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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Laun(e, Lawn(e, n. Also: lavne, lawin(e, -yn. [ME. and e.m.E. laun (1423), laune, lawn(e, laan(e, appar. f. Laon in France, as the name of the orig. place of manufacture. Cf. also Lan n., Land(e n.³ and Lane n.²] Lawn, the fine linen fabric. Also attrib. 1429 Acts II. 18/2.
It is statut … that the commonis wifis … wer … na costly curches as lawn or ryns 1429 Exch. R. IV. 508.
Pro decem et septem ulnis … panni de lawn a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 423.
Quhair is … Thy plesand lawn pinnit with goldin prene? 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 40.
ij elne of lawne for my Lordis muchis, price elne xij s. 1488 Ib. 163.
vj elne of lawne to be hir curcheis 1494–5 Ib. 230.
xij ellis of smal lawne, … price of the ell xij s. 1502 Ib. II. 46; etc.
iiij elne lawn to covir hir credill a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 362.
With that face mair sueiter [? read quhiter] than the lawn [: balm, demand] 1562 Treas. Acc. XI. 183; 1565 Ib. 439.
xviij elnis of fyne lawine [ed. lawnie] in silk to be vaill, the elne x s. 1580 Ib. MS. 35² b.
Four eln of laun 1587 Carmichael Etym. 6.
Sindon, lawn or fine linnen claith 1605 Glasgow Merch. House 69.
It shall not be leasome … to tapp any … launs or camricks [etc.] 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 319.
Linning cloth … Lawnes the half peice contening vi elnis half eln xx li. … Sletia lawne the peice xl s. … Cobhame lawne the eln xiii s. iiii d. 1644 Acts VI. i. 76/2.
Excise. One all camrick laune or holand cloath for the value of each tuentie shilline [1/-] c1650 Spalding I. 39.
His [the Bishop of Moray's] rotchet whiche is ane whyte lyning or lavne drawin on abone his cot 1681 Acts VIII. 348/2.attrib. 1540 Treas. Acc. VII. 303.
Lawin claith, price of the elne xiiij s. 1562 Ib. XI. 183.
xij elnis of lawyn claith, the elne xxiiij s. 1566 Ib. 512.
Lawne claitht — 1562 Reeves Sc. Prose bef. 1600 80.
Certane preistis … with quhit laun surplechis vpone thame