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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.

Sang-scule, Song-scuill, n. Also: sange-, sangis- and -skule, -schull, -scuil(l, -scuyll, -skuill, -schuill, -schuiil, -schuyll; -scole, -skole, -schole, -scholme, -scoill, -schoill; -scoule, -scowl, -schoull; -scool(l, -scoole, -school(l)(e. [Sang n. and Scule n.¹ Cf. e.m.E. song-schoole (1593), Du. zangschool, Sw. sångskola. Cf. also Sing-scole n.] A singing-school.Normally one attached to a church or other religious foundation, and specialising in the teaching of ecclesiastical singing and music, as well as providing some general elementary education.(a) 1451 Ayr B. Ct. 22 Oct.
Maister John [Kendale] has giffin our the sang skule to [etc.] 1483 Aberd. B. Rec. in Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II 335.
Richard Boyl salhaf … the sang scule of Abirdene as principale maister of the samyn 1503 Ib. 342.
And that the childe Cristy Narne … was passit fra the sang scule to the gramer scule and has maide nay seruice in the queir as yit 1527 Hay Fleming St. Andrews (1953) 19.
The rector chori … [to] ken the barnis of the sang scule, and keip all divine service … als wele as ony uthir rector chori … in Scotland 1540 Ecclesia Antiqua 286.
Sang schull c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 203.
[To] put this man to sang scule or playing, … dalians or dansing, [It is als] incontrair his complexioun [etc.] 1567 (1590) Glasgow Chart. II 540.
Sculemaister of the sangscule of the kirk of Glasgw 1578–9 Perth Kirk S. MS 12 Jan.
Jhone Suentoun M^r of the sangschull … exponitt … thatt he had greatt travaillis in teaching of the ȝoutheid of this toun in musik and in taking wp of the psalmes 1562-92 Wode's Psalter (Tenor) 127.
Set in uerray dulce musike be Andro Kempe sumtyme maister of the sang skule of Sanctandrous(b) 1525 Aberd. B. Rec. I xli.
One feriall dayis, quhane he is teiching the sang scuil 1537 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 412.
Sang schuyll 1539 Glasgow Prot. IV 118.
Sang scuyll 1541 Aberd. B. Rec. I 177.
The hall consell … assignis to Robe Portair and Robe Nicholsoun … fourtty s. … sua thai continew the sang scuilis and serf in thair queir 1546 Ib. 239.
Sang skuill 1558 Ib. 313.
Sang scuill 1579 Acts III 174/2.
For instructioun of the ȝouth in the art of musik and singing quhilk is almaist decayit … oure souerane lord … requeistis … to erect and sett vp ane sang scuill [etc.] 1595 Elgin Rec. II 397.
The cuir … of ane maister of sang schuill [is] to instruct … the youth of the … brucht in the art and sciens of musick 1612 Aberd. B. Rec. II 309 (see Scule n.¹ 1 c (2)).
Sang schuiil(c) 1544 Aberd. B. Rec. I 207.
Sir Jhone Fethy … to haif thair organis and sang schole for instructioun of the men of gudis barnis 1552–3 Edinb. Old Acc. I 71.
Sang skole 1560 St. A. Kirk S. 40.
Sang scole 1574 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 16.
Sang schole 1583 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 17 June.
Understanding quhow necessar it is to haif ane sang scole within this burgh … hes feit … Johne Buchan to serve in the office of ane maister of ane sangschole as als to uptak the psalmes in the kirk 1595 St. A. Kirk S. 813.
Jhone Ros, maister of the sang scole … askit God mercy … for his using and playing of ane part of the comode and play in St. Leonardis College 1599 Ib. 908.
Jhon Roull, as maister of the sang schole, to caus the best of his scholaris sitt besyid him self, about the pulpeit, to help to sing the Psalmes on the Saboth dayis 1612–13 Edgar Hist. Dumfries 257.
To the redare and master of the sangscholme [sic] xl li.(d) 1552 Elgin Rec. I 118.
To teche ane sang scoill conforme to his conditioun 1574–5 Misc. Maitl. C. II 39.
Sang schoill 1597 Elgin Rec. II 398.
The charge … of maister of sang schoill to instruct … the ȝowthe … of Elgin … teching [them] … to play vpoun all musicall instrumentis [etc.](e) 1496 Aberd. B. Rec. in Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II 339.
Sange scoule 1518–19 Ib. 353.
Sang schoull 1605–6 Montrose Treas. Acc. 2b.
Sang scowl(f) 1582 Perth Kirk S. in J. P. Lawson The Book of Perth 145.
John Swinton, master of the sang school, is found not qualified for that office 1597 Aberd. B. Rec. II 157.
Maister Willeam Skene, maister of the sang school, sall serve bayth the kirkis in uptacking of the psalme theirin, everie Sonday, the ane kirk be himselff, and the uther be the doctour, or sum of his discippullis 1598 Ib. 174.
Sang schooll 1603 Elgin Rec. II 398.
Sang scooll 1620 Ib. 164.
David Cowy [is] to attend and teitche the young bairnes in the sang schooll to reid and wreit 1621 Sc. Ch. Hist. Soc. Rec. I 45.
Sang school 1627 Orkney Rentals iii 35.
And that thair is necessitie of ane sang schoole for musick being taucht heir of auld 1633–4 Misc. Maitl. C. II 43.
To the readar and maister of the sang schoole, iiij^xx lib. 1643 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 6.
The master or doctour of the musick schoole … , the said master and doctour of the sang scoole c1650 Spalding II 66.
He dischargeit reiding of scriptures or singing of psalmes at lykewalkis … and preiudgit the maister of sangscool of his commoditie(g) c1650 Spalding I 225.
Grammer scoolis, song scoolis, and vther scoolis givin wp, and the barnes had hame to thair parentis

b. Specif., a building or room set aside or specially built for use as a singing-school. Also attrib.(a) 1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II 285.
Payit for vj geistis [etc.] … quhilk wer delyverit to the biging of the sang skule 1577 Glasgow B. Rec. I 462.
For male of ane chalmer to be ane sang scole 1595 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 579.
Six sparis to be kippellis to the sang scoole Ib. 587.
Spargeing the sangscoole in the new kirkȝaird 1599–1600 Misc. Spald. C. V 72.
Sang scoole c1650 Spalding II 188.
Sklaites … to theik ane sang scooll newlie maid wp be him of ane hous within … Innes cloiss 1657 Elgin Rec. II 289.
[To] buy timber to be seats and wreitting tables for the sang or musik scool(b) 1579 Glasgow B. Rec. (MC) 116.
To Duncan Finlaye, for the maill of ane chalmer to be sangis-scole [Glasgow B. Rec. I 463 to the sang scole], xl s.(c) 1644 Elgin Rec. I 282.
If he will set us George Donaldsones barne for ane song scuillattrib. 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. II 37.
Ane pair of bands … to the sang scole dur 1579 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 128.
[To] have … tuenty merkis yeirlie for payment of the sang scole maill