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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.

Saffro(u)n(e, Saiffro(u)n(e, Sauf(f)roun, Saf(f)ero(u)n(e, n. Also: safroun, -on(e, -ong, -en, saphro(u)n, -oin, saifro(u)n(e, -ane, salfron, saferin, saforon, saipheron, saufferoun, salferon. [ME and e.m.E. saffran (c1200), safron, saffroun (14th c.), saffron (1398), safurroun (c1425), sapheron (c1450), saffyron (c1460), saf(f)orne, -ferne (16th c.), F. safran (12th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), med. L. safranum, MLG safferân, MDu. saffraen (Du. saffraan).]

1. Saffron, the orange-red product of the stigmas of the purple-flowered crocus, crocus sativus. a. The product. Also transf. b. The plant.a. 1495 Halyb. 41.
2 li. saffron, cost 10 s. the li. 1513 Treas. Acc. IV 488.
Saffroune 1531 Bell. Boece I xl.
The scheip … ar yallo; … thair flesche reid, as it wer littit with safron 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4057.
To … mix ry meill amang the saip, And saffroun with oyldolly 1546 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 125.
Clowes, cannell, mases, … saffroun and siclyke a1605 Montg. Misc. P. liv 8.
Sawis seindill saffroun in sawt for thair sarkis saik 1581 Edinb. Test. IX 106b.
Saphroun 1592 Aberd. B. Rec. II 79.
Halff pund of measis, four unces of safrone 1594–5 Misc. Spald. C. V 59.
Safroun 1596 Dalr. I 93/26.
Thir sarkis the mair potent amang thame vset to smeir with saffroune 1597–8 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 31 Jan.
Safrong 1598 Ib. II 23 April.
Saphroin 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 22 Nov.
Safren(b) 1500–1 Acta Conc. II 491.
Quhilk gert him lowis certane walx, spicis, and saiffrone in the toune of Elgin 1558 Aberd. B. Rec. I 311.
Tua pounds of wat saifroune, and spilt with salt watt 1586 Edinb. Test. XV 118b.
Aucht vnce of saifrane at x s. the vnce 1592 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii 117.
vj drop weicht of saifron = xii s. 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 115.
Ane drink … mixt with butter and saifroun 1597 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 31 March.
Saiffroun 1616 Edinb. Test. XLIX 160b.
Saifrone(c) 1570 Edinb. Test. II 116b.
Ane pund of sauffroun 1572 Exch. R. XX 99.
Sauffroun 1575 Edinb. Test. III 383b.
Four unce of saufroun price xi s.(d) 1495 Halyb. 65.
6 li. saforon, cost 10 s. the li. 1496 Ib. 57.
2 li. burnycat safferon, cost 10 s. Ib. 202.
2 li. Balang' safferon cost 8 s. the li. 1496 Treas. Acc. I 284.
Safferoune 1512 Household Bk. Jas. IV 26a.
Saferon 1527–8 Stirling B. Rec. I 31.
The thiftuis steillin of … holand clayth, … pepper, saferin, bartane cammes [etc.] 1583 Glasgow B. Rec. I 103.
Salferontransf. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 191 (M).
Hir cair is all to clenge thy cabroche howis Quhair thow lyis soust in saufferoun [B. saphron] bak and syde Pouderit with primros savorand of no clowseb. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1101.
Mont Tinolus, Pleneist with saiffron [L. saphron], honie and with wyne c1500 Makc. MS xiii 56.
Hic crocus, safferone a1606 Dioscoridis Annot. 16.
[Crocum,] Anglice saiffron, Scotiæ concessa 1500-1699 Herbarius Latinus Annot. xxxv (Adv.).
Cartamus, wilde safron

2. Attrib. and comb. in saffrone bag, ? a bag which contains or has contained saffron, safron peer, a variety of pear, saipheron sals; and saffron-hewit, safron-hew.(1) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 421.
Thy sweit meitis seruit … With saipheron [Thynne sauery] sals of ane gude sessoun c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 171 (B).
Thy skolderit skin hewd lyk ane saffrone [M. safferone] bag 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 46.
The poir blanchette (which comes wery neir our safron peer we have at home)(2) 1513 Doug. vi iii 97.
With saffron hewit frute Ib. xi xv 18.
Of safron hew, betwix ȝallow and red, Was hys rych mantill

3. adj. Of the colour of saffron. 1513 Doug. iv xii 112.
Iris … With hir safron [Sm. salfron, Ruddim. saffroun] weyngis Ib. xii Prol. 14.
Aurora … Ischit of hir safron [Ruddim. safferon] bed and evir hows