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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
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S(c)hep(e, S(c)heip, S(c)hip, n. Also: chep, scep; s(c)heip(p)e, cheip, sceyp; s(c)heap, s(c)heep(e, sheepp, (seip); s(c)hiep(e; schap; s(c)hipe; schipp; schypt, (schyp-, scyp-, sip-); Chep(e. [ME and e.m.E. shep (c1200), scheap(e (Layamon), sep (c1250), schep, seop (both c1275), scepe (Cursor M.), schip (c1300), scip (c1310), sheep (Wyclif), schype (c1450), schyppe (c1460), shippe (a1470), OE (WSaxon) scéap, (Angl.) scép, (ONorthumb.) pl. scíp, scípo. 1261 Reg. Paisley 121.
In early use as a place-name element. — Juxta castrum meum de Schepehinche 1337 Rot. Sc. 493/1.
Quedam piscaria vocata Shepwell 1374–5 Reg. Great S. 222/2.
Omnes terras … de Schephalche in vicecomitatu de Strivelyne — c1143–7 Edinb. Chart. 6.
Scypwel 1165–1214 Liber Melros 16.
Schipwell Ib. 17.
Sipwele 1262 Reg. Paisley 121.
Schyphinche 1375 Montgomery Mem. 13.
Schiphalch

I. 1. A sheep.Chiefly coll., uninfl. pl., also (rarely) infl. pl., and sing.coll. a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 84.
Scho nedit for to kepe Fore faut of helpe ilke day schepe c1420 Wynt. ii 578 (C).
Thar nowte, thar schep, thar gayt Ib. viii 1895 (R).
As bwndyn schepe in Ingland Thai he send 1472 Peebles B. Rec. I 168.
To kep Kadmowr to kow and kapyll … and the wester hill to chep 1482 Reg. Morton II 244. c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. ix 36.
The pepele … war traualit and liand as schepe nocht hauand a schephird 1653 Peebles B. Rec. II 13.
Richard Porteous conduceit herd to keepe the tounes schep upon Venlaw(b) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2486.
The cure I tak it vpon me ȝour scheip to keip 1490 Irland Mir. III 141/13.
A gret … nowmer of pepile without ordinaunce … ar lik a multitud of scheip without ane hyrd a1500 Bk. Chess 1319.
A wand to cher & kepe Fra corne & haye boith hors corne & scheipe 1512 Treas. Acc. IV 353.
To the scheiphird at kepit the Franche scheip 1526–7 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 83.
Thome Hesloipe … folluyt Thome of Breuhous for scheipe quhilkis var in constrye 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II 11.
Excepand alwayis the fair of nolt and sheip 1531 Bell. Boece I xl.
The scheip that gangis on this montane ar yallo [etc.] 1535 Stewart 10860.
The Pechtis … thair fell … Als thik as scheip that lyis in ane fald 1537 Treas. Acc. VI 334.
For dryvyng of nolt and scheip to Coldinghame 1549 Compl. 39/5.
Quhen the scheip began to blait c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3852.
Gadtherit … to gidder As errand scheip bene with thare hirdis 1558 Black Bk. Taymouth 124.
Sceyp 1566 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 102.
Thre birnyng irnes to nolt and scheip 1587 Acts III 519/2. 1596 Dalr. I 7/1.
Flockis of scheip or gait Ib. 58/24, 25.
Nae kynd of cattail … excepte sum verie wylde, quhilkes to cal scheip or gait, or rathir nouthir scheip nor gait, we knawe nocht ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 82.
Pabay, … ane frutfull, fertile mane ile full of corn and scheip 1616 Crim. Trials III 383.
In ane cleuch-syde, quhair the … scheip war lying in thair lairis 1629 Orkney & Zetl. Sheriff Ct. 13.
That nae man sall vse of sheip callet of auld the kings mark quhilk is both the luggis off 1641 Acts V 658/1.
That all sheip be marked with keill & not with tar or pick 1661 Misc. Spald. C. V 232.
Decernit … to fald thair haill guidis, both nolt and scheip, nichtlie(c) 1544 Hist. Clan Gregor I 112.
All insy[cht] gude with in housis as of nolt and schap(d) 1562 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 28.
That diverse persones in the country and to landwart … steales scheap(e) 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Ora.
Scheep 1653 Peebles B. Rec. II 15.
That no indwelling burges pasture or put scheepe or nolt to the said landes, except they be their awne propper goodes 1668 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 15 Jan.
Sheepp 1684 Symson Descr. Galloway 74.
On which the bestial and sheep were folded the summer … before 1695 Acts IX 499/2.
A mercat for all kind of rough sheep to be holden yearly within … Carnwath(f) 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Schireff.
