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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
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Senȝe, Seinȝe, n.² Also: senȝie, senyie, schenȝie, sengȝe, senȝhe, senyhe, senieȝ, seinȝie, seingȝie, seingyie, seynȝe, seynge, seyhne, syenye, sanȝe, sunȝie. [ME sene (Manning), OF sened, sené (c1120 and Wace in Wartburg), the ancient Roman Senate, seyné (12th c. in Greimas), senée (1380 in Wartburg) an assembly of advisors to a bishop, L. senātus. Cf. ME and e.m.E. seyne (1380), senne (c1425), etc. a synod, OF sene (1164 in Wartburg), eccl. L. synodus.] An ecclesiastical council.

1. A council of bishops assembled by the Pope.(a) c1420 Wynt. v 2688.
In Nycia … A solempne senyhe held he [sc. the Pope] Thre hundyr byschopys … Thare … ware sene c1420 Wynt. v 3317, 3323.(b) c1420 Wynt. i 1059.
In it [sc. Nycea] a seyhne [C. senȝhe, W. senȝe] solempne wes sene, Thre hundyre byschapys and awchtene a1538 Abell 53b.
Constantinopill wes haldin in the 6 consall … We ma not [= note] heir at ther wes seynges principall and the auctorite of thame is like to the Evangel a1538 Abell 56b.
Paip Gregoir gathirit a seynȝe of ane thousant bischippis & condampnit the impriour

2. A diocesan council in the pre-Reformation church or during the re-instatement of bishops in the 17th century. Also fig. context.(a) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1967 (B).
‘Quhair wald thow be, karle?’ … ‘Schir evin at Sanctandrus for to seik law’ … ‘To seik law in Edinburgh is the narrest way’ … ‘Schir, I haif socht law thair … Bot I cowld nevir find law at sessioun nor senȝe [Ch. seinȝe]' 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2259.
Or to the bischop I sall pass and planȝie In Sanctandrus and summond ȝow to thair senȝie 1539–41 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 264.
For four termes payment of his restis of taxtis of the archbischoprik of Glasgow conforme to the … termes of paithment gewin be the kingis grace to my said lord viz. the terme of payment at his sengȝe in anno etc. xl^o … and siclik of utheris thre termes … viz. Michaelmes in anno etc. xl^o his lordshipis sengȝe and Michaelmes in anno etc. xli^o 1557–8 Haddington Treas. Acc. in E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 53.
In expensis to the provest and James Oliphant and a servand with thame twa dayis in Edinburgh at the senȝe [26 s.8 d.] 1602 Colville Paraenese 69.
That vse and vsurp a gret many of things vhilk thai condem in the Catholiques changing only the names tharof and not the nature as for exemple thai vill haue no bischop bot superintendents, … no dioces bot prouinces, … no senȝeis bot synodall assemblees [etc.] 1611 Lett. Eccl. Affairs I 269.
I assemblit the haill ministeris of my dyocie benorth Forth … in the citie of Sanctandrois vpone the first day of the senȝie and continowed that weik according to the auncient custome; quhair I fand … such corage and authoritie in such confluence of ministeris as I think it wes inferiour to no Generall Assemblie that hes bein in this kingdome c1630 Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 144.
The bishopes and ministers of the diocie of Argyll and Lismore … doeth conveen … together once in the yeare in the … toune of Dunoune … , holds and keeps their schenȝie and assemblie therin for the space of certaine dayes. … in antient tymes … the clergie ministers or priests were wont to hold … their assemblie and schenȝie in … Kilmoune 1632 Prognostication.
Low-Sunday, after Pasch, … all the weeke after, the famous Senyie of Sainct-Andrewes(b) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2786 (Ch.).
‘Ȝe can nocht stop ane pure man for till pleinȝe Gif he hes faltit, summond him to ȝour seinȝe.' [Spiritualitie] ‘Ȝea that I sall' 1558-66 Knox I 172.
After the Pasche he came to Edinburgh, to hold the seinȝe, (as the Papistes terme thare unhappy assemblie of Baallis schaven sorte) 1588 Comm. Univ. III (St. A.) App. 195.
The seditioun of scolaris, quhair vacance is refuisit to thame; quhilk hes occurrit in Sanct Leonardis at this last seinȝie 1605 Calderwood VI 305.
If priviledges [etc.] … of holie kirk [sc. Pre-Reformation] be … ordeanned be law … and this was ever knowne to be one of their speciall priviledges … to conveene in their seinȝeis and synods, the conventions and synods of the kirk [sc. Post-Reformation] by our lawes may be lawfullie keeped(c) 1520 Stirling B. Rec. I 5.
Johen Bully sall mak service in the queaier … with surples on him … efter the forme and statutis of the syenye(d) 1524 Aberd. B. Rec. I 107.
My lord of Aberdeen was nocht to cum afor the sanȝe … and this haly tyme of Pasche quhilk now approchis to send … to my said lord of Abirden to gett … sum vther bischop to cumfig. context 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 720.
I heir men saye, ȝe bene one ypocrite, Exemptit frome the senȝe and the sessioun

