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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
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Staf(f, n. Also: staffe, stafe, staif(f)(e, stalf(f, stalfe, stauf(f, staulff, stauft. Pl. also stavis, stawis, stalvis, etc. stowis, staffis, -eis, -as, staeffis, etc. [ME and e.m.E. staff (Orm), staf (Layamon), staue (c1250), staffe (1530); pl. stafess (Orm), staues (c1290), staeffs (1598), OE stæf, ON stafr. Also in the later dial.]

1. A stick or pole carried as an aid to walking, means of support, etc. Also fig.See also Bressale n. for further examples.sing. a1400 Leg. S. xix 273.
His staf as a palme tre Fluryst a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 840.
[He] … Tuk his staf & mad na bad 1460 Hay Alex. 961.
Thair com ane fair ȝoung man rycht fast gangand … ane schort staf in his hand 1533 Boece 364.
Euery man … bure ane staff of ane consumyt muskane tre quhilk in the nycht castis ane suddane licht 1549 Compl. 94/15.
Quhar that he gat ony chasbollis that greu hie, he straik the heidis fra them vitht his staf 1567 G. Ball. 195.
Preistis, tak ȝour staffe, And preiche the Euangell on ȝour feit a1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlvii 55.
Than cumis conscience with crukit staf in hand, Greitand for byganis 1587 Carmichael Etym. 46.
Bacillum, a little staffe 1592 Edinb. Test. XXIV 214.
My staf with mortheid 1602 Paterson Ayr & Wigton II 426.
Quhairupon thai cutit his ganging staf 1643 Justiciary Cases III 580.
Robert Logie … liftit his ganging staff to Howiesone 1696 Household Bk. Gr. Baillie 191.
For a blew cock to a hat, for a ruban to a staf(b) a1400 Leg. S. xl 439.
With the stafe, in hand … A circle a-bout thaim he mad a1500 Henr. III 131/39.
Beggar with skrip and staif a1578 Pitsc. I 112/27.
Leving [I. leaneing] wpoun ane brukill stafe(c) 1460 Hay Alex. 4085.
Sum, levand hors and armour, tuke ane stauff, In buskis and brais sum hid thame quhare thai micht(d) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1824 (Bann.).
I tuik my stalf … And walkit hame 1590 Dalyell Darker Superst. 242.
[He] rasit vp … ane vther candill vpoun the stalff quhilk the man had in his hand 1623 Edinb. Test. LII 21.
Ane siluer hude of ane stalffpl. 1558 Mill Mediæv. Plays 186.
Item, gevin to the wrychts for v dosoun viij staffs to convey the playaris, iij li. viij s.fig. a1400 Leg. S. xxiv 425.
Stafe of myne elde thu suld haf ben, My ledare & my licht of ene 1611-57 Mure Sonn. xi 9.
A parlage cur, a brokin staffe for stay … Quho, for his faults, sall render count one day

b. A crutch; also, pl. crutches. c1650 Spalding I 297.
Scho becam crippil on ane of hir feit, and walkit vpone staves 1702 Boharm Kirk S. 31 May.
Counterfeiting herself a criple by going on a staff

c. A shepherd's crook; also, transf. a plant, see Schepehird n. 3.