All them quha transportis nolt, schiepe, or vther cattel furth of the realme 1685 Dunlop P. III 17.
Ther is good stor of kiene and shiep(g) 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 107.
Thar wilbe of tendit woll this yeir of your schipe fyve stane 1566 Crail B. Ct. MS 2 July.
For schypt, gyse and swyne a1578 Pitsc. II 266/4.
The cattell and schip pertening to thair enimyes 1584 Burntisland B. Ct. fol. 33b (June).
Certene guddis sic as schipp nowlt and hors 1651 Milne-Home MSS 102. 1691 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 409 (4 Oct.).
Shipuninfl. pl. a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 83.
Thame thocht … gude Ilke day to gyf hyme fude Twa schepe 1433 Ayr B. Ct. 4 May.
Ilka man sal haf … v schep til a som 1456 Montrose Baillie Ct. fol. 5a.
That thai sall hald but fowr & twintie off scheip on the saide grys 1465 Liber Dryburgh 278.
With comon pastur of iij hundreth schip c1500 Fyve Bestes 379, 381.
In all this land thare is no schepe to get Within ten myle a mutone to ȝour meit Bot schepe and nolt distroyit ar & deid 1510 Reg. Privy S. I 321/2.
Thretty foure schepe stowin fra the lady Biris 1517 Grant Chart. 63.
j^m scheip, ȝouis, scheip and wedderis 1526–7 Treas. Acc. V 318.
To a pur woman for iij scheip that the kingis rachis slew on Huntly wod xx s. 1553 Reg. Privy C. I 148.
[They] reft … thrette fyve hundreth scheip [etc.] 1559 Inverness Rec. I 32.
For the spulȝeingis of twe scep of his quhilkis wes gottyn in the said Williamis corne 1575–6 Lanark B. Rec. 71.
Ten cheip 1589 Edinb. Test. XXI 101b.
I leif Andro Gordounes lad tua scheipe 1605 Crim. Trials II 483.
He slew the said scheip … and thairefter careit the boukkis thairof to his awin hous 1628 Dumfries Test. Ia 171.
xxxv auld scheippe at xl s. the peice Ib. 173.
Sheippe 1664 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 22 June.
I live hir … twentie shipe 1675 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 482.
Sheapinfl. pl. 1568 Waus Corr. 41.
Fowrscoir scheipis inwith fowr yeir auldis ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 78.
In thir roch iles are infinite fair scheippissing. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2492.
Quha sayis ane scheip is daft, thay lieit of it 1482 Acta Aud. 100/2. a1568 Jok & Jynny 71.
Ane scheip weill keipit fra ill wedder 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 18.
For the stowth of ane quhyt scheip of his nychbouris c1604 Misc. Hist. Soc. II 246.
As to my schiep, I can not tell quhat it can be vurthe to me as yit, for if she thrayf, she vill multiple and incries if uther vays she be but bairane, I heff lost mor nor tuente schage [= fleeces] can be (vurthe) and I can sper that on amangs the rest 1636 Urie Baron Ct. 80.
To pay … for ilk sheip 1647 Ib. VI i 710/2.
Pryces of viweris … For ane sheip on foote the peece 50 s. for the bowk 40 s. 1658 in Strathbogie Presb. xiii.
Delait for brack of Sabbothe in bearing ane scheip upon his back from the pastur 1671 Salmon Borrowstounness 98.
Ane rugh sheip(b) 1557 Inverness Rec. I 10.
Adjugit … to pay ane schip quhilk wes slayne be the wolfsing. or pl. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1161.
Schir Corbie Rauin … Quha pykit had full mony scheipis ee 1641 Acts V 658/1.
That all wooll … shall be washin vpone the sheipes bak befoir it be clipped

b. The sheep as a type of meekness, timidity, passivity, harmlessness, etc. c. Hence, viewed as a contrast to a beast, or bird, of prey.b. a1400 Leg. S. xi 382.
Als meke as thai schepe bene had c1420 Wynt. iv 508.
Thai … slwe thame downe as thai war schepe a1500 Henr. Fab. 905.
The selie scheip 1535 Stewart 39586.
Tha war als blait and basit as ane scheip 15.. Clar. iii 1126.
That richt as scheip befor him [fast] they fledc. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1152.
Ane fraudfull volff wes iuge … And on the scheip send furth ane strait summoun Ib. 1164.
Schir Corbie Rauin … on the letteris bure, summonit the scheip 1549 Compl. 107/7.
That Scottis men and Inglis men … ar as indefferent as is the nature of scheip and voluis 1567 Sat. P. iv 192.
Mair nor the sheip in foxis companie 1573 Tyrie in Cath. Tr. (STS) 7/24.
Other thay be lyon or scheip quhobeit thay weare thair skinnes

d. Applied, dyslogistically, to a person. 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 121.
I fell to and abuse them in Scots, as logerhead, ye are a sheip, etc.

