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

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

Swerd-slippar, Sweird-, Sword-slippar, n. Also: suerd-, suord-, sworde-, sourd-, sowrd-, swird-, and -slipar(e, -slip(p)er, -slyp(p)er, -slepar, -slep(p)er, -sclipper, -scleper, -selper. [North. e.m.E. swerdsliper (1478-9), sword sliper (1688), MSw. swerdslipare.] A craftsman who sharpened sword-blades, dressed swords, made scabbards, etc.See also Slippar n.²‘By the mid-sixteenth century … ‘armourers’ were employed almost entirely in dressing swords, and the terms ‘armourer’ and ‘swordslipper,’ were practically interchangeable.' Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 10. 1364 Exch. R. II 146.
Compotum Thome Swerdsleper 1379 Exch. R. III 17.
Swerdslepar 1398 Aberd. B. Rec. (SHS) 48.
Mauricius Suerdsleper 1417 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 249.
John Swordeslipare(a) 1532 Reg. Privy S. II 173/1.
The dekynnis and craftismen of the … smythis, sadillaris, suerd-slipparis [etc.] 1534 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 142.
We put the swerdslippar … in the bailyeis vyll for trublyng the gud toun in the nycht 1541 Treas. Acc. VII 480.
To Thomas Softlaw, suerd slipper, for his fe in making of the kingis grace skalbertis 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. I 345.
Peyit to ane swerd slipper for deiching of the common swerd 1566 Treas. Acc. XI 480.
To Charlis Bally, swerdslipper, ane elne twa quarteris of blak weluote to be skabertis 1583 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 40.
John Wallace, swerdslyper deacon of craft in Ayr 1587 Dundee B. Laws 476.
That ewerie maister vse and exerse thair awin craft … sick as gold smyths … in making of silver and golden vark. The cutlars, knyffis and quhingers. … The swerd slippers [pr. shippers] scabertis, dichting off cwers and armour 1663 Dundee B. Laws 486.
Swerd slipar … swerd sliper(b) 1546–7 Treas. Acc. IX 48.
To the sweird slipper for grathing of my lorde governouris twa handit sweird and bukler sweird 1547 Treas. Acc. IX 99.
viij elnis cording silk to my lorde governoures sweird hande … to the sweird slippar for grathing of it(c) 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 231.
Sword slipar 1563 Dumfries B. Ct. 188a.
Swordslyper 1567 Edinb. Hammermen MS I 4b.
That na swordslippar … by no big brokin swordis in defraude of the kingis lieges 1574 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 182.
Sword sleper 1584 Dunferm. Hammermen 18.
[Essay of] sword-slipper [was] ane double scheith and pair of scheiths, ane single scheith, and ane pair of hulsters 1631 Linlithgow B. Rec. 28 Jan.
James Stodert suord slipper 1633 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. II 103.
The said craft or airt of hammermen, consisting in blacksmythes, goldsmythes, lorimures, saidleris, cutleris, swordslipperis, [etc.] 1666 Irvine Mun. II 204.
Sword slypper 1669 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 31.
[Clerk, James] Booked and entered freeman amongst the trade as armourer and sword slipper 1675 Cunningham Diary 60.
Sword-sliper 1696 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 248.
Bought of Duncan Buchanan sword slipper in Glasgow fourteen three barred horsemans swords(d) 1560 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 181.
James Soflaw sowrd sclipper 1576 Inverness Rec. I 252.
Patrik Henderson sourd slippar that wrangusle … deliueris me nocht ane pair of heland hiltis wyth the plwmet thairof quhilk I deliuerit to him to be put on ane sourd bled 1578 Inverness Rec. I 263.
Ane brocht strukin … on Patrik Henderson sourd slippar that wrangusle … deliverit him my sourd to poleis and dycht … and … hes brokin the said sourd 1584 Inverness Rec. I 296.
Sourd slippar 1584 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 252.
Patrick Beltan sourd slipper 1591 Thanes of Cawdor 204.
To the sowrd-slipperis boy, drink silver 1668 Dundee B. Laws 486.
Sourd selper 1668 Dundee B. Laws 486.
Sourd scleper(e) 1580 Reg. Privy S. VII 425/1.
Swirdslipper