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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

(Sere-clathe,) S(c)heir-claith, -cloth, Seire-cloath, n. Also: s(c)hear-, schar-, sear(e)-, seer-, (serge-). [Var. of Cere-claith n. Cf. 17th c. Eng. shear v. to wrap in cere-cloth (1688), also late ME and e.m.E. shire clothe (c1450), seare-cloth (1547).] (A) cere-cloth.

1. Cloth made water-proof by being impregnated with wax; cere-cloth.(a) 1575 Edinb. Test. III 363.
Five bonettis of scheir claith price of the pece iij s. 1659 Bk. Dunvegan 187.
For makin the cap with furnitoure silk and shear cloth 1675 Coltness Coll. 355.
That when her body should be wrapped in sheir-cloth, they should in no case suffer her linnings to be taken of 1692 Old Ross-shire I 152.
Wrapping in shear cloath, oyls, poulders and perfumes, and the chirurgeon attendance(b) 1697 Fountainhall Decis. I 773.
Sir John Ramsay's accompt being partly made up of articles for eviscerating his lady, for searcloath and odors thereto

2. A waxed winding-sheet.(a) 1647 Creswell Royal Coll. Surgeons Edinb. 32.
Laying a shearcloth about the Laird of Fedderat 1655 Dumfries Kirk S. 15 March.
Hew did desyre her to send ane sheircloth to one John Tyning 1666 Household Bks. Archb. Sharp in Misc. Maitl. C. II 533. 1692 Old Ross-shire I 152.
Ane schar cloath for inrolling of the corps 1693 Seafield Corr. 126.
Money … spent on his funerall, to wit for ane shear cloath [etc.] 1698 Funeral Acc. II 6.
2 piece broad whyt knittens for the shear cloth(b) 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III 337.
They cutted the … coffine and inhumanelie maigled the … corps, whilk wes wrapped in ane seire-cloath(c) 1629 Boyd Last B. 394.
Their bodies are … so wrapped vp into hyperbolicke commendations as it were into a seare cloath, for thereby to keepe close within smothered the stinking smell of their most filthie memorie 1643 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 38.
That the applicatiouns of searclothis to dead bodies … did properlie belong to the saids chirurgians 1666 Household Bks. Archb. Sharp. in Misc. Maitl. C. II 540.
For a seare cloth for your gracis issue 9 s. 1680 Creswell Royal Coll. Surgeons Edinb. 116.]
[That an apothecary may apply a searcloth, draw blood and cure the viroll 1690 Foulis Acc. Bk. 124.
For sear cloathes, etc. for my dear wife £154 1697 Fountainhall Decis. I 769.
For the powders, oils and searcloths for their bodies(d) 1681 Fountainhall Decis. I 146.
As for seercloaths, found the sole application of them belonged to chirurgeons(e) 1686 Stirling Ant. IV 16.
[Six shillings Scots was given … ] for helping the serge cloath