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.
Stamp(e, Stampt, n. [Late north. ME and e.m.E. stampe (1465), stamp (1626), OF estampe (14th c. in Larousse); Stamp(e v.]
1. A die, a tool used to make a (chiefly or always) impressed mark or seal for the purpose of authenticating or guaranteeing a. Documents, letters, etc. b. Standard measures. c. Manufactured goods. d. Similarly, ? for identifying or cataloguing books.There may be some ambiguity between senses 1 and 2.a. 1548–9 Treas. Acc. IX 281.
For ane stampe maid to my lorde governour, his grace being in Jedburgh 1550 Acts & Decr. IV 100.
His writingis subscrivit with his hand and stampit with his aune stamp 1550 Treas. Acc. IX 414.
For making of ane stampe to my lorde governour in absens of Schir Neill to signet the commissioun send to the King of France 1559 Corr. M. Lorraine 426.
My stamp is absent and thairfor nocht sygnetit 1565 Treas. Acc. XI 392.
To James Gray goldsmytht sinker of oure soveranis irnis and seillis … for making of twa silver stampis, furnesing … twa bane heftis 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 547 (see Sele n.2 11).
The custum and cokquet stampis and seillis 1568 Hist. Fam. Kennedy App. 13.
I pray you my Lord excus this stamp becaus the quene hes na vthir at this tyme 1584 Conv. Burghs I 191.
The … present customer … to compeir … to mak his compte … and that at the said day of his comptis he delyuer to the additouris … the half seill or stamp being in his possession 1628 Soc. Ant. XXII 267.
Ane silver key with ane silver stampt 1633 Stirling B. Rec. I 171.
The … counsall … reposessit … John Williamsone to the office of clerkshipe … be delyvering to him of ane of the buikis of caussis, and commoune stampt or caschett of the said burgh 1633 Maxwell Mem. II 249.
Pervse my letter, and thereftir cloise itt with some stampt that wantis name and armes 1643 Edinb. Test. LX 234.
Threttie ane cristell and lammer stampes estimat all to ix lib. vj s. 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 155.
For a stamp, a comb, [etc.]b. 1554–5 Ayr B. Acc. 122.
[For making] ane irne stamp to seale the stopis 1570 (16 … ) Dundee B. Laws 111.
Ane iron stamp to mark the treene stouppis 1632 Aberd. B. Rec. III 48.
That na elne nor weycht, unstampit with the tounes stampt be vsit 1653 Peebles B. Rec. II 13.
The deane of gild to make ane stampt for merking each merchants elwandc. 1549–50 Stirling B. Rec. I 58.
Thir warklumes undirwritten … hand halmeris and small hammeris, filis … fat stampis [etc.] 1564 Edinb. B. Rec. III 187.
That thair be maid ane stamp and the tounis armis thairapoun, quhilk salbe gevin in keiping to ane honest … nichtboure of experience in making and colouring of claith, quha salbe oursear of all claith littit and maid within this burgh, and sall stamp samekill as beis sufficient thairof with the said stamp in leid 1564–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I 481.
Payit to James Cok … for making of the littistaris stamp xl s. 1596 Edinb. Hammermen I 13.
Anent pewderaris. Nocht to haif ony ma stampis at a tyme bot tua allanerlie Ane stamp thairof for stolp tyn and ane vther for fyne tyn 1598 Acts IV 185/1.
To caus mak and prent ane seill and stamp of seill … for euerie burcht and sey port … quhilk seill and stamp salbe applyit to leid being sua strukin and prentit with the said stamp salbe hungin to euerie wobe peice and steik of claith … that heirefter salbe brocht within this realme 1598 Black Bk. Taymouth 331.
[In the kitchen] … speittis … stampis for veschell 1608 Crawford Mun. Invent. II 230.