2. a. A stick or pole used as a weapon. b. A heavy or stout stick or pole; a club or cudgel; an armed weapon, lance or the like. Also attrib.See also Rung n. for further examples.sing. 14.. Acts I 376/1.
A strak with a staf [L. baculo] viij penijs a1500 Henr. Fab. 1878 (Bann.).
Sum with ane staffe he straik to erd in s[w]oun a1500 Henr. Fab. 2101, 2103.
I … had nocht in my hand sa mekill gude As staff or sting ȝone truker for to stryke … With that … he lap out ouer ane dyke And snakkit … doun ane staff … That heuie wes and off the holyne grene 1488 Acta Conc. I 98/2.
A longe staff a spere [etc.] c1500 Makc. MS xiii 57.
Hic fustis, a staf 1533 Boece 177.
That … nane … with staff schot of arrow or vthir instrument vnwerly sla hir [sc. a hare] a1540 Freiris Berw. 478 (B).
Ȝe mone be … Neirhand besyd with staff in to ȝour hand 1600-1610 Melvill 34.
They saw the men of wear all sett in ordour; the captan, with a lytle cut of a staff in his hand, takin doun ower the wall 1679 Ellon Par. 138.
[The servant] … drew his staf to him 1682 Melrose Reg. Rec. III 3.
The said persewar conforme to his dewtie and office commandit the defenders in the kings name to keep off and baite them from the said door with his staffe(b) 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 2.
The said David … bled hir upoun the eie with ane staiff 1670 Kingarth Par. Rec. 63.
Gilnow M'Caw … Confesses that Patrick M'Kaw did take his stafe violently from him … Compeirt James M'Kaw as witnes that Patrick MacKaw took the rode from Gilnow [etc.] 1672 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 136 (11 June).
That … Johne … came out with ane staiff and said … the sheepe sould goe over his bellie befoir they were taken and that Johne his sone came out with ane peit spaid(c) 1572 Peebles B. Rec. I 339, 340.
James Cokkare, 1 lance, stauf … William Kelle, 1 speir, stauf, bonet, swerd 1572 Peebles B. Rec. I 340.
Stauft a1568 Scott ii 73.
‘Quhair is my speir?’ Sayis Sym the knycht … ‘He sall rew my stalf has stowin’(d) 1602 Dundonald Par. Rec. 20.
He kepit the straik of the stalfe be casting wp the gairdis of the sourd, and … thairvpoun the staif brak 1619 Crim. Trials III 469.
The pannell … haifing ane littill stalff in his hand, strak the defunct thairwithpl. a1400 Leg. S. ix 289.
[He] gerte the apostil … With gret stawis be dongyng sare 1538 Treas. Acc. VII 88.
For v hors vagis in carying of the halbertis and stavis to the said hunting 1580 Exch. R. XXI 4.
Staves or masis 1634 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. V 376.
Stalvis 1637 Baillie I 21.
Inraged women … are about him, with neaves, and staves and peats(b) c1420 Bute MS 161.
[They] sal gang dure be dure wyth pluykis stafys speris wyth brogys and armys a1500 Bernardus 160.
Staffeis [L. baculo] 1557 Digest Justiciary Proc. B 140.
George Home … for coming … with nettis and staiffis for slauchter of cwningis 1563 Crim. Trials I i 431.
Our souerane ladeis liegis … bodin in feir of weir … crewelly strak and dang thame with rungis and stalffis, mony … bloody strekis 1569 Crim. Trials I ii 11.
Stalffs 1585 Treas. Acc. MS 75.
For sex quair of paper to put vpoun the stalffis for the hunting of redeir 1585 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 298.
For carying of speiris and stalffis to fairis 1591 Edinb. Test. XXIII 202b.
xl speiris & stalffis price of the hundreth xij li. 1609 Douglas of Morton 110.
With swordis, lang staulffis etc. [attacked Corheids tenants] 1631 Justiciary Cases I 153.
Geving to hir of dyuers straikis with kentis, battones, forkis, rungis, staeffis and uther wapponis 1664 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 112.
Two of his men servands … boddine with staffes and uther invasive weaponesattrib. 1564 Perth B. Ct. 26 Sept.
The making of thre scoir of spenis [? erron. for speris] and staf shaffis 1578 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 298.
100 stalf schaftesfig. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 384.
Thus enforsit he his fa and fortifyit in strenth And maid a stalwart staff to strik him selfe doune

c. As in b above, with defining words or phrases indicating type, purpose, etc. of the weapon.See: Bandit ppl. adj., Brogit adj., Brog-staff n., Buge n.², Burdoun n. 2, Gedward staf n., Gissarne n., Hunting vbl. n., Jedburgh(t)-staf(f n., Jedstaf(f n., Jedwart-staf(f n., Lance-staf(f n., Partisan n. 2, Pikstaff n., Slot(t n.¹ 3.Also fowler's staff, sport staf(e, suord staff.(1) ?1438 Alex. i 1671.
Dartis and staffis heidit with steill Thay bair c1475 Wall. iv 245.
The wachman had a felloune staff of steill At Wallace strake c1475 Wall. iv 251.
That staff … forgyt new 1611 Reg. Privy C. IX 241.
[He] with ane grite plot staulff or padill in his hand, haveing a shairp broad irne on the end thairof [gave each of them a deadly wound](2) 1627 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II 163.
[Armed with] swords, bandit stalffes forkes, great kents and rungs — 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Ames, a fowlers staffe — 1514 Wigtown B. Ct. 23a.
Morris Gibsone, a gedward staf … Thome M^cCovlacht, astaforb[blank] [? a staf or b—] — 1533–4 Treas. Acc. VI 188.
For v dosane shaftis to Jedburcht stavis 1625 Linlithgow B. Rec. 25 Feb.
To pay for trubling the peace … cumeing out with ane Gedburs staff … xxvi s. viii d. — 1531 Bell. Boece I 205.
Ane of thaim … drave him throw the body with ane hounting staffe [M. iedward staff] 1587 Carmichael Etym. 6.
Venabulum, a hunting staffe a1649 Drummond Wks. (1711) 42.
Sir Alexander Boyd … struck the reverend governour with a hunting-staff upon the head — 1533 Bell. Livy I 90/24.
Hirdis … vsit to fecht mare with landwert staffis and axis than ony marciall wappynnys of armour — 1634 Stirling B. Rec. I 172.
To Johnne Robesoun … in hambringing … the sport stafes and gownes — 1645 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 43.
A pick or spear [£3], a suord staff [£10] 1699 Misc. 3 Spald. C. II 101.
Ane sword staff with silver rivalls worth tuelve punds

3. A small or thin rod of wood, a wand; also, specif. translating L. virga in Psalm xxiii. a1538 Abell 37a.
Thaire fadir tuik 3 staf and … gaif thame to brek 1567 G. Ball. 92.
Thy staffe, quhair of I stand greit awe, And thy scheip huke [Vulg. virga tua et baculus tuus] me for to fang

4. a. A pole, rod or wand in ceremonial or symbolic use. b. specif. The insignia of office of a bishop; also, of officers of various sorts, esp. the town or church officer concerned with the maintenance of order. Cf. Staf(f)man n.a. 1565 Instit. Ct. Sess. in Edinb. Univ. MS La.iii.388a, 4a.
The remanent of the maseris to stand owtwith the dure and the dure to be patent and ane staff to be put in the samyn 1637 Bk. Carlaverock II 500.
Tuentie-fyve poore in gounis and hoodes, with staues, quheron were lozinges of the defunct's armes and ciphersb. (1) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 689.
Byschape staf gef hyme 1488 Treas. Acc. I 101.
Til a man that past to Dunfermeling for a mytir and a stafe c1515 Asl. MS I 220/23.
Bischope James Kennedy cursit solempnitlie with myter & staf, buke & candill 1535 Stewart 32993 heading.
How the bischopis stalf tuke neidfyre 1559 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I lxxxix.
2 staffs of silver pertaining to the bishop's pontificall(2) 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. in Cath. Tr. (STS) 90/19.
Constitute vith thair quhyt staffas as sergeantis c1605 Pitsc. Add. (1728) 227.
[The] sheriffs of the city [sc. York] … presented him [sc. James VI and I] with their white staves 1616 Stirling B. Rec. I 143.
Na deacone nor uther craftisman sall … carie in thair handis as commanderis or ledaris ony quhytt stalfes 1639 Lorimer St. Cuthbert's 12.
The elderis and deacones … desired him [sc. the beadle] … that he carie ane staff and awok thes quho sleep in church 1646 S. Leith Rec. 74.
Jhone Borthwick was this day receavit staffman and under bedill viz. … to keep a great staffe in his hand and … cleange the towne of sturdie … beggers 1652 Stirling B. Rec. II 315.
Payit for staves to the officaris, £1 7 s. 0 d. … Item to William Lapsley, quho undertook to be hangman for ane staff and in arrallis, 8 s. 1660 Edinb. B. Rec. IX 189.
The counsell … appoynts the said Thomas Herroun and Richard Johnstoun to weir for the touns livery ane syde grey coatt [etc.] … and to weir a culloured staffe in their hand markit with the castle marke as the touns armes and appoynts the thesaurer of the kirk sessiouns to furnish them coatts and staffs 1663 Glasgow B. Rec. III 23.
The kirk beddelles being conveined … ordaines ilk ane of them to carie … ane whyt staff … for wakining thois that sleips in the kirk … for removing of bairnes [etc.]

c. Be (with) staff and bastoun (stick, burdoun) rendering L. per fustem et boculum, denoting the symbols by which the possession of land, etc. was resigned.See also Baston n. b, Burdoun n. 1 b for many further examples. 1384 Misc. Hist. Soc. V 33.
Richart Jonsoun whilum lard of a quarter of Colstoun … resignit and vp gaf … be staf and bastoun al the rycht that he had or mycht haf of the forsayd quarter of Colstoun 1385 Red Bk. Grandtully I 139.
Syr Robart … throw vertu of the forsayde obligacyoun … vpgefe, wyth staf and styk, to the forsayde John the landys before nemnyt 1398 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 37.
Gilbert giffis vp that ilke land … with staff and stik in til the handis of that ilke Thomas 1453 Douglas Bequest 10 June.
Efter the ressavyng of the said soum of mone I … sal vpgyf … with staf & baston the said land 1464 Aberd. B. Rec. MS V i p. 501 (29 March).
Staffe 1494 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 50.
Jonet Cuthbert … gaf our hir franktenement wytht staf and bastone in the said balyeis hand 1497 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 611.
In defalt of the termly payment … I … sal resigne and vpgeve be staf and baston charter and sesing the land 1531 Reg. Privy S. II 115/2.
Quhilk office … wes … resignit be him purelie and semplie be staff and bastoun personaly in our soverane lordis handis 1541–2 Reg. Privy S. II 668/2.
Quhilkis eschaete gudis [sc. movable and unmovable, dettis, takkis, obligationis, soumes of money and uthiris gudis quhatsumevir] … is resignit be thame purelie and simpillie, be staff and bastoun, in oure soverane lordis handis 1576 Prot. Bk. J. Mason MS 5.
The quhilk day Andro Fergushill … resignit & ourgaif … be staf & bastoun & ane penny as vse is all and haill ane annuelrent of xxij merkis money 1580 Orkney & Shetl. Rec. I 197.
And maid resignatioun purele and simple to the said nobill Lord, as superior off all and haill his heretabill landis … be staff and bastoun conforme to the ordour of resignatioun 1599 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 19 June.
James Moresone … grantit hym self lauchfully ramovit fra the said tak & rowme … & deluerit reall actuall & corporall possessione thairof to … Gilbert Barclay … be staiffe & burgone 1628 Linlithgow B. Rec. 22 Feb.
Johne … maid resignatioune of the landis of maissonnparkis, … by delyuerance of stalff and bastoun

d. ? Reduced form of sense 4 c above. 14.. Burgh Laws c. 14 (A).
It is to wyt that bludewyt stafis dynt merchet herȝelde na sic thingis acht nocht to be herd in burgh

e. Be staff na ryng, see Ring n.¹ 1 b.

f. Perhaps of some special significance in sorcery, or, a further example of 1 or 2 above. 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 237.
Eftir quhilk, be thair insorcerie and inchantment, the boit perischit … quhilk thing the Dewill did, and went before, with ane stalf in his hand 1685 Sinclair Satan's Inv. World 230.
Whatever incantation was in his staff, is not for me to discuss. He could not officiat in any holy duty without this rod in his hand

5. A pole, etc. used as a support in various contexts; also, (borne, carried upon staves) used of a corpse being transported to burial.(1) 1541 Treas. Acc. VIII 41.
To the tapescher to cover the stavis of ane bed 1654 Lamont Diary 79.
A blacke veluet pale was caried ouer hir corps … vpon sex staues 1666 Edinb. Test. LXXII 194.
Ten long staffes for hinging of cloathes 1683 Inv. in Donibristle Mun. (Earl of Moray's MSS) 2 (9-10 May).
Four globb lantrons upon stafes 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 357.
A tent with staves & pins belonging therto(2) 1653 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 135.
Ane child not borne vpoun staves, sex punds; ane child borne wpoun staves … ten punds 1655 Lorimer St. Cuthbert's 17.
For ilk borne on staves quhen the bell rings not, 13 s. 4 d. 1676 Edinb. B. Rec. X 264.
These persones that hes there childring caried [to burial] upon staves

b. A rest for a musket or other similar type of gun. See also Hagbute n. b. 1627 Kellie Pallas Armata 25.
The posturs of the musquetier are those following, our Scots in the right hand columme the English in the left: 1. Take vp your musquet and your rest. 1. Take vp your musqut, and your staffe. 2. … joyne your rest to your musq. 2. … joyne your staffe to your mus. 1629 Linlithgow B. Rec. 20 March.
Muskatter wit[h] staff bandeleris and suord 1638 Stirling B. Rec. II 389.
Ane sufficient muskat, furnissit with bandolars, stalfe, poulder, [etc.] 1639 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 237.
For dressing the muskatis, mending sum of the staffs [etc.] 1646 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 296.
Ane indenit musket … with the stalf and bandeleirs conform thereto, £12 c1650 Spalding I 144 (see Muscat n. c).

c. Luntstaff, see Lunt n. c, a linstock.

6. a. A post planted in the ground, esp. to support a net. Cf. sense 5 above. Cf. also later Sc. staff-net (1795). 1467 Reg. Dunferm. 359.
The nettis of the calate sall set thare stavis and lend abowne the thre stanis 1590 Crim. Trials I ii 203.
And the grene eird, quhilk wes cuttit wes laid abone, and haldin doune with stalfis

b. A pole attached to the top of a building for use in displaying an emblem. 1628–9 Misc. Spald. C. V 146.
For makeing the tounes armes in brass to put on the staff of the tolbuith steipill

7. Kirne staff, a rod for agitating milk to make butter. 1636 Edinb. Test. LVII 259b.
Ane kirne staff with ane marking stik 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 362.
In the milkhouse … 2 kirne staffs

8. Golf staff = Golf-club n.The sense of the second quot. is not certain. 1460 Hay Alex. 4327.
Ane golf-staff to driff the ball withall 1600 Treas. Acc. MS 50.
Twa golf clubbis twa stalffis and four rakkettis

9. An implement of some sort or an example of sense 10 below. 1585 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 432.
That the fowle clengers in the mwre haif ilk ane ane stafe with a wikker at the heid, and the stafe to be ane elne abone thair heid

10. The shaft of an implement, weapon, etc. 1343 Exch. R. I 528.
Pro stoffa vnius haste pro hastiludiis c1420 Wynt. viii 6753.
Ane Inglis man had apon a staff Ane hammyre heid 1501 Treas. Acc. II 22.
For tua staffes to the Kingis batale axes of tre ij s. viij d. 1512–13 Treas. Acc. IV 471 (see Moppat n. (1) (b)). 1517 Edinb. Hammermen (ed.) 64.
Item for the making of ane pair of torchis the walx being our ain for the stallis [MS stawis] & werkmaneschip ij s. 1558-66 Knox I 146.
Assayis quhilk of the croces war fynast mettall, which staf was strongast [etc.] 1587 Carmichael Etym. 23.
Hastile, a stafe 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 29 Oct.
For a roche heid and a staf to put it on for sweiping of the windows and jeastis

11. Bow staff, see Bow staff n.

12. A stave of a barrel, etc. See, also, Pipe n.² b. 1556 Dundee B. Ct. III 89b (16 Dec.).
Sevine stawis & ane yrne gyrth of the said fat 1566–7 Inverness Rec. I 146 (see Girthsting n. (b)). 1598 Mill Mediæv. Plays 205.
Four punschonis … tint … be resoun thai brak thame all in stalfis 1609 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I 114b.
Thrie boddomes to buckattis with new stalfis 1617 Conv. Burghs III 47.
Of ilk thousand barrell staves, tua s. 1641 Acts V (1817) 506/1.
[Salmon barrels] that they keipe the rycht jedge both in the leanth of the staves [etc.] 1663 Edinb. Test. LXX 102b.
Old broken fatt staffs

13. a. ? A writing implement. ? A ruler. b. ? A needle or spindle.a. 1672 Aberd. Trades 301.
Box, writs, bonds, pencills and staves with all other kynd of necessariesb. 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 114.
To aucht wemen … to mend ther poikis … Item to buy them staifes and threid