e. proverb. c1450 Sciennes Conv. Pref. l.
Lest one skabbed schepe infecte al the floke a1570-86 Maitl. F. 52/111.
Quha is ane scheip the woulf will soune him hent 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv Prol. 21.
A scabbit scheip wald fane infect the lave a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1075.
Leip yeir was never a gude scheip yeir

2. Allusively, with reference to various scriptural passages representing God, or Christ, as a shepherd, and those under His spiritual care as sheep. 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 995.
So sillye saulis, that bene Christis scheip Ar geuin to hungre gormande wolfis to keip 1533 Gau 104/6.
The blynd … pastors quhilk sekis bot the mylk and the wow of the scheip c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 11.
The lowynge mercy of God opinly set fortht in the parabile of the hundreth scheipe Ib. 13.
He … commandit Peter earnestly to feide His scheipe 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 321.
So suld ȝe cheis ȝour pastoris gude That hes the fouth of heuinly fude To satisfie the houngre scheip 1562-3 Winȝet II 7/9.
The scheip of Christis flok 1567 G. Ball. 119.
We Thy peple and scheip a1568 Scott i 94.
Christis sillie scheip 1583 Sempill Warning xiv 2.
Haiffing that prince nov placitt in ȝour protection, Ane lamb of God ane saikles seip [? erron. for scheip] of seill Ȝe aucht to giff him counsale [etc.] 1611-57 Mure Psalmes c 3.
His people and the scheip Wee of His pasture bee ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. II 142.
[The Bishop of Argyll] could not be understoode by his Highland sheepe without ane interpreter

3. Preceded by a defining noun indicating the sex, etc., of the sheep, or the particular purpose it is intended to fulfil.See also Dinmont n., Gimmer n., wedder, etc., for further instances. 1472 Peebles B. Rec. I 169.
Na schep … bot mylk schep 1476 Acta Aud. 50/2.
Withhalding … of … certain scheip callit the custume scheip 1497–8 Acta Conc. II 120.
Fifti sex weddris schepe … price of ilk wedder schepe vj s. viij d. 1531 Prot. Bk. J. Cristisone 19.
To pay … forty brood sheep of two years old, commonly called mailscheip 1540 Exch. R. XVII 275.
Lie draucht scheip 1547 Reg. Cupar A. II 236.
And attour sall keip als mony eittin scheip as ples my lord to send vp ȝerelye for thair gressum a1570-86 Maitl. F. 424/180.
Ȝour onlie sone quha semed a slauchter scheipe 1619 Argyll Rentals I 2.
1 wedder scheip 1629 Justiciary Cases I 102.
The tua pett scheip lybellit 1670 Forbes Baron Ct. 280.
All tennentis that is lybill for peyment of custom sheip 1681 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 27 June.
A wether sheip

4. The carcase of a sheep prepared, or to be prepared, as meat; mutton. Also attrib. 1551 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 13.
That all land flesh be put at once to the mercat and na schiep be slitted down in the shulders 1563 Dumfries B. Ct. fol. 187b.
The salt scheip ressauit in Kyrkcudbrycht 1585 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 407.
That the said flescheoures flay all thair scheip … vp throw the haill craig to the lugs 1593 Elgin Rec. II 34.
Jhone Tailȝeour confessit the breaking of a scheipe on Sondaye Ib.
The selling of a quarter scheipe 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 78.
Twa birskettis of ane scheipe 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 67b.
Na man sould be hanged for sa meikill of stollen meat as he may beare in ane seck vpon his back: as for ane scheepe or ane calfeattrib. 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 78.
Scho sta out of Jamis Erasmussonis skeo … quhyt dry scheipe pudding

