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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Riggin(g, (vbl.) n.¹ Also: rygg-, rig-, ryg- and -yn(g, -yne, -an(e, -ene; reggyn; regayne. [North. ME ryggyng (1399); Rig n. and Rig v.¹]

1. The back, or backbone, of a human being or animal. 1513 Doug. xiii Prol. 148.
With hys club he maid a braid, And twenty rowtis apon my riggyng laid 1573 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 21 July.
The said gray hors … haiffand the markis followand: … ane knot on his mayne regayne [etc.] 1689 Fugitive Poetry I xxvii 1/2.
Their riggans pay'd for a then

2. The top part or crest of anything extended; a ridge; a crown.? Also as a place-name element in Ragingait (see quot. 1540). 1540 Acts II 379/1.
Fra thyne … to the heid of the bank riggin callit the Ragingait c1600 Pont Cunningham 15.
Druymmealshun, wich the vulgar interprette, the rigging of the medowish moate a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxviii 41.
Wauis … ramping ouer his [sc. the rock's] rigging ryds, Bot can not caus him budge 1652 Glasgow B. Rec. II 236.
That all wha ar in building … lay the staines togither … , and to hald them aff the riging of the casey twa ellis on both sydes

3. The ridge of the roof of a house; also applied to the roof itself, and (once) ? to the ceiling.Also pl., in the same sense. 1503 Lanark B. Rec. 13.
For devattis to the reggyn and stobis 1513 Doug. v iv 106.
Quhil of hir fard the howsys ryggyng [L. ryggingis, B. riggingis] ryngis 1533 Bell. Livy II 176/26.
Seand the stanis and sclatis cassin be the wemen & servandis of the riggingis of the housis 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 230.
Gevin to ane payntour for ourelