A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Soutar, -er, n. Also: soutor, sowtar(e, -er, soutter, sowttar, -er, sutar(e, -er, -or(e, swter, -ur, suttar, -er, swtter. [ME and e.m.E. sutare (Ancr. R.), sutter (1379), souter (Trevisa), sowter (1386), suter (1478), OE sútere, L. sūtor shoemaker. Cf. ON sútari.] A shoemaker or cobbler. Also proverb.In use as a surname from the early 13th c. See Black Surnames, s.v. Souter.(a) c1420 Wynt. viii 6162.
In Ingland than … wes left na man For … all war in Frawns Bot sowteris, skynneris or marchawns 14.. Acts I 39/2.
It is to wyt that na soutar … aw to by ony hydis of mare prise to bark bot tha that has the eyris and the hornis of a lenth 1491 Treas. Acc. I 182.
Til a sowtar that sewyt halk hwdis to the King 1494 Loutfut MS 129a.
Barbouris sowtaris writtaris & talȝeouris … ar na worth for battell 1496 Treas. Acc. I 288.
To the sowtare, for binding of the pailȝounis c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 155.
In till ane glen thow hes … With thé ane sowtaris wyfe c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxviii 13.
Sowtaris, with schone weill maid and meit Ȝe mend the faltis of illmaid feit c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 154/124 (M).
Syn till ane turnament fast thai hyit … Betuix ane tailȝour and ane sowter c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxi 57.
Latt nevir the soutteris have my skin, With uglie gumes to be gnawin c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxxiv 31.
Sowttar 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1310. 15.. Christis Kirk 171 (M).
The toun soutar in breif was boudin c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 149.
[Sum ar] smythes, and sum ar wod sowteris 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. II 41.
Ane syre in the Cowgait aboun the soutaris choppis 1558-66 Knox I 431.
Baillies of hir appoyntment … sum of thame sua meitt for thair office … as ane sowtar is to saill ane schip in ane stormy day 1571 Sat. P. xxix 13.
The soutar is the grett prechour: the gray freir moks the shone a1585 Polwart Flyt. 747 (H).
Creishie soutter, shoo clooter, minche moutter 1604-31 Craig ii 10.
Some sawsie souter shall censure aboue the shoo 1616 Crim. Trials III 389.
Geordie Scott the soutor 1649 Fair Warning to Take Heed of the Scottish Discipline 17.
It became a jest in the city, that the souters could obtain more at the ministers hand, than the king 1699 Foulis Acc. Bk. 266.
Soutter(b) 1457–8 Misc. New Spald. C. I 16.
Johnson, Patrick (sutor) 1473 Treas. Acc. I 30.
Gevin to Hude sutore at the Queynis command 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 220.
The French sutare c1575 Balfour Pract. 74.
It is not lesum to ane sutar to be ane tanner or barker 1610 Calderwood VII 89.
The sutor may meddle with the tailyeour's doublet, the tailyeour with the shaiping of his shoe 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 64.
To a suter for threid and sowing thame [sc. the smiths' bellows] 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 52.
Each calling [sc. in Poitiers] hes its … festivall day: as the taylors theirs, the sutors theirs [etc.] 1671 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. II 520.
He offered him to prove that he used him no otherways than the other sutors in the neighbourhood use their prentices(c) 1540 Linlithgow B. Ct. 10 Nov.
The quhilk day Johne Anderson sutter maid burges 1542 Coll. Rebus Alban. 29.
After that we haue slayne redd deir, we flaye of the skyne … and settinge of our bair foote on the insyde thereof, for neide of cunnyge shoemakers … we play the swtters, compasinge and mesuringe so moche … as shall retche vp to our ancklers [etc.]proverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 790.
The sowters wife is worst shod a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 299.
Burgess bedtyme is sutoris suppertyme a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 437.
D[evill] made sutars schipmen could neither steir nor row
b. attrib., possess. and comb.Also as a place-name element.attrib. c1530-40 Stewart in Bann. MS 139b/12.
Ane pynt … off fowll sowttar blek 1695 Edinb. Test. LXXX 138.
vj soutter knyves worth x s.possess. 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 32.
Bothwell was … waschit with sowteris bleking and sa mair cumly prepairit to ga a wowing to wed the quenecomb. (1) 1503 Treas. Acc. II 411.
To the sowtar lutar, be the Kingis command 1505 Treas. Acc. III 132.
Giffin to thir menstrales undirwritin … Robert Rudman, Graysteilj callit sowtar lutar [etc.] 1692 Conv. Burghs IV 663.
In that towne … wherein there is … but few inhabitants, such as suttarmen, husbandmen and wyvers(2) a1325 Liber Calchou 362.
Ad murum qui dicitur swtercrophtdyk 1337 Rot. Sc. 491/2.
De quodam tenemento in Sutergate [in Berwick] 13… Reg. Dunferm. 259.
Iacens in vico qui dicitur Soutergate 1510 Rentale Dunkeld. (SHS) 268. 1563 Dumfries B. Ct. fol. 189.
For annuell rent of ane ȝard & peithows vmquhill Thom Brovnis in Sowttergait 1681 Dumfries Doc. (Petitions No. 47).
The Soutergait port 1696 Perth Shoemakers 19.
Six riggs of Soutarland
