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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.

Sek, adj. and n.² Also: sekk, seke, seck(e, sect, seake, saick, sa(c)k. [e.m.E. sakke (1531-2), wyn seake (a1536-7, Durham Acc. Rolls), seck win (1547), secke (1542), sack(e (1555-6), appar. OF vin sec (12th-13th c. in Larousse) dry (i.e. not sweet) white wine, with unexplained change of application: Cf. Germ. sekt (earlier (17th c.) sek), Du. sek.]

1. adj. in wyne sek, sek wyne. = 2 below.(1) 1558 Aberd. B. Rec. I 311.
Ane bot of wyne seck 1574 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 34.
That na wyne sek be sauld darrer nor fyve schillingis sax penneis a1578 Pitsc. II 320/13.
Burdeous vyne gave v schilling the pynt and vyne sekk vij schilling 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 286.
Whidder hir malisone tuike effect, Or gif it was the gude wyne sect 1591 Edinb. Test. XXIII 261b (see Filling vbl. n. 2). 1593–4 Exch. R. XXII 401.
For ane tun of Spaynis wyne callit wyne sek 1597–8 Household Bks. Jas. VI 8 Jan.
Ane of wyne seck taine with his majestie 1607 Reg. Privy C. VIII 24.
The takkismen of the customes … craving als mekle for the canarie as for wyne seck, albeit … the pype of canarie is sevin gallonis les nor the pype of seck 1614 Rec. Earld. Orkney 381.
A kag wyne sek pryse xj lib. iiij s.(b) 1591 Thanes of Cawdor 202.
The gud wyfe brocht to yow to your chalmer the lairdis Ellangirrik, [etc.] … and refusit to drink na uther drink bot wyne sak; of wyne sack thrie pointis xxx s. 1669 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 426.
Some litil exactiones out of aile beer strong watters wyne saick and fleshes consumit in our burghe(2) 1574–5 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 36.
[That] na sek wyne be sauld darrer … nor vi s. vi d. the pynte 1610 Brechin Test. II 69.
Ane pyip of Spanis sek wyne 1679 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 12 Dec.
For seck wyne brandie ane coffin [etc.](b) 1590 Thanes of Cawdor 198.
Ane barrekyn of sak vynn

2. noun. Sack, a class of white wines imported from Spain and the Canaries. Also cherrie seck. See also Chirrie seck n. and Malaga.(1) 1608 Stirling B. Rec. I 119.
For ane punshoun of wyne iiij s.; for ane pipe of sek x s. 1614 Lett. Eccl. Affairs II 382.
Ane drawcht or twa of wyne, tent and sek 1619 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 122.
Ane but of seck and thrie puncheons French wyne 1627 Orkney & Shetl. Test. I 170.
The thrid part of ane pyp seck pryce x li. 1636 Elgin Rec. I 255. 1638 Hamilton P.(Camden Soc.) 17.
And sume seake to make beuerage 1640 Maxwell Mem. II 276.
If thare bee good seke, canaree or malgoe cum in to Glasgow .; 1641-8 Skipper's Acc. (Smettone) 10.
For a bout of seck as it cost in Calles 124 li 1647 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 73. 1648 Glasgow B. Rec. II 154.
The townes burdings of viij d. eache pynt of Frensche wyne and xvj d. of eache pynt of seck and hote waters 1653–4 Peebles B. Rec. II 196.
Sek c1656 Irvine Mun. II 260.
My wyfe … caused bring seck and sugar measses and other necessars 1659 A. Hay Diary 139.
I … payed for some seck but drank none 1661 Edinb. B. Rec. IX 247.
The exorbitant pryces of the seck and all sort of Spanishe wynes 1663–6 Household Bks. Archb. Sharp MS 66.
For seck claret aill beir 1665–6 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 609.
For seke, French wyne, bear [etc.] 1670 Rothesay B. Rec. 188.
By the retaill of wynes or seke and brandie to the losse of the breuers and excyse 1670 Boyd Fam. P. No. 299.
Ane quart of seck £3 4 s. 1670 Irvine Mun. II 273.
Secke 1671 Sc. Hist. Rev. LXI 155.
Breaid aill wyne seck & swgare 4 s. 9 d. 1680 Foulis Acc. Bk. 24.
For wine and seck to make caddeles 1684 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 102.
That he grate his … windowes … with sufficient iron graites that noe seck or brandie or wyne be brought in at the saids windowes(b) 1603 Philotus 163.
Ane cup of sack, sweit and weill set, May for ane breckfast gaine 1669 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 421.
To obtane some considerable allowance of our owne aile or malt saick and French wyne and strong watters vented within our toune 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 366.
He made euery nobleman … drink a moucking bowle of sack in that postur 1694 Glasgow B. Rec. IV 122.
[£41 15 s. 6 d. sterling] as the pryce of ane butt of sack sent be the town to his grace the Duke of Hamiltoun(2) 1666 Household Bks. Archb. Sharp in Misc. Maitl. C. II 537.
For cherrie seck and claret

b. attrib. in seck-pype, sek-possit. 1623–4 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 158.
For the len of saxtene seck pypes 1673 [Cooper's account] Lennoxlove MS (The Duke of Hamilton) F 1/556/13/15.
For seeming & dressing the halfe of ane seck pype [6 s.] — 1653 Laing MSS 277.
Dissolwe the half of the manna with the bake of a spoon amon seven or 8 spoonful of whyt wyn or sek possit 1653 Laing MSS 277.
Drink some warmed sek possit 1665 Household Bks. Archb. Sharp in Misc. Maitl. C. II 527.
For seck possit sugare and milk