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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.

Say, Sey, n.¹ Also: saye, sae, se(a. [ME and e.m.E. say (1297), saie (Wyclif), seeay (1519), sey (1636), OF saie (c1212 in Larousse).]

1. A fine cloth similar to serge; a piece or length of such cloth. Also pl.(a) 1490 Acta Conc. I 158/1.
Ane stik of red say 1499 Halyb. 161.
A goun … lynit with say 1506 Treas. Acc. III 89, etc.
Thre stremaris for the schip, of the say send hame be Jerome Friscobald 1517 Lanark & R. 195.
vi ruffs and courtings of say 1566 Treas. Acc. XI 501.
Ane pund and ane half of fyne say 1572 Edinb. Test. II 257.
Thre elnis ane half of densyre say(b) 1493 Acta Conc. I 315/1.
A doble curlet of sey 1501 Treas. Acc. II 26.
For iiij steik of sey rede blew grene and ȝallow 1504–6 Ib. III 89.
For ane blew steik of sey to the banar for the schip 1580 Coll. Aberd. & B. 391.
Ane pair of courtingis of bew sey 1587 Aberd. Chart. 350. 1598 Black Bk. Taymouth 323.
Of champit reid sey(c) 1562 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 647/2.
Thre gren courtingis of sae with frontellis of gren tafiteispl. 1518 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II 175.
The chawmer hingin witht ald sayis palyt reid blew and ȝallow 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II 201.
Serge, sewin silk, sewin gold and siluer sayis 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 326.
Sayes of Flanders making cullored 1661 Acts VII 253/2.(b) 1472 Lennox Mun. 90.
Na superior cleth, seys [etc.] 1587 Aberd. Trades 335.
Seyis, worsetts, linings and single sergis 1601 Edinb. B. Rec. V 287.
Thair is sevin Flemyngs laitlie cum hame fra Flanders … quhairof sex to mak seyis and the sevint for brayd clayth

2. attrib. and comb.Also Say-bumbacie n.(1) 1493 Prot. Bk. J. Young 132.
A pare of se peis 1658 Lanark B. Rec. 169.
Ane greine sey approun 1673 Paterson Ayr & Wigton II 546.
She never took a sey apron off the dyke — 1653 Soc. Ant. XXIII 300.
Ane blew say bed 1659 Craven Ch. in Orkney II 197.
A rid pock for a sea bed, a pair blankets [etc.] — 1562 Will A. Betoun 224.
v pair of sey cowrtingis 1635 Haddington Corr. 302.
Ane stand of blew sey courtenes(2) 1555 Dundee B. Ct. III fol. 19 (17 Dec.).
Ten ellis of quhyt sey clayth to be littit blak 1601 Edinb. Test. in Hist. Fam. Seton 585.
My rid seaclaith [blank in ed.] petticot 1684 Reid Forfar 193.
[3½ ells] of sey cloath for ane cott(3) 1576 Edinb. Test. V 56b.
Of spune sey brechane ȝarne ane stane wecht(4) 1624 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 259.
Ane uther sey lume with the furniture