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 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

(Hede-,) Heid-steke, -stik, n. Also: heid-stek, -stick. [Cf. MDu. (hovet-), hootstucke, and MHG. houbetstücke.] The name of a piece of large artillery; a kind of cannon. — 1516 Acta Conc. XXVII. 158.
xii barrellis of hone, twa heid stekis of artalȝery, a small serpentyne 1539 Treas. Acc. VII. 222.
For carying of x heid stekkis and ane lang slang witht thair stokkis and chalmeris 1547 Ayr B. Acc. 102.
Ane greit pece of artallirie callit ane heidstik 1566 Treas. Acc. XI. 520.
Ane irne slang and iiij heidstikis with thair chalmeris 1589-90 Old Dundee I. 213.
To sell the auld pieces called heid-sticks