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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.

(Swede,) Swed(d, Sweit, n. Also: suadd(e, sueit, sweet, sweith. Pl. also Swanis. [e.m.E. Sweath (1614), Swead (1644), Swede (Milton), OE Swéon (pl.), Swéoþéod, ON Svíþjóð.]

1. A Swede, a native of Sweden. Also possess. with feather, cf. Swedin n. 1 b (3) and c and Swine-fether n.(a) 1641 Baillie I 357.
If the Swedds and confederats can keep the fields till the nixt spring(b) 1622-6 Bisset II 250/19.
Goithis, Vandallis, Swanis Danis and utherispossess. 1644 Army of the Covenant I 20.
Armes and amunition received by the generall of artillery … out of the Scotts or English magazines … charge of halfe pikes, lances, Swedes feathers [f.n. a stake about five feet long with a pike head at each end … The Scots imitated Gustavus Adolphus in the employment of [this] weapon] … From Scotland … by sea and land halfe pikes 120, lances 800, Swedes feathers 10,600

2. A swede, the vegetable. 1602 Colville Paraenese 158.
Lamenting … that I have so long … vaisted my fathers substance in ane vncouth land vhar I culd fynd no food but suaddes

3. Chiefly in attrib. use: Suède, undressed kid-skin. Also ellipt.attrib. c1633 Buccleuch Mun. II 280.
Ane sueit bag, with ane pair sueit glovis c1634 Tailor's Acc. Bk. B. 32b.
Maid to ȝoue ane sweit leder dowblet 1643 Edinb. Test. LX 233b.
Sex sweit lether pursis with silver stringes at xx iiij s. the peice 1647 Caldwell P. 100.
Ane pair of sweit cordiphant gloves 1663–6 Thanes of Cawdor 320.
1 pr. of the best sueit gloves for my Lady at £1 16 s. 1664 Misc. Maitl. C. II 518.
For a paire of French litill sweet gloves to his lordship [£1 16 s.] 16… Bk. Dunvegan I 197.
Gloves, sweith [£1 4 s. Scots]ellipt. 1663–6 Thanes of Cawdor 320.
1 pr. ruf greined sueit dito [sc. gloves] at £1 10 s.