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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Fleis, Fle(i)ce, n. Also: fles(e, fleise, fleyce, fleace; fleische, fleishe, flesche. [ME. flese, flees, fleos, OE. fléos, flíes, flýs.]

1. A sheep's fleece. c1450-2 Howlat 753.
Thow joyus fleis of Gedion c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 423.
As fox in a lambis fleise [M. flesche] fenȝe I my cheir 1513 Doug. vi. iv. 28.
A ȝow … blak of flece Ib. xii. iv. 28.
Scheip … Quhais woll or fleyce was neuer clyp with scheir a1500 Henr. Fab. 1247 (B).
The scheip … sald his fleis that he bur on his bak 1592 Conv. Burghs I. 381.
Vplifting … of … ane neif full of ewirrie wecht of voll or ane fleische of the pak 1648 Mun. Univ. Glasg. I. 293.
The pryce of … ilk fleis teynd wool [being] threttie schillingstransf. 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 80.
So thik the plantis sprang in euery peyce, The feildis ferleis of thar fructuus fleyce

b. With of woll or simply woll. 1562-3 Winȝet II. 65/9. Ib. 17.
Certane fleisis of wow 1569 Inverness B. Rec. I. 181.
Ane gwis and four fleissis woll 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 2.
The thifteous steilling of ane spaid and ane fleische of vole 1612 Crim. Trials III. 221.
For … steilling of the haill aucht fleisses of woll 1648 Elgin Rec. I. 184.
To mak payment of … ten s. for ane fleis ofwoll

c. Attrib. with woll. 1613 Brechin Test. II. 275.
Tua stanis quhyt fleische woll 1664 Edinb. Test. LXXI. 253.
Of Inglis fleis wooll ane stone

2. The goldin fleis, of Colchis, or of the order of knighthood. c1400 Troy-bk. i. 362.
The goldyn flees to wynne, That was enclosed that ile within ?1438 Alex. ii. 100.
Quhair Jason wan the goldin fleis c1515 Asl. MS. I. 316/28.
In this age Jason wan the goldin fles 1539 Inv. Wardrobe 49.
The ordoure of the Empriour with the goldin fleis 1596 Dalr. II. 230/21.
Our king decoret … the emperour with the goldne fleice