II. attrib., possess. and comb. 5. Having to do with the care, enclosing, sheltering or protection of sheep. a. Of things. Also scheipgris ? pabsturage.For further instances see Flek n. and Lair n.¹ 1 b. See also Schepe-cote, Schepe-fald, Schepe-hous. b. Of persons, animals, or their activities.See also Schepehird n.Schip keiping, cf. Keping vbl. n. 1 or 2 b. c. Sheip doggis, a sheep dogge a dog trained to work sheep.a. (1) 1595 Edinb. Test. XXVIII 82.
Thrie dossoun scheip bellis at xx s. the dossoun 1627 Ib. LIV 134.
xij scheipe bellis pryce of all xxx s. 1632 Ib. LVI 24. — a1500 Colk. Sow i 229.
Thoby Cariour him tuk To land with a scheip cruk c1500 Makc. MS xiii 22.
Hoc pedium, a schipcruk 1585–6 Forres B. Ct. 31 Jan.
Ane he gett … passand done to the schipe cruk on the end of the commond land 1587 Carmichael Etym. 37.
Scheipcruik — 1567 G. Ball. 92.
Thy staffe … And thy scheip huke me for to fang, Thay nurtour me — 1604 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 122.
Annent thair scheipe mark, … everie ane of them to haife ane kenning mark by utheris that everie ane of them may ken thair scheipe(2) 1628 Banff Ann. I 60.
Ane scheip criff biggit on the Gallowhill — 1550 Prot. Bk. R. Rollok 20.
Ane fald quhair the said Wat hed sum tyme ane scheipdike — 1586 Montrose Baillie Ct. 26 Nov.
The scheipis girse roupit 1602 Montrose Treas. Acc. 10.
The scheipgris and standfauld vij li. xiij s. iiij d. 1605–6 Montrose Treas. Acc. 1.
The scheippes girss and stand fald extendis to ix lib. 1682 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 9 June.
[Owing] be Bessie Rae for schieps gras 40 s. — 1664 Fraser P. 158 (see Schepe-cote n.).
Scheip ruiff — 1566 Reg. Privy S. V ii 145/1.
The tua scheip steidingis pertening and adjacent thairto — 1581 Reg. Great S. 83/2.
Spoutwollis et lie scheipsteiddis, lie manys ac villam, terras et acras de Scone Ib.
Lympottis et lie scheipsteidis (omnes subtus aquam de Yla) 1612 Ib. 239/2.
Lie scheipsteidis, pasturas, predia et privilegia pasturarum 1631 Ib. 605/1.
Lie scheipsteidis de Balbuchty 1668 Retours I Inq. Spec. Forfar (435).
Lie sheipsteids, pasturis et privilegiis pasturarum olim ad abbates de Scone pertinentibusb. (1) a1568 Pedder C. 51.
That pedder brybour, that scheip-keipar a1578 Pitsc. II 282/18.
Thocht he var nocht leirned … mair nor he that new come fra the schip keiping c1590 Fowler II 134/36.
Maximenus … being bot a sheip keper in Thracia(2) 1670 Corshill Baron Ct. 91.
The laird … ordaines Allane Wyllie … to hang his dogg, in respect he is knowne to be ane sheep wirrierc. 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 103.
The keiping and halding of scheipe dogis by the actis 1615 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bks. 66.
Anent sheip doggis … it is … ordanit that it sall not be lesum to ony man to keip she[ip] doggis bot sick persones as salbe aproven … be the bailie … and for the quhilkis doggis they sal[be] haldin to answer 1623 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bk. in Misc. Maitl. C. II 198.
That it sall not be leisum to any man at any tyme of day … to goe through his neighbours clogange [pr. ologange] or comountie with ane sheep dogge except he be accompanyed with tua neighbouris

