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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rowan(e. Also: -anis, -and, -en, rouane; roan; rollan. [e.m.E. Ron (Rouen) (Cath. Angl.), Roan (clothe) (1565), Roanes (cloths from Rouen) (1617). In Eng. usage appar. f. a different form of the place name. Cf. Rone adj.] The name of Rouen, the French town, used attrib.Applied to a variety of goods, esp. cloths and stuffs. 1553 Treas. Acc. X 200.
Thre elnis and ane half of Franche blak of the seill of Rowane(1) 1488 Treas. Acc. I 153.
Rowane gray for a gowne to the duke Ib. 165.
Rowane tanny 1500 Halyb. 260.
5 ell of Rowanis clath 1502 Ib. xxi.
Rovane 1502 Crim. Trials I i 29.
Unius toge de Rowane-tanne 1506–7 Treas. Acc. III 249.
Rowan 1520 Edinb. B. Rec. I 202.
iii govnis ane of Rowane tanny 1535 Aberd. B. Rec. MS XV (Jam.).
Fyve ellis … of Rowand tanne 1537 Treas. Acc. VI 331.
Ane steik of Rowan blak 1540 Maxwell Mem. I 409.
Ane gown of rowand rwssat, lynit with blak bwigis 1547 Treas. Acc. IX 137.
Rovane sylk 1547 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. vi (Hope v. Tod & Robertson).
Ane stik [of cloth] … quhilk he callit broun & the deponer belevis it wes Rowen russett 1575 Edinb. Test. III 361.
Quhite Rowane cannes 1589 Ib. XXI 58b. 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 314.
Cullane Picardie Roan and all vther sortis of dressed hemp(b) 1700 Old Ross-shire I 144.
4 el blak ribin … an el of Rollan £3, 5 quarters Rollan muslin £3 15 s.(2) 1551 Dundee B. Ct. II fol. 88b (18 Sept.).
Fyve twn of Rowane gudis 1643 Edinb. Test. LX 237b.
Thrie dossane of Rowane gloves 1670 Aberd. Council Lett. V 19.
About 6000 punds of Rowan wair 1680 Ib. VI 257.
Rowen(3) 1577 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 42.
Markit wechtis with ringis answerand to sextene trois pund Frenche rowan with the stane