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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quaif(f, Quafe, n. Also: quaif(f)e, quayf(f, kuafe, quaef, queif, quaff. Pl. also quhavis. [Sc. form corresp. to ME (c1290) and e.m.E. coyf(e, coif, etc., OF coife, coiffe: cf. e.m.E. (once) pl. quaives (1621). For the phonology, cf. Quaver n.¹ Cf. also Coif, Quoif and Queych.]

1. A coif; a kind of cap, appar. of the skull-cap variety, and as worn by either sex.Women's ‘quaiffs’ were often of costly material, more or less elaborately adorned; the name was appar. applied to caps made both of ordinary woven cloth and of netted or open work.Also nicht-quaiff, Nicht n.(a) 1436 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II 139.
Vnum quayff de serico 1497 Treas. Acc. I 339.
For half ane elne of taffatj, to be ane quaif to the king … iiij s. 1513 Doug. iv iv 19.
Hir bricht tressis envolupyt war and wond Intil a quayf [E. kuafe, 1553 queif] of fyne gold wyrin threid 1515 Treas. Acc. V 9.
For the kingis grace and his bruthir forsaidis, twa elne of goldin hewit taffity to be thame quaiffs; … Item, ane unce of rubey silk to thair quaiffs 15.. Clar. iii 955 (see Kell n.¹ 1). 1561 Inv. Q. Mary 43.
Sevin quaiffis of claith of siluir cordonit with blak silk and the railyettis of the same 1562 Treas. Acc. XI 230. 1562–3 Ib. 246. 1575 Edinb. Test. III 362.
Quaiffis with gold & silk price of the pece xv s. … quaiffis … of net fassioun … quaiffis of hair garneist with perle 1578 Inv. Wardrobe 231.
Huidis, quaiffis Ib. 232.
Ane quaiff with a orilyeit of holane claith sewit with crammosie silk Ib. 237.
Fyve masking quaiffis for the hind heid; fyve litle crownis for the foirheid Ib. 232. 1582 Edinb. Test. X 331b, 332.
Of quaifis of silk & counterfutes xj price of the pece ourheid xij s., … siluer & goldin quaifis sex price of the pece … xxxij s. iiij d. Ib. XI 228. 1584 Ib. XIV 134.
Ane jeit quaif price thairof x s. 1593 Ib. XXV 188. 1597 Bk. Rates 9b.
Inuarte custumes … Quaiffis of gold the dosane … l li. Quaiffis of gold single … xxv li. Quaiffis of silk the dosane … x li. Quaiffis of geit the dosane … vj li 1600 Treas. Acc. MS 67b.
Ane busking of siluer hewit satyn to hir heid, … ane quaif of siluer to put abone the said busk 1603 Philotus xxii (see Kell n.¹ 1). 1612 Edinb. Test. XLVII 126b.
Thrie ieit quaiffis at xl s. the peice 1613 Ib. 359b.
Sevin littit threid quaifis callit mutches for bairnes 1657 Balfour Ann. IV 396.
A shallow quaiffe wes put wpone his majesties head(b) 1513 Doug. vii vi 26.
The grysly serpent … sum tyme of hir curche, lap with a waif, Becum the selvage or bordour of hir quafe [v.rr. quayf, quaif] 1549–50 Treas. Acc. IX 383.
xxij elnis trasis of blak silk to be sewit upoun lycht quafis of his graces 1583 Cal. Sc. P. VI 690.
To have gevin my sister and sister dochteris twa goldin quhavis pryce of the peice xx s.; Item, thre wther quhavis of silk boucle [ed. boncle] and perle pryce of the peice xiij s. iiij d.(c) 1603 Montgomery Mem. II 247.
Four yardes of round camrik to be quaefis and crosclloths Ib.
For drauing of thri quaefs and crosclloths, iii s.(d) 1669 Thanes of Cawdor 321.
For 2 halff ells and 2 halff quarteris narrow lace for 2 quaffs

2. A cap, of mail, leather or the like, worn under and reinforcing the helmet.Rendering F. coiffe: cf. the similar use of ME and e.m.E. coif in versions of romances. ?1438 Alex. ii 6025.
Thy helm of steill And the quaif [F. la coiffe] that is thare vndir