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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.

Saill, n.² Also: saile, sale, salle, seall, seale. [Sail(l v.^1: also e.m.E. (c1511).]

1. The action or an act of sailing or voyaging; a maritime expedition.Chiefly b. the sail, the act of voyaging, for the purposes of trade, etc. 1375 Barb. iii 693.
Thair schippys to the se thai set … Quhen thai war boune to saile thai went 1586–7 St. A. Kirk S. 586.
The man is ordanit to be warnit at his returning fra saillb. 1513 Doug. iii vi 191.
Thocht the tyde And prospir wyndis challance thé to the saill [: haill] 1514 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 28.
Or he yed to the saill 1533 Boece 71.
Botis liand reddy nere beside, weill appoyntit with maryneris and vthir gere ganyng for the saill Ib. 109.
Claudius … fyndand fare wynd and gude weddir for the saill, fra Britan he departit 1537 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 12 March.
To … remayne in the towne and keip hows wythin xl days next efter he cum fra the saill c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 699.
At Deip he maid him for the saill, Quhair he furnischit ane gay veschaill For his self and his men of weir 1550–1 Perth Guildry 274 (20 Feb.).
That na freman … tak ony vnfremannis gudis or mony to the saill with hym nor be merchand to hym 1554 Prot. Bk. J. Harlaw 95b.
He wes passand to the saill to Orkney 1558 Admir. Ct. Bk. (St. S.) 86.
For non passing with him to the saill in the schip 1563 Linlithgow Sheriff Ct. 22 April.
In his absence being at the saill in Danskyn in Johnne Wilsonis schip 1571 Prot. Bk. J. Robeson 116.
The hamecuming of the said schipe fra the said saill to the said porte of Leith 1572 Canongate Ct. Bk. 367.
Afoir his last departing to the saill 1578 Prot. Bk. J. Robeson 5.
Efter his returnyng fra the saill to this realme agane 1584 St. A. Kirk S. 539. 1604 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 34.(b) 1588–9 Burntisland B. Ct. 28 March.
In respect he is presentlie at the seall fourth off the contray 1631 Linlithgow B. Rec. 30 Sept.
Ane guid pairt of the counsellouris ar merchantis, and some of thame ar oft absent at the seale(c) 1498 Halyb. 133.
Rychye laid for hym bydand the salle in Zelland … 1 li. 4 s. 11 gis.(d) 1684 Hay Fleming Six Saints I 127.
Mr. Peden … said … ‘these books [being transported to Ireland] will do no hurt in this country, for I saw the sale of them spilt this last night’; and so it came to pass the most of them was returned to Scotland

2. ? Sailing qualities, speed in sailing.e.m.E. (1602). 1600-1610 Melvill 258.
That they meiting … a grait schipe of St. Androis, weill riget out be the Burrowes, being fyne of seale, went befor hir all the way and maid everie schipe … do homage to the King of Scotland