Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Stapil(l) gudis. Also: staple-, stapell-, staipill-, staiple-, stappil-, stepill-, steapill-, steppill- and -guid(i)s, -es, -guddes, -good(i)s and, rarely, -gude, -guid. [Stapil(l n.² and Gud(e n.] a. Goods for export which attracted customs duty and were bound for the staple port, specif., wool, woolfells, skins and hides, and, after 1420, salt, salmon, herring, cod, etc. b. Imports from the staple port.a., b. pl. 1466 Acts II 87/2.
It is statute … that it sal be leful til al merchandis of this realme to sale to the Rochel, Burdeus, France, and Noroway with sic merchandise as is conuenient thar fore … And al staple gudis to remane & to staple and pas to na merkatis 1482 Edinb. Chart. 169.
That na maner of stapill gudis of strangearis remane … langare in Leith eftir it be dischargit … than it may be cartit and brocht to the tovn 1503 Acts II 245/2.
That na persone duelland vtouth the burrowis vse ony merchandice nor ȝit tap nor sell wyne walx silkis spicery wad nor sik like stuf nor ȝit stapill gudis and that na man pak nor pele in Leitht nor vther places vtouth the kingis burrowis 1516 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 159.
Jehane Deacon … is convict … in tapping and selling … velvott, dalines, feytyng clayth, and vther staple guidis to vnfremen 1518 Edinb. B. Rec. I 179.
The said Robert [Barton] … daily byis all maner of merchandice, sic as woll, hides, claith, skyn, salmon, wyne, walx, vittalis, and all maner staple gudis, he beand unfreman and duelland vtwith the burgh 1538 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 190.
This inquest dischargis all unfremen or voman … to tak or sell stapill gudis bot one the mercat day 1541 Peebles Chart. 59.
Diuers vnfremen, chepmen, cowparis and vtheris dailie occupeis youre fredome of oure said burgh be bying and selling of woll … irne, lint, ter … and vther stapill gudis; … and will nocht suffir the saidis guidis to be … sald in youre mercate … quharethrou oure said burgh and fremen thairof ar hereit and we defraudit in oure custumes aucht to ws of the saidis stapill gudis 1552–3 Reg. Great S. 160/1.
Burgenses, quibus liceret bona dicta stapill gudis vendere 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II 200 marg., 201.
Anent standis on the gait and stapill gudis. … And that thair be na sic gudis as followis sauld on the saidis cramis, viz.: Franche clayth, … na hewit Scottis braid clayth except lynnyngis, na silkis [etc.] … Franche bonettis, … all kynd of spycery, comfettis, … mader, irne, lint, hempt, walx, ais, pik and ter, battery, saip, steill, allum, Spanye skynnis and Burdeolis nor vther skynnis nor na siclik stapill gudis 1555 Acts II 496/2.
It is statute … that na persoun … cary woll skin hydis or vther stapill gudis customabill furth of this realme be land in the realme of Ingland 1556 Perth Guildry 301.
Ony stapill gudis madir alme saip or vtheris 1560 Inverness Rec. I 48.
To fulfyll the wyll of the bruch to bring all manyr of stapill gudis to the bruch and sall newyr pretend to vsurpe contrar the liberte of the same in tyme cuming and to sell the same vpon ane competent price to the burgesis thairof 1560 Edinb. B. Rec. III 89.
To se quhat personis ar sellaris of stapill gudis sic as velwottis, sylkis, fyne clayth or otheris siclyke costlie waris and to discharge thame to sell … without thay be bayth burges and gyld 1574 Conv. Burghs I 32.
That na schippis pas furth of this realme to … Flanderis chargit with hyde, woll, skin, clayth, or siklyik stapill guidis bot at the termes aboue oppoyntit c1575 Balfour Pract. 51.
All indwellaris of the town of Leyth … being unfremen, may on na wayis buy wyne, walx, victuellis, irne, tymber, lint, pick, tar, or ony uther stapill gudis in-brocht or cumand be strangeris in at the port of Leyth … unto the tyme that the merchandis and maisteris of the schipis cum to the officiaris of the burgh of Edinburgh, and enter thair gudis in the town buikis 1581 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 40.
Stapell guides 1587 Old Ross-shire I 25. 1619 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 123.
In selling … of stapill guids danskyn lynt irne tar & other wairs in thair buiths 1641 Acts V (1817) 627/1.
To lose, loaden, disburdein, pak and peill all guides callit stapill guides 1677 Aberd. Council Lett. VI 78.
I have … seazed … severall percells of staple goods that were shipt for Rotterdam; and have caused bring them to the port of Leith and shippt them for the Staple Port(b) 1537 Bk. Old Edinb. C. XV 20.
Na staipill guids sall pas to ony uther part bot to the Campheir under the payn of ane hundreth pund 1547–8 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 133.
To bring vp his haill guidis dry wairis and all vther staipill guidis to this burgh, and nother to brek bowke nor to mak merchandice nor blok thairof in Leyth 1584 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 364.
That na schips suld pas to ony vther port … in Flanders with thair staipill guides 1614 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 123.
That na stranger be sufferit to hous any staipill gudis in Leth 1661 Kirkwall Chart. 39.
Omniaque et singula mercimonia nuncupata lie staiple goodis(c) 1587 Aberd. Trades 334.
It sall notht be leisom to ony of the saids craftismen … to have the handling of ony stappil guides, whidder the same be Scottis or forrane wares; but that the only use of handling of the samen, that is to say, packing and peiling of fish, hydes, skin, and woll, sall properly appertain unto the merchants bretheren of gild allenarly(d) 1556 Perth Guildry 301.
Dauid Robertsone cordanar being attechit to the tolbothe this day to ansure for … bying and selling of stepill gudis 1566 Inverness Rec. I 140. 1625 Linlithgow B. Rec. 16 Sept.
Jopp Petirsoune merchant in Roterdame … accusit for bringing in steapill guidis and wearis to the new pannes in Murehous and taking of ane hous selling the samein in smallis to the kingis ledgis 1638 Elgin Rec. I 262.
Steppill guidssing. 1454–5 Edinb. Chart. 80.
Quhare ony merchandice that is staple gude or ony vthir merchandice that aucht to be merkettit within the burgh is tappit … within the toune of Leith in hurtyn of the fredome of the burgh [etc.] 1613 Inverness Rec. II 118.
Item, it is statut that all unfrie cremars that beis admitit stallangers that they sal haif na libertie … to by or sel stapil guid in the burgh except sic as wyne salt iron tallon wol plaidis skin and hyid 1613 Cranna Fraserburgh 25.
Steppill guid