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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rolling, Rowing, vbl. n.² Also: rowe-, rou-; rolle-, roul-, rowll-; rove- and -yn(g. [Late ME and e.m.E. rolyng (a1440); Rol(l v.²]

1. The action of rolling, in senses 1, 3, 4 (and 4 b), 6 and 9 of Rol(l v.²(1) 1573 Treas. Acc. XII 344.
To twa werkmen for rowing of the pulder and bullettis furth of the sellar 1585 Glasgow B. Rec. I 116.
In the wrang for … rowing of full hogheidis … inlangis the said brig 16.. Hist. Kennedy 1.
Be quhais skill of rowing doun of stanes from ane hiche hill, he vanne ane gritt battell(2) 1682 Lauder Observes App. iv 304.
He had made a shift by rowing it up and down his mouth to separat what was pleasant to his pallat(3) 1623 Crim. Trials III 556.
Be … taking ane lang claith … and rowing the bairne nyne tymes within the said claith — 1658 Boyd Fam. P. No. 236 (27 Feb.).
Tua peices for rowing about the stoupis of the best bed(4) 1530 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 33.
For xii vedgis rowyn 1615–16 Ib. 373.
To the quarieris … for schairping of thair pickes and rowing of thair wages 1617 Ib. II 28.
For rowing of the great quarrell mell 1625 Ib. 174.
To the … smyth for rowing of tuentie fyve wadges 1629 Ib. 220.
For rowing and schairping of thrie dussone of wadgeis at viii d. the peace Ib. 245.
To Johne Smith … for roveing and sadding the quarrell mell Ib. 302, etc.
For rowing sex old wadgeis … for rowing ane yron mell 1645 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 110b.
For ane gating meall rouing … 6 s. 8 d. 1675 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 19 June.
To the smyth for rowing of the leauel 1678 Fawside Coal Compt 31.
For picks & mille roweing 1680 Dumfries Mun. Accs. Box No. 21.
For laying of the kallenders owne pick … sharping of pickes and rowing of wages 1698 Foulis Acc. Bk. 234.
For 90 picks at 4 d. the peice and 57 wadges rowing at 6 d. the peice(b) 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 90.
For … pikkis rolling to the querrell 1535 Ib. 185.
For xix waggis rolling, xxxvi pikis scharping(5) a1500 Henr. Orph. 222.
He herd a hevynly melody … Causid be rollyng of the speris round

2. In other senses. a. The action of winding up a clock. Cf. to row up (a clock), Rol(l v.² 5 b. b. The action of playing the game of bowls.a. 1583 Glasgow Burgesses 12.
For rowlling … of the knok 1666 Glasgow B. Rec. III 68.
Anent the rouling of the knox in Briggaitb. 1583 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 265.
Proclamatioun to be maid discharging … all catchpulling, rolling, playing … and siclyk, in tyme of sermoun on Sonday

3. attrib. and comb.Rolling-stane (stone), a stone hewed into cylindrical form, and used for crushing clods or flattening ground. = Rollar n.² 3.(1) 1571–2 Canongate Ct. Bk. 357.
Ane rowing barrell for laidis(2) 1656 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 500.
For hewing two rolleing stones for the gairdene 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 368.
A rowing stone with an iron frame 1689 Foulis Acc. Bk. 114.
For helping the rolling stane frame and a help and staple to ane ark