6. Having to do with a. The body or carcase of a sheep, or b. The products or by-products obtained from sheep.See also Schepe-hede, Schepe-ledder and S(c)hep(e)-skin.a. (1) 1698 Hector Renfrewshire Rec. II 150.
Sheep bones — 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 306.
The scheip bouk iiij merkis, … the muttoun bouk xx shillingis 1658 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 208.
[17 s. for a] scheip bouk — 1597 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 6 Nov.
Ane pund sewat scheipbreidis — 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 25 Sept.
For 8 scheip feite Ib.
For penschis and scheip feit — 1622 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 275.
Patrik Maxvell … in xlv s. for scheip licht bocht 1627 Galloway P. 3 Jan. 1675 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 37 (27 Jan.).
[½ stone of] sheip light, [6 fowls, and 1] fastrevenes henn(2) 1550 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 12.
That the heid of the mutton be brought with the schieps bouk 1599 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 18 Aug.
Ane scheipis vscheb. (1) 1508 Treas. Acc. IV 110.
For ane stane of schip tauch to lay on the muld of the gwn Ib. 136.
Scheip tauch to the gunnis 1541–2 Treas. Acc. VIII 124.
For … ule de olyve … and for walx and scheip talloun … to lay upoun the harnes for kepeing thairof fra roust 1548 Banff Ann. I 23.
That the stane of scheip tawcht be sauld for xii d. 1561 Inverness Sheriff Ct. 76.
The scheip tacht pertenyng to the town … of Inglistoun 1570 Elgin Rec. I 123.
Schip tallown … xiiij s. the stan 1597 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 389. 1601 Dunblane Test. III 35.
Scheiptalloun price of the stane xl s. 1623 Perth Kirk S. MS 14 May.
Margaret Horniscleuch … cureit him by ane bath of agrimonie and blak scheipis creisch(2) 1567 Edinb. Test. I 58b (see Ledderin adj. (1) (b)).
Scheip leddren gluiffis — 1656 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 55.
Sheep wooll(3) 1597 Crim. Trials II 28.
Scho causit to bath hir lunȝie with scheippis doung 15.. Nat. Lib. MS 22, 2, 11.
Taik … sheipis dunge … put it upon ane woolen cloth and maik it so hoat as the child can be abill to tholl it(4) 1662 Crim. Trials III 605.
When we tak away any cowes milk, … draw the tedder … in the Divellis name. … we tak sheips milk ewin so

7. Having to do with the marketing or sale of sheep.(1) 1603 Edinb. B. Rec. V 323.
Ane fyve yeir tak of the scheipstands at the west port 1609–10 Ayr B. Acc. 242. — 1655 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 380.
Being ane unlawfull place for keiping of ane sheip mercatt 1681 Acts VIII 443/1.
Two free faires in the year at … Giffart … the uther … to be called the sheep fair(2) Ib. 381.
The masters of the said flocks of sheip and sheip sellars or sheip buyars(3) 1676 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 26 April.
Fyftie shilling … restand of sheep pryce

8. In other, special, combinations.Scheep buik, a book bound in leather made from sheep-skin. Scheip(is) cullour. Cf. Schepis hew attrib., Schepis-hewit adj. Sheep-dead, sheep-rot. Sheep-drawne, ? delineated to resemble a sheep, sheeplike. Scheip-girs, tormentil. Sheep kaid, see Kaid n. (the sheep louse). Sheip meall, see Male n. 2, quot. Peebles B. Rec. Scheip siluer, (1) ? money obtained from the sale of sheep; (2) only in Shetland: money paid to a superior in commutation of an exaction previously paid in sheep. Sheep stool, appar. a support or bench of some sort. — (1) a1688 Wallace Orkney 16.
A disease call'd the sheepdead, which is occasioned by great quantities of little animals like to flouks … which are engendered in the liver(2) 1595 Black Bk. Taymouth 297.
Compt of merttis and bullis sauld. … Resauit be the laird … of the scheipe siluer in Finlarig [£66 17 s. 4 d.] 1629 Monteith Stewartrie Ct. 11 June.
Anent the sowme of four merkis Scottis money of the rest of scheipsiluer conform to the clame — 1624 Orkney & Shetl. Test. I 122b.
The said vmquhill Patrik was restand awand in watle & sheip siluer xxxj s. iiij d. 1625 Ib. 147b.
The said vmquhill Issobell and hir said spous war restand awand … in sheip siluer iiij s. c1650-1700 Descr. Zetland 19.
And their land-duties payed partly to the king by scatt, wattell, langer, ox-silver, sheep-silver, &c.(3) 1668 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 20 (1 Feb.).
One scheep buik 36 schilling(4) 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 365.
[In the Brewhouse] … 2 trowes [troughs]. A sheep stool [Scots cuddie = ‘horse’, support, trestle]. A wort dish(5) 1580 Edinb. Test. IX 52b.
Inglis claith of scheip cullour … the elne xxxij s. —attrib. 1572 Edinb. Test. II 240.
Ane pece scheip colour Londoun claith 1576 Ib. IV 133.
Fyne scheip cullour claith price of the eln xxxv s. — 1601 Tailor's Acc. Bk. 21b.
Your ryding cloik of scheipis cullour — 1617 Edinb. Test. XLIX 297b.
Thretteine elnis … matherit schip cullorit Lundoun claith(6) 1500-1699 Herbarius Latinus Annot. cxlv (Adv.).
Tormentilla, scheip girs(7) 1633 Lithgow Poet. Remains 112.
Yea, some-where there's lord baillie, and men must Vpon his sheep-drawne shaddow lordship thrust