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.
S(c)horling, S(c)herling, Scorling, n. Also: schoir-, schowr-, s(c)hur-, schere-, sceir-, skor- and -lyng, -lein(g; shortling. [ME and e.m.E. scherling (1378–9), shorlyng (1429) the skin of a recently shorn sheep, also the wool from such a skin, f. shor, schorn p.p. of Scher(e v. and -ling. Cf. later Sc. shurling-skin ‘the skin of a sheep of any age or sex, taken off before the wool has grown again after it has been shorn’ (Jam., s.v. Shurlin-skin n.), and Flem. schoorlinc skin from a sheep killed soon after shearing.] The skin of a recently shorn sheep; also the sheep itself, usu. attrib. with skin.Also applied, elliptically, to the right to collect customs duties on shorlings (see (2) below).(1) 1343 Exch. R. I 540.
Per custumam … pellium lanutarum, cum vno schorlyng, iuxta antiquam custumam 1374 Ib. II 453.
Schorlyngis 14.. Acts I 304/2.
Of a bynde of skynnys of schorlyng [L. pellium de schorlingis] that is to say twenty four a peny 1442 Aberd. B. Rec. I 397.
That na man by woll skynnis derar than x d., schorlinges vi d., scaldynes iii d. [etc.] 1482 Edinb. Chart. 167.
That thai [sc. the burgh of Edinburgh] be fre … of custumys … of schorlingis, skaldingis [etc.] 1517 Exch. R. XIV 263.
De pellibus ovium dictis schorlingis, scaldingis, futefellis, et lentrynwair 1529 Conv. Burghs I 511.
That na skynnaris … by ony manner of skynnis bot schorlingis and scaldingis 1530 Household Bks. Jas. V 226. 1553 Dundee B. Ct. II fol. 246 (28 Aug.). 1575 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 38.
The gyft vnder the greit seill, dischargeing the customes of futfellis and schorlingis 1581 Edinb. Test. IX 331b.
lx schorlingis and fyve scoir gait skynnis all paccit togidder in ane pak 1582–3 Perth B. Ct. 5 Feb.
Schorleingis 1597 Bk. Rates 10b. 1630 Edinb. B. Rec. VII 85.
That na rouche skynnis shorlingis or footfailles salbe skoirit hoillet or blaymit 1686 Mackenzie Observ. (1687) 276.
By shorlings are meant, skins which have the wool pluckt off, and comes from the word shearing(b) 1595 Edinb. Skinners in Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI 74.
Johnne Bannatyne hes ressauit James Symsoun to his prenteis, and allowit him xx s. for the schoirlingis 1451 (1603) Comm. Univ. I (Edinb.) App. 14.
Et pellium vulgariter nuncupat. schoirlingis [Edinb. Chart. 72 schorlingis] [etc.](c) 1562 Aberd. B. Rec. I 353.
Certane skynnis, sic as hog, scherling, futfaill, lamskyne, and wtheris 1570 (16..) Dundee B. Laws 113.
[To take up] in France, for … ilk hunder scherlingis or goate skinnes, ane lyart 1577 (16..) Ib. 120.
Ilk hunder sceirleins [pr. sceirteins] 1593 Edinb. B. Rec. V 95.
The skinner craft … takis upoun thame the dichting of lamb skinnis and scherelings pertening to the furriour craft(d) 1452 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. I 4.
Pellium … volgariter dictarum skorlingis 1529 Exch. R. XV 681.
Thai haue custumat all scorlingis scaldingis [etc.] 1592 Acts III 580/2.
Skynnis … callit … scorlingis scaldingis [etc.](e) 1641 Brechin Test. V 324.
Four hundreth sheipe skines halff shortlingsattrib. 1567 Edinb. Test. I 11b.
Fyftie schorleing skynnis Ib. 66.
Foure scoir ten scheip schorling and wollit skynnis 1584 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 363.
Schoirling skynnis 1591 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 272.
Ane schorling skyne 1593 Acts IV 30/1.
Vnderstanding how … proffitable the schurling skynnis ar for lyning cuschenis making of pokis lyning powchis gluiffis and clething of the puir 1599 Edinb. B. Rec. V 261.
The skynneris sall pay to the vesetouris for veseting thair schoirling skynnis … xij d. for ilk twenty skynnis 1605 Reg. Privy C. VII 117.
[The act discharging all exportation of] schoirling skynis [etc.] 1706 Duns Glovers MS 12b.
Skines either lamb or shurleing(b) 1546–7 Elgin Rec. I 90.
Ferquhar Duncanson is decernit to deliuer to William Aldcorne viii sherling skynnis(2) 1531 Haddington B. Rec. in E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VI 34.
A charter of Kyng James the Secound of the schowrlyngs and schawdyns of the ryng of xv yers
