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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Cape, Caip, n. Also: cap. [Northern (and early) ME. cape (midl. and southern cope), OE. cápe (?), ON. kápa, med. L. cāpa. See also Kaip.]

1. An ecclesiastical cope.(a) c1420 Wynt. i. 1062.
Before Sylvestre, the haly Pape, Revestyde weylle in albe and cape c1450-2 Howlat 82.
The plesant pacok … Constant and kirklyk vnder his cler cape Ib. 202.
The cok in his cleir cape … Was chosyn chauntour 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 64.
For making tua capes of clath of gold 1554 Acts & Decr. X. 280.
Twa capis of blak velvot 1596 Dalr. II. 93/18, 172/30.(b) 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 64.
For the mending of a caip 1501 Ib. II. 64.
For making ane caip of blak damas 15.. Reg. Eccl. S. Trin. 214.
All … albis, caippis, cheissepbillis, stolis [etc.] 1542 Acts & Decr. MS. I. 141.
Ane almos wourth xl li., ane caip 1549 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II. 197.
[The retention of] all the scheittis of the caippis, by all the destructioun of the said caippis 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 359.
For mending of the kirk geir ane yeir, that is to say, frontellis, tynnakellis, caippis, westments 1562 Inv. Q. Mary 53.
Ten pece of caippis, chasubles, and tvnicles, all of claith of gold 1567 G. Ball. 201.
Gif ȝe will geue thaim caip or bell, The clink thairof thay will ȝow sell 1563-72 Ferg. Tracts 27.
The vnpreaching prelat … decked like a player in … caip and coule 1569 Inv. Q. Mary 184.
Ane caipe, ane chesible, and tua twnykis

b. In transferred use. c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 7.
Or Phebus was in purpur cape revest Wp raise the lark 1513 Doug. vi. ix. 46.
Tysiphone, that furyus monstre wild, In bludy caip revestit

2. A cape of lede, a lead coffin. c1515 Asl. MS. I. 237/2.
Thair was found about him a kist of stane, and syne ane of tre, & syne a cape of leid 1531 Bell. Boece II. 492.
King Hary … wes brocht in ane cape of leid in Ingland, & buryit amang the sepulturis of othir kingis a1578 Pitsc. (1728) 24.
There was a body of a young child found in a cape [v.r. kaise] of lead

3. The canopy (of heaven); the sky. 1549 Compl. 3/25.
The maist vailȝeant princis that ar vndir the cape of hauyn a1585 Maitl. Q. xlix. 2.
As Phoebus in his spheris hicht Precellis the kaip crepusculein

4. A cope-stone. (Cf. Capestone.) 1532 M. Works Acc. ii. 34.
xvij pece of grete double aslar … to be capis to Johne Smyth 1532 Ib. 36.
xxiiij pece capis wyning in Ravilstoun querrell Ib. 43.
xxvj pece aslar for capis to chymnay hedis & capis for battelling 1628 Ib. XXI. 22.
Robert Richardsone brocht in … xj kairtis with balesteris, caipis, and sum small staines 1696 Foulis Acc. Bk. 196.
To Hugh Douglas for 6 dayes work at lifting and laying the kaips of the doucat

b. Attrib. with battelling. 1535–6 M. Works Acc. IV. 10; Ib. 45, 48.
For lx pece tabill battelling & caip battelling

c. A coping. 1672 Soc. Ant. XIV. 330.
The walls of the privy garden … with a fine hewn ‘cape’ of free stone 1721 Glasgow B. Rec. IV. 105.
That there be a cape of lead above the top of all the toofalls