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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.

Skenȝe, Scanȝe, n. Also: skenȝie, -eȝe, -iȝe, skeny(i)e, skengȝie, skeinȝie, -ye, -yi(e, skeynȝe, skeȝne, skeing(ȝ)e, skanȝie, -y(i)e, -ȝa, skainȝ(i)e, -ye, -ya, skaingȝe, skinye, skynȝe, skayne. Pl. also skanys. [OF escaigne hank or skein of thread or yarn (1354 in Godefroy; see also Du Cange, s.v. eschaota), whence also late ME and e.m.E. skeyne (Prompt. Parv.), skayn (1442), skane (1523), sken (1591).]

1. A quantity of thread, packthread, twine or string, ? loosely gathered into a hank or ? wound upon a reel or other holder; the quantity of thread, etc., as prepared, ? perhaps at first roughly estimated but later more accurately measured; a skein.Const. of thread, etc., also with omission of of and without const.Also pl. without inflection.(1) 1490 Lanark B. Rec. 7.
For a skenye of pak threid 1504 Treas. Acc. II 445.
For ane skenȝe of threid 1508 Treas. Acc. IV 110.
For ane skeȝne pak threid, iij d. 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II 296.
ij skenȝeis of pak threid to messur the Newhevin with 1566 Hay Fleming Q. Mary 499.
Tuay skenyeis of girdis to bind up the bedde(b) 1501 Treas. Acc. II 28.
xv skeynȝeis [of girths] 1561–3 Edinb. Old Acc. I 400.
Skeingeis 1573–4 Day-bk. J. Kyle in E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 74.
For ane skuill and ane skeinye of pak threid(c) 1582 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 122.
Ane skynȝe threid to be ane lyne to the wrychtis vj d.(d) 1544 Treas. Acc. VIII 306.
vj scanȝeis of pak threid, price of ilk scanȝe iij d. 1553 Treas. Acc. X 205.
vj scanȝeis of threid to sew the same polkis 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II 307.
Skanȝies 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. II 134.
Skanȝis 1566 Treas. Acc. XII 22.
Twa skanyeis of girdis 1567–70 Haddington Treas. Acc. MS.
A skanȝa of pake thred(e) 1557 Edinb. Hammermen 205.
Skaingȝe 1559–60 Edinb. Old Acc. I 325.
For ane skainȝe threid and gyrthsting, viij d. 1652 Nicoll Diary 100.
Bund … with ane skainȝie threid 1661 Peebles B. Rec. I 424.
Ane skainya thrid 2 d.(f) 1515 Rentale Dunkeld. 293.
7 lie skanys of thread 1533 Aberd. B. Rec. I 451.
Ane bukat … ane skayne for the buith ane pair of woll weyis 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 323.
Packthreid in skaynesuninfl. pl. 1508 Treas. Acc. IV 136.
For the gunnis … vj skenȝe pak threid … xvj d. 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 269.
Multeris … vij skenȝe of pakin threid 1548 Treas. Acc. IX 194.
Foure stanȝe [pr. stanȝ] of gyrthis to his grace lytillcampe bed 1566 Hay Fleming Q. Mary 500.
Four skenye of girdis 1567 Edinb. Test. I 20b.
Tuelf skenȝe of girthis price of the skanȝie xviij d. 1581 Edinb. Test. IX 292b.
Sex skenȝe girthis 1598 Black Bk. Taymouth 330.
A bodome of ane bed maid of skenȝie girthis(2) 1501 Treas. Acc. II 28.
ij stortkynnys of girthis, ilk ane contenand xxiiij skeynȝeis — 1640 Aberd. Council Lett. II 163.
For 100 skengȝie to measower the ground 10 s.

2. transf. Coarse yarn; packthread, twine.Also pl. in same sense. 1560 Treas. Acc. XI 31.
For sorting of the foirsaid lyng, keling … and for crelis and skanȝe to thame 1582 Old Ross-shire I 110.
The lords of counsaill assoilȝies … ilk wobster fra payeing of any skenȝie 1597 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 30 April.
Thre hankis skainȝe 1601 Ayr B. Acc. 48.
For skainye to be ane lyne to the key 1604 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 45.
Thir peces ar markit … with a pece skynȝe NB 1609 Edinb. Test. XLV 115.
xx heidis paking skainȝie at viij d. the peace 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 91.
For xliiii hankis of skanyie and merling cord 1628–9 Mill Mediæv. Plays 208.
The staige of the west port … for towe and skeniȝe to the paell 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 343.
For xxii fadome of small skeinyie for the calsay lyne 1640 Aberd. Council Lett. II 163.
For … skenȝie at bailiȝies desyr 1646 Edinb. Test. LXI 237.
Two dussone of heid of skeinȝie 1651 Stirling B. Rec. II 306.
Depursit for skenyie for drawing draughts besyd the clouspl. 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 25.
For skenyeis to the masonis lynis for the wallis 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 113.
Skinyeis 1537 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 207.
For … xii skanyeis for lynis to the wrychtis and masonis 1654–5 Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. 385.
8 s. for skeingis to be a layn to the work 1655–6 Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. 398.
For skeingȝis to be ane lyne

3. attrib. and comb.(1) 1505 Treas. Acc. III 147.
Skenȝe threid and Birge threid 1517 Treas. Acc. V 121.
For j lyn of skanȝe threid ij d. 1534–5 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 123.
For ten dowbill skenye thredis to the … masonis and causamakkar 1534–5 Ayr B. Acc. 73.
Skenye threyd [for Palm Sunday] 1544 Ayr Common Good Acc.
For skeneȝe threid to knyt the speris iiij d. 1552 Treas. Acc. X 112.
Ane unce of small skenȝe threid to sew thir sarkis with 1558 Mill Mediæv. Plays 184.
For small skenȝe threid and small towis 1587 Edinb. Test. XVII 206.
Ten pund of skainȝie threid at xxxij d. the pund 1609 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I 164.
Ane bowt of skeinȝie threid to bind the bussomes at the weshing tables 1620 Grant Chart. 326.
For skenyie threid to fastin sum waires wes cuming hame 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 361.
Skeinyie 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 364.
For twa hankes of skeinyie lyne(2) 1592 Edinb. Test. XXV 16b.
Ane gros of small skainȝie buttounes price ij s.