b. attrib.With day, the day on which such a council began, also viewed as a term day for the payment of debts, etc.; ouk, the week during which such a council took place, also viewed as a particular week of the year; chalmer, house, hall, with reference to the location or former location of such a council.(1) 1552 Aberd. B. Rec. I 280.
That … all sic sumpteous banketing be laid doun aluterlie except thre sobir and honest, vizt., upoun the senȝe day, the first Sonday of May and ane [blank] upoun Tuisday efter Pasche day 1555 Crail B. Ct. MS 4 April.
To be payt betuyx this and the sanȝe day nyxt to cum a1578 Pitsc. II 226/27.
All maner of man havand entres to compeir vpone the seinȝie day thaireftir to heir and sie ane pryour placit agane de nouo 1589 St. A. B. Ct. 12 Aug.
Coft & ressauit be the said Jon fra the said Androw at the seinȝe dey lastwes(2) 1600-1610 Melvill 330.
In the seinȝie ouk efter Pace … ther fell a cloud of rean upon Kellie Law a1651 Calderwood VII 157.
Senȝie week - note, week of holding Synod. Upon Tuisday the second of Apryle the Bishope of St. Androes … sent missives to everie presbyterie of his diocie within Anguse Mernes Stratherne Fyfe to warne all the ministers be-north Forth to conveene at St. Androes the first Tuisday of Apryle … This convention held in the seinȝie weeke … becaus … we were to have noe moe Generall Assemblies and therefore diocesan synods behoved to supplie their place 1676 Comm. Univ. III (St. A.) App. 213.
The visitors orders that the vacation formerly in use at senȝie week be altogether discharged in time coming(3) 1625 Retours I Inq. Spec. Fife (364).
2 hortos infra monasterium … hortum Bennisdaillis ȝaird nuncupatum … cum lie closter et seinȝie [1641 Reg. Great S. 368/2, sunȝie] chalmer cum hortis earundem 1683 Martine Reliq. Divi Andreae 40.
The convent … after the reformation … met in the senȝie chamber 1683 Martine Reliq. Divi Andreae 188.
The senȝie-house, senȝie-hall, and senȝie-chamber, called the sub-prior's house, is a tolerable dwelling

c. comb.With fair, mercat, the fair or market that originally took place at the time of the diocesan council in St. Andrews, continuing at that time of the year after the diocesan council ceased to exist. Also attrib. with day; [term], -mas, the term day referred to at b above.(1) 1565 St. A. Kirk S. 245.
It com to hyr knawlege, at the Senȝe-fayr of Sanctandrois last bypast, that … hyr husband had committit adultery 1569 Edinb. B. Rec. III 260.
After avysment with ane writting send to thame be the prowest and baillies of Sanctandrois bering that the cuntrie about thair said toun wes infect with the pest, for the quhilk caus thai haid dischairgit … the fair callit the Seingyie fair 1581 Acts III 239/1.
Vnderstanding that the provest, bailleis counsall and communitie of the cietie of Sanctandrois & thair predicessouris hes bene in vse and possessioun of ane publict fair and mercat callit the seinȝie fair beginnand vpoun the Mononday efter pasche Mononday ȝeirlie and continewand to the space of xv dayis nixt therefter within the said cietie and cloister of the abbay … in all tymes bigane past memorie of man 1683 Martine Reliq. Divi Andreae 188.
The cloyster … of old was the great mercat-place of that renowned faire of St. Andrews, called the Senȝie mercat, held and kept for fifteen dayes, and beginning the second week after Easter, whereunto resorted merchants from most of the then trading kingdomes in Europe … the place over the merchants stalls was coveredattrib. 1614 Crim. Trials III 265.
Vpone the 26 day of the said moneth of Apryle, being the Senȝie-Fair-day of St. Androis(2) 1562 11th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. vi 223.
[Payment … due at … the] seingȝie [term of 1562] — 1693 Moncreiffs 681.
To witt on Seinȝiemas, Witsonday, Lambes, Michaelmas, and St. Andrews day 1692 & on Handsel Munday 1693 & on Senieȝmas, Witsonday & Lambes that same year

3. fig. Sathanis senȝe, those gathered together by Satan as partakers of vice or wrongdoing. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xiv 79.
Off Sathanis senȝie syne sic ane vnsall menȝie Within this land was nevir hard nor sene 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (STS) Adhort. 44.
Cum, schameles schauelingis of Sathanis senȝe