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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Russet(t, -at(e, n. and adj. Also: -att, -ait; rwsset, -at; roussat, -it, rousett; rosset. [ME and e.m.E. russet noun (c1275), adj. (a1400), also rossete (a1400), roset (1465), OF rousset (Godefroy), roset, rosset (c1131 and c1170 in Larousse), etc., dimin. of rous red, Rus n.¹ Cf. also F. roussette (c1131 in Larousse), fem. noun.] Russet.For further instances, see the glossaries to various volumes of Treas. Acc.

A. noun. A coarse or cheap stuff; a woollen cloth more generally. Also comb. in russet claith.Also pl., ? in same sense (cf. Carsay n.), or = a kind of russet (cloth).(1) 1327 Exch. R. I 69.]
[Per octo vlnas panni de russeto, … viij s. ix d. 1490 Treas. Acc. I 191.
To Dave Caldwell [etc.] … x elne of russat to be thaim peys 1507 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II 174.
Vnam togam de le russet 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 1045.
Thay haue renuncit russat and roploch quhyte 1529 Treas. Acc. V 377.
To Malcolme the fule … thre eln russate 1537 Ib. VI 301.
Russat 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 572.
Na dentie geir this doctor seikis; Of tottis russet his ryding breikis 1587 St. A. Test. II 86.
His best clok of pyle russet 1589 St. A. B. Ct. 13 Aug.
Ane furrit gown off russett 1593 Brechin Test. I 108.
Tua kirtillis ane of mellay and ane vther of russett(b) 1503 Halyb. 271.
vi hattis in rosset(2) a1500 Henr. Orph. 158.
My riche array Changit sall be in rude russat of gray 1551 Treas. Acc. X 20.
To be fals coveringis to my lordis sadillis, vj quarteris groff russettis 1553 Old Dundee II 249.
Three ells … of green russat 1584 Perth B. Ct. 7 April.
Russat of argentiepl. 1540 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 489.
Russattis, mellais, and quhite carsais [value 400 merks] 1564 Edinb. B. Rec. III 187.
That … nane of thame … sall lit ony maner of cullouris of muster de villois, Frenche gray, or russattis with brissell or vrsell 1606 Edinb. Test. XLI 292.
Ane elderand kirtill of russetiscomb. 1521 Dundee B. Ct. I fol. 32 (4 June).
Russat clath (vnschapin) 1584 Perth B. Ct. 7 April.
Ane half elne of russat claith

b. With preceding adj., specifying the origin or place of manufacture of the cloth.See also Rowan(e for further instances. 1474 Treas. Acc. I 41.
iij½ elne of Inglis russat for a gowne to my Lorde Princis nurys 1507 Ib. III 319.
Inglis russet to be ane goun to Montjoy the Franch herald — 1500 Treas. Acc. II 40.
Scottis russait to be ane goun to the ladyis nuris 1507 Ib. IV 56.
For … Scottis russait to the thre ȝong piparis 1507–8 Ib. 19.
Scottis russait to be ane cote to the king 1533 Ib. VI 86. 1549 Stirling B. Rec. I 57.
Ane gown of Scottis pyle russet 1571 Hawick Arch. Soc. (1878) Sept. meeting.
Ane gown … of Scottis russat begareit with velvot — 1546 Acta Conc. & Sess. XXI 53.
Lundoun russett — 1540 Maxwell Mem. I 409 (see Rowan(e (1)).
Rowand rwssat 1561–2 Dumfries B. Ct. fol. 35a.
Rowane roussit — 1569–70 Soc. Ant. VI 52.
iiij … ellis Franche russat to be … ane clok, coit, and ane pair of gargasis 1583 Sc. Ant. I 77.
A payr of hosse of frenche russett — 1591 Edinb. Test. XXIII 313.
Thre elnis … of Dundie russet

B. adj. 1. Made from russet.(a) a1500 Henr. Fab. 679 (H).
Ȝour bairfeit, and ȝour russat [Bann. rousett] coule of gray c1475 Wall. ix 710.
A rwsset clok 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 2162.
Breif buriall quair of Eloquence all quite With russet weid and sentence imperfite 1540 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 215.
His wyf hes ane pair of russat sleiffis laid in wod be ane woman 1567 Edinb. Test. I 12b.
Ane russet coit Ib. 92.
Ane russat kirtill quhilk wes maid out of ane haik 1579 Ib. VII 118.
I leue to … my seruand … my russet goun(b) c1475 Wall. i 239.
A roussat goun of hir awn scho him gaif Apon his weyd, at coueryt all the layff

2. Of a reddish-brown colour. 1473 Treas. Acc. I 14.
v elne of russate chamlot … price elne xviij s. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 2.
Qvhen paill Aurora … Her russat mantill borderit all with sabill, Lappit about the heuinly circumstance 1541 Acta Conc. & Sess. XV 167.
vj kirtillis … tua of thaim blak … and the laif russett 1569 Canongate Ct. Bk. 92.
For litting to hir of foure pundis russatt woll a1570-86 Maitl. F. 244/41.
I suld put on my russet gowne My reid kirtill my hois of broun 1607 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 72.
Sex ellis lange of blo[n]kit … to be littit sad russet