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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sise, Syse, n.1 Also: sis, size, sys(s, syce, syze, says, syis(s, syise, syes(e, siyss, saise, seize. [ME and e.m.E. sise (Cursor M.), syse (Piers Plowman), e.m.E. also syze, size (16th c.), aphetic form of Assise n.]

1. An assize, a judicial inquiry. Also attrib. = Assise n. 1.(a) 1490 Treas. Acc. I 131.
To the Larde of Hillus that kepit the syse, v li.
1504 Treas. Acc. II 441.
For ix platis of quhit irne to the quenis chamir in Strivelin for the sises
1532 Mill Mediæv. Plays 248.
The said maissonis … producit in jugment & to the sys a actentik testimoniall
c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii 923.
Thay chesit hir … Chancellar on syse, that scho suld stand equaill On baith the sydis
c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iv 230.
My sisteris on the sise
1565 Perth B. Ct. 286 (30 March).
Of all ȝeiris preceding the sises & terme of Witsounday in the ȝeir [1564]
1567 Sat. P. v 51.
Spair not to gif thame all ane syse, Quhome ȝe beleif the king did sact
1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 527.
Gowrie hes gottin a condigne syse, Conforming to his interpryse
1596 Dalr. I 127/6.
Quha is ouir a syse … is called the gret justice
1648 Irvine Mun. II 252.
A pund of candle to the Tolbooth when the syss was holdin
1682 Purves Revenue Crown xxiii.
Take effective ways to discover the value of Douglas escheat … as also those convict for the Syce of Error
(b) c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii 252.
Put thame of syis, for I set thame all nine
1554 Corr. M. Lorraine 392.
Scho der nocht byid ane syis, for it salbe sufficientle provin
1558 Inverness Rec. I 17.
Jasper Vaus, chanclar of the syis foirsaid
attrib. 1515 Wigtown B. Ct. 48a.
For the vrangus haldyn fray hyr of a covrthan & to syis pleg
1553 Rec. Earld. Orkney 106.
The curt lawfuly fensit … with thir syis men [etc.]

2. The body of persons assigned to sit on an assize; a jury.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xl 1050.
How-gat The ded he had eschapit thryse, & he condempnyt be leile syse
1431–2 Ayr B. Ct. 10 Feb.
The qwylk sis aquitit Will Red of the said wrangwis haldyn
1459 Rep. Hist. MSS, Var. Coll. V 81.
The sutis callyt, … the sys josyn and callyt
a1500 Henr. Fab. 1087.
The iustice bad ga cheis ane sis about
1524 Wigtown B. Ct. 158b.
Andro Cargen is maid quyt be the maist part of the sis of the challance
1529 Linlithgow B. Ct. 5 Nov.
The sis deliueris that [etc.]
c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iv 410.
All the syse was verray discontent That Venus was sa scharp and impatient
a1578 Pitsc. II 88/23.
Thir ar the nameis of that syse that clangit this nobillman
a1578 Pitsc. II 134/26.
I sall … gif him ane fair syse of temporall men
a1585 Maitl. Q. 45/71.
Compell no innocent to pay … Nor in thair sysis put not thair fa
1584 Gowrie P. 41.
The sys beyng called, and ther names read, sic as the Erll of Huntlie [etc.]
1600-1610 Melvill 324. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xliv 29.
In dout vhat wyse that feirfull syse Pronunce thair sentence wald
1600-1610 Melvill 623.
Thaireftir the judge and syse or jurie wes callit
1664 Forbes Baron Ct. 247.
The haill abow written syss … does convict the said Alexander
(b) 1457 Peebles B. Rec. I 124.
Alssua it was fwnd the doubyl syis of the chammerlan for the mar secarnes
1514 Wigtown B. Ct. 34b.
Lowis quhit be ane syis of the turbulans
1535 Stewart 58887.
Corruptit judgis thair with him he brocht, And syis also that knew richt weill his thocht
1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 415.
Ane syis was socht sone to the wyfe
(c) c1475 Wall. iv 124.
The siys of this couth say to him rycht nocht
(d) 1600-1610 Melvill 218.
The saise wald nocht fyll him, wherat the Court was verie crabbit

3. An ordinance or regulation affecting the quality, quantity or price of commodities; the standard so fixed. = Assise n. 2. 1549 Banff Ann. I 25.
That all brovisteris sall keipe syis and pris in selling of thair breid, bere, and ayll

b. ? The established or natural order of things. c1400 Troy-bk. i 571.
Thyr war the wordys of Denyse Quhen that he saw again the syse The sonne Eclyps

4. attrib. Applied to articles or amounts of money payable as import duty. Also (once) bollis of sise. Cf. Assise n. 2 c.In Aberdeen, the syse-boll = ‘the assize boll levied on non-burgesses in place of the St. Nicholas mett paid by burgesses’ (Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. Glossary, s.v. Syse boll).(1) 1569 Inverness Rec. I 175.
Dewetye … ij bollis of salt callit the syse boll
1591 Misc. Spald. C. III 162.
The sys toll of girnall goodis
1600 Reg. Great S. 354/2.
Cum parvis custumis, tholis, anchoragiis, lie syisisbollis [etc.]
1630–1 Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. 178.
Thomas Boyes ane sysboll bark … Wm Ord for ane sysboll meall
1640–1 Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. 251.
Robert Cae for tap appill and sysbarrell
1641 Acts V 538/1.
The bluidis bluidweetes ishaes [etc.] … to apply to the wse of the said burcht with the syse boll and syise tree
1660 Milne-Home MSS 221.
That a syze bolle shalbe found due to the said John Home upon his doeing a duetie, as putting up of fasts and beacons
1696 Retours I Inq. Spec. Forfar (540).
Salmonum piscariis lie size fish
1703 Acts XI 52/2.
He stands publictly infeft … of the size fish which was nine fish out of every boat with white fish passing by the said craig
(b) 1651–2 Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. 347.
For ane says boll salt
(2) c1660 Milne-Home MSS 221.
The said John Home … will have tuo bollis of syze of any shipe … that cometh in here

b. Sise hous, ? = customs house. 1591–2 Edinb. B. Rec. V 342.
The expenssis … upoun suddertis for watching in the stipell and sysehous … for wattcheing ane moneth in the sise hous

5. Size, dimension(s). = Assise n. 3 b. 1547 Acts Privy C. in Cochran-Patrick Coinage I 71.
Pennyis and half pennyis of the syes and wecht of the penny past of auld
1632 Aberd. Council Lett. I 356.
The charges in refynning would be too great … and the sise of the peices [sc. coins] too small
1638 Hamilton P. (Camden Soc.) 13.
[That] the rouing friggates … may not be forgott, bot rather mor mead and of a lyttill biger syese
1653 Soc. Ant. XXIII 300.
Syise
1681 Glasgow B. Rec. III 306.
Wheat bread of quhatsomever syze
1687 Elgin Rec. I 343.
Each suyne of the lairgest syse one schilling four pennies each
1692 Conv. Burghs IV 629.
Seize
1694 Inchmahome Pr. 160.
Of large peuther pleats all of one syze … 6

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"Sise n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 28 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/sise_n_1>

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