-7), vermion (1399), vermylone (c1400), vermillion (1587), OF vermeillon, vermillon, vermilo(u)n, etc.]

A. noun. a. The colour vermilion, bright red. b. The pigment vermilion. c. A fabric dyed with vermilion.a. 1460 Hay Alex. 1442.
The blud ran stramand doun And scheildis quhyte changit in vermiliounb. c1515 Asl. MS I 161/24.
The red se is … red … throuch … wesching on red cragis … tharfor on the cliftis and strandis of the se is gadderit wermilȝoun 1497 Halyb. 117.
12 li. vermyllon 1501 Treas. Acc. II 63.
i pund rede lede, ij s. … viij unce vermelioun, iiij s. 1505–6 Treas. Acc. III 184.
Vermeloun 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 86.
For the complete paynting and laying of … windois … with reid leid and wermelone and uley 1538 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 215.
Cullouris to the furnessing of the paintouris … Item in vermiewling slycht asur [etc.] 1551 Treas. Acc. X 22.
Wermeling 1552 Treas. Acc. X 82.
Wermyling 1553 Treas. Acc. X 196.
Vermelyng 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 348.
For aught unce of wermilioun at vi s. viii d. the unce(b) 1534–5 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 128.
For the paynttyne of ane lyon [etc.] … with red led and syne with wermione(c) 1540 Treas. Acc. VII 357 (see Oil(l n. b (1)).
Vermeniounc. 1682 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. VII 598.
To sett up a manufacturie … at Glasgow for makeing of damaties, fustines and stripped vermiliones

B. adj. Painted with vermilion. 1632 Lithgow Trav. i 27.
These vermillion nymphs, to let me vnderstand they trauelled with a chearefull stomacke would oft runne races