As to the grit stamp the stuill makeris sayis it is far our mekle and nocht fitlie be sat vpon onie stuill because of the gritnes. As alsua it is not wall coverid round about the armis with the leaves, quhilk wald mak monie voydis in the gold 1727 Conv. Burghs V 440 (see Stamp(ev. 2 f).d. 1632 Edinb. Test. LV 207b.
Ane littill stamp … for stamping of buikis
e. A die used in stamping a design on coins.1625 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 8.
For the coyneing of his maiesties coyne … with his maisties owne prent and stamp 1661 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 143.
[The master of the mint] waites for the stamps bearing his majesties image, without which no money can be coinyed 1690 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 219.
The pixes and stamps to be brought in to the Councill board to be broiken in presence of the Councill
f. Of unidentified use.1696 Foulis Acc. Bk. 197.
To William Bishop, smith at Coltbridge, for helping the stamp and 4 cleiks to the window curtains
g. fig.c1590 J. Stewart 24/337.
My stamp sall first vpon the seale imprent
2. The (impressed) mark authenticating, etc. a document, measure, etc. Also fig.1578 Conv. Burghs I 76.
Thair wechtis … to be maid of bras and markit with the tovnis stamp 1595–6 Edinb. B. Rec. V 151.
Mr. David Fowles … declayret that … the seilles of this burgh wes thair [sc. in England] counterfute and abuset and produceit ane stamp of the counterfute of the seill of this burgh quhilk he had tryet and gottin thair … ordanet the deyne of gild to resave the said stamp and putt it in the charter hous a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 259.
A packald of stampis signatit, of Arrols armes 3 [etc.] 1617 Acts IV 547/1.
Onlie a tikkett vnder the messingeris stampe and subscriptioun 1620 Perth Kirk S. MS 27 Nov.
For iii dussoun of the townis stampis prynntit in leid 1631 Justiciary Cases I 153.
And for the mair witnessing heirto writtin and subscryuit uith my hand my stampt is affixt 1662 Peebles B. Rec. II 52.
John Murray, wright, to make weying stone weychtes, … stampted with the tounes stampt of thrie fishe 1681 Fountainhall Decis. I 129. 1681 Stair Inst. iii iii § 10.
The execution must bear that the messenger for more verification hath affixed his signet or stamp, and the stamp must appear, if the executions be recent, else it will be null 1681 Stair Inst. iv xxxviii § 12.
Any vestige of a stamp in old executions was sufficientfig. a1599 Rollock Wks. I 401.
He wil put ane stamp on thee, and thrist it on thy awin hart and conscience, testifeing … that thou was nocht faithfull 1600-1610 Melvill 419.
And intreated that they sould be enterit againe everie an in thair awin roumes … with a new stampe of impositioun of hands
b. The design stamped on a coin.1663 Lamont Diary 165.
The connying of turners of that same stampe and qwantitie they were before
c. transf. or fig. Value, authority.1632 Lithgow Trav. Ded.
Your auspicious fauour shall leave a greater stampe to the worke
3. A mark on paper.? A watermark or ? the lines, etc. made by a particular manufacturing process, allowing the paper to be identified and dated.1681 Stair Inst. iv xlii § 19.
Writs may be improbative by inspection of the stamp or seal of the paper whereupon the same is written: as, if paper with such a stamp or seal was known not to be found at the time of the date the writ bears, the writ thereby is … improven
4. attrib. With cloth prob. cloth decorated with an impressed design, master (see Stamp(e v. 2 f); mylne = stamping mill (Stamping vbl. n. b); ring a signet ring.1694 Red Bk. Menteith I 500.
[In my lord's chamber there was a standing bed, with hangings of stamp cloth … The whole room was hung with the like stamp cloth] —1609 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I 190b.
To the potemaker for clipping of the irne plate that standis befoir the stamparis in the stampmylne 1609 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I 185b.
The stampmylne is buildit hard be the said lochmylne —1613 Edinb. Test. XLVII 308b.
Ane stamp ring of gould of thrie woupes price iiij li.
