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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
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Swesch(e, Swasch(e, Swische, n.¹ Also: suesch(e, swesh(e, suesh, swech, suech(e, swes(s, suesse, schues, suasche, swash, swache, suache, swatch, swas, suas, squasch(e, squache, squash, swysche, suishe, swiche, swych(e, suis, suys(e, squys, sweische, sweis, scosche, schosche, saesche. [? Originally Swesche taburn (see 1 b), f. as Swesch(e n. and Taburn(e n. the Swiss tabor.]

1. A small drum, esp. one used to alert public attention.For further examples see Swescher n.(a) 1524 Edinb. Hammermen 113.
To the boy that playt of schues 1529 Mill Mediæv. Plays 233.
To ane France child quhilk playit on the swes 1543–4 Treas. Acc. VIII 250.
Swesche 1544 Treas. Acc. VIII 278.
To twa men that playit upon the swesche quhilkis had thair tabronis brokin … be the Inglischemen 1547 Armstrong Hist. Liddesdale I lxxix.
To ane to play throwch the toun of Leith upoun ane swesche, to wairne the hors tocum and ressave thair charges 1560 Edinb. B. Rec. III 63.
For playing vpone the swesche and quhissill befoir the nychbouris of this burgh twa dayis quhen thai wer in armorie 1561 Edinb. B. Rec. III 107.
Suesche 1561 Edinb. B. Rec. III 118.
Suechis 1561 Kennedy Aberd. Ann. II 487.
Swesch 1568 Lanark B. Rec. 42.
Suesch c1575 Balfour Pract. 77.
Quhen the Alderman, Thesurare, Farthingman or Dene, will call and convene the gild brether for the commoun affairis, thay at the sound of the suesh sall compeir 1579–80 Crail B. Ct. 22 March.
That Troylus … sall nocht pas throw this burgh in playing with grett pyk or swesche vnder silence of nycht or vtherwayis … vnder the payn of tynsall of his office 1583 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 307.
James Ros, thesaurer, to pay for a drwm or swesche to serue the guid town 1584 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 84.
That thair be provydit for service of the tounschipe ane commoun swesche 1586–7 Dundee Treas. Acc.
For 9 feldom of 1 cord to the swesche 1586–7 Dundee Treas. Acc.
Item for ane heid to the swesche & mending of the lytell svesse 17 s. 1589 Hawick Arch. Soc. (1921) 29.
For the heiding of the swech 1601 Stirling B. Rec. I 98.
Sweshe 1604 Stirling Ant. III 304.
Sueche 1605–6 Misc. Spald. C. V 79.
To ane boye to pas throuche the town witht the swess to proclame the fast, 1 s. 4 d. 1606 Dunferm. Treas. Acc. in Sc. Ant. IV 39.
To David Semple for hame bringing the saidis sweshis 1607–8 Misc. Spald. C. V 82.
To Trupe, the cwik, for playing on the swesche(b) 1529 Mill Mediæv. Plays 233.
To the man that playit on the new swas 1530 Edinb. Hammermen 130b.
For puttin one of the heid of the swas and grathin of it to Jakis for his lauboris & for cordis & taggis to it iij s. vj d. 1544 Edinb. Old Acc. I 16.
xxij s. gevin to twa men to play on ane swas and ane trumpet to the men of weir 1552 Reg. Privy C. I 131.
To taxt the remanent of the haill borrowis as use is provyding alwayis that it sall nocht be ane tabroun or suasche to gang throw ony burch for sutting of men to the rest of the ansaingyeis 1569 Edinb. B. Rec. III 261.
That nane … remane within the toun … quhill four houris in the mornyng that the suasche strek 1571–2 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 60.
To Johne Hoip for strykin on the swatch quhen thai yeid of the toun to gadder the nyghbours 1558-66 Knox II 496.
Immediately the swash, tabron and drums were stricken or beaten 1572 Reeves Sc. Prose bef. 1600 81.
Suache 1581 Treas. Acc. MS 60(2).
To the ȝoung boy that played vpoun the swasche … a syide coit of his awin [sc. his master's leveray] 1602 Treas. Acc. MS 189.
Ane swache, and ane veluote belt, with ane dager [for a child] 1615 Mill Mediæv. Plays 241.
[They] passit all to Thomas Hardeis hous and dancit ther with ane lad quha playit wpone ane swasche ther 1632 Edinb. Test. LVI 24.
Sevin dussoun of bairnes suasses(c) 1539 Edinb. Hammermen 154b.
Squache 1550 Edinb. Hammermen 183.
For … paynting of the squasch 1555 Edinb. Hammermen 199.
Squasche 1560 Rolland Seven S. 626.
With trumpet, schalme, drum, squasche & clarioun(d) 1541–2 Ayr B. Acc. 89.
Swysche 1557 Peebles B. Rec. I 240.
James Frank to schoit ane govne, and thairafter the swiche to cum to the gait, and all nychtbouris convene weill armyt to the said swiche with thair baillies 1570 Lanark B. Rec. 51.
Suis 1570 Peebles B. Rec. I 318.
That euery nychtbour compeir to the Hie Gait with thair armour quhosone the swische strykis 1571 Lanark B. Rec. 55.
That thei nychtly wache with the balleis fra the strak of the second strak of the suishe 1591 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 131.
Ane man to gang ilk day at four horis in the morning and sewin horis at ewin with the comoun suys 1596 Hawick Arch. Soc. (1921) 28.
Suyse 1624 Peebles Gleanings 48.
To John Robeine and John Billie, for playing and stryking of the swych 24 s. 1627–8 Peebles B. Rec. I 415.
To mend the swyche that Traquairs man pat his nyffe in at the croce(e) 1556–7 Edinb. Old Acc. I 205.
For playing on the sweische the tyme of the wappin schawing … xx s. 1559 Edinb. B. Rec. III 42.
Sweis(f) 1571 Lanark B. Rec. 63.
For saufte … of the toun … that at the knhell of the bell and squys, gef ony fray cumis to the toun, that ilk persone cum and meit [etc.](g) 1575 Glasgow B. Rec. I 455.
For ane perchement skyn … to cover the scosche(h) 1579–80 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 153.
Saesche

b. attrib. With heid (Hede n.¹ 5 d), a drum-head; taburn (Taburn(e n.) = 1 above. See also Swesch(e)man n.(1) 1575 Glasgow B. Rec. I 455.
To Thomas Downy for inputting of the schoscheheid(2) 1533 Treas. Acc. VI 159.
For ane swasche talburne to the futmen … xx s. 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 199.
Gevin to twa mynstralis that plais upoun the Swesch talburn for thair ȝeirlie pencioun 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 271.
Gevin to … the twa Toddies, playeris on the Swesche taburn 1540 Treas. Acc. VII 334.
Swische 1543–4 Ayr B. Acc. 93.
[For a] swysche tabroun, [£1 2 s.] c1550 Lynd. Test. Meldrum 184.
Ane thousand hakbuttis gar schute al at anis, With swesche, talburnis & trumpettis awfullie 1559–60 Ayr B. Acc. 30.
Swyse a1650 Buchanan's Hist. MS Index (Edinb. Univ. Lib. *R. 20/12).
Tympanum, a squash tabret or drum

2. Apparently used, erroneously, in the sense of horn or trumpet (tr. L. cornicines horn-blowers or players). 1533 Bell. Livy I 238/13.
He … causit horsmen with swasche [B. swache], and taberne to play [L. cornicines tubicinesque … canere … iubet] all nycht