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.
Seg(e, n.1 Also: seig(e; sage. [ME and e.m.E. segge, sæg (both Layamon), sedge (16th c.), seg (1557), OE secg, ON seggr.] A man; a fellow.Chiefly in (alliterative) verse.In the Dunb. quot. in pl. (a) segis is taken as the complement of speikis, this seems marginally preferable to an interpretation of Ch. & M. Prints sege as v.r. of Say v.1, and of Maitl. F. segis as erron., although this is perhaps possible.sing. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 90.
That sege wald sit with none wrang Of berne that wes borne a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 459.
Mony sege our the sey to the cite socht c1475 Wall. viii 843.
Quhat sege that he socht c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 13.
And I flyt, sum sege for schame sould sink c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 469.
Full mony semelyar sege wer service dois mak 1513 Doug. viii Prol. 4.
A selcouth seg I saw to my sycht 1513 Doug. viii Prol. 19.
Thar is na sege for na schame that schrynkis at schort c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS 216b/31.
But thair [sc. ladies'] solace no sege may be sound [ed. found](b) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 266.
‘Hevinly God!’ said the heynd, ‘How happynis this thing? Herd thair euer ony sage sa selcouth ane saw!’pl. c1450-2 Howlat 655 (A).
Thus assemblit thir segis [B. seggis] syris senȝeourable a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 142.
To by vittale at will, Alse deir as segis will sell a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 209.
Thair myght seruice be sene with segis in saill a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 456.
Than thai schupe for to assege segis vnsaught a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 651.
Set segis for thair saullis to syng and to reid c1475 Wall. iii 53.
Vndir thrillage of segis of Ingland c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 196 (M).
But God wait quhat I think quhen he so thra speikis And how it settis him so syd to segis [C. to sege] of sic materis(b) a1500 Henr. Practysis 23.
With the suthfast seggis That glean all egeis With dia and dreggis Of malis to mend ȝow 1513 Doug. viii Prol. 173.
Mony mervellus mater nevir merkit nor ment Will seggis se in thar sleip(c) a1500 Rauf C. 713.
Thair was seruit in that saill seigis semelie