14. A bar or rod of wood a. Whose purpose is not specified; a commodity. b. Having some function in a weigh-house, perhaps ? as a counter-weight. c. Used in measurement; a rod.a. 1552–3 Old Dundee II 312.
Andro Kemp hes enterit his ship with this timmer following … Twa thousand stowis. Four dusson of Swethine buirds 1594 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 3b.
For leder to ane of the staues v Ss.b. 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 46.
Conform to the inventar [of the weighhouse and packhouse] … In the first four great staffs within the great barrowes, with four nets [etc.] 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 47.
A pair of litle barrowes with sex staffis and aucht netsc. 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Particata.
Ane rod is ane staffe, or gade of tymmer quhairwith land is measured, in Latin pertica

15. In proverbial or allusive use, chiefly in senses 1 and 2.To stand at the stave's end against (something), to stand as far away as possible, to disassociate oneself from (it). [Cf. ME (Chaucer).] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4050.
Sum bringis ane staffe for to brek his awin heid a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1175. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 216.
All things hes ane end and a staff hes twa a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 637.
Hap weill vaig weill as the blind man cuist his staf 1638 Henderson Serm. 23.
Is there any of you but ye are obleist to be holy … Ye must stand at the stave's end against the corruptions of the time

16. A stick (of pigment or wax). 1548 Aberd. B. Rec. I 259.
Complanis John Cristesoun litster … that … the said Andro hes intrometit with … item, colour staffis and luyttis, price viij s. with certane wther varklummes [etc.] 1643 Edinb. Test. LX 239b.
Fyve wax stalfes estimat all to thrie pund

17. Appar., a platform upon which a siege tower is constructed; the entire construction including the siege-tower.Only in Hay Alex. 1460 Hay Alex. 4186.
Ordanid thar ane staff of grete larges Off wele ane hundreth faddum and na les And maid on it ane somer castell stout Quhare wele ane thousand men micht fecht 1460 Hay Alex. 4191, 4192, 4199.
Thay brocht the staff, wele garnist, to the wall, And sett the staff quhare that the benfrey was Quhilk was the gretest [tour] of all the place And ankerit it with irin chenȝeis … And quhan the sey rais and the tyde and houre The staff was hyare na the hiest toure

18. Appar. the name given to a stretch of road. 1632 Lanark B. Rec. 324.
Passand … to the Kingis uther streit that pasis fra Lanerk to Carmichaell at that pairt therof callit the turning of the staff

19. a. attrib. With end. a1400 Leg. S. ii 352.
Paulis hed … a hyrd has tane One his staf end 1600-1610 Melvill 82.
The Erle of Morton was standing gnapping on his staff-end

b. In various combs.: Staff hede, a metal tip for attaching to the end of a staff. Staff schaft (cf. 10 above). Staff herd (hird), a herdsman in charge of animals grazing on common land. Staff money, ? expenses paid on the basis of the number of soldiers armed with a staff. Staff suerd, wepoun, a staff with a short sharp iron point, a pike.(1) 1506 Treas. Acc. III 355.
To Robert Selkyrk, cultellar, for xij staf hedis 1507 Treas. Acc. III 383.
To the smyth of Cambuskinneth for … spere hedis and ane staf hede — 1506 Treas. Acc. III 358.
Staf schaftis(2) 1510 Prestwick B. Rec. 42.
Allane Leppar accusyt the sex tennandis … that thai wrangwysly … et his gers … & thai denyit & alegyt thai haid j staf hyrd to keip thair guiddis, & the staf hird suld haif keipit & nocht thai 1655 Rothesay B. Rec. 257.
It is statute and ordaynit that nane keip staif hirds on the commoune of the towne(3) 1645–6 Glasgow B. Rec. II 511.
Debursit to the Earle of Lanerikis regiment of stalf money … lv li. xvij s. 1657 Balfour Ann. IV 268.
Acte discharging all officers from lifting of moneyes for quarters … nor that they lift no dray quarters nor staffe money(4) c1475 Wall. iii 178.
Fra the coursour he fell on the fer syd With a staff suerd Boyd stekit him that tyde c1475 Wall. vi 737.
Schir Jhone the Grayme, with a staff suerd off steill … stekit him — 1605 R. Brown Paisley I 204.
Confessit the striking of the said George Ramsay with ane stalf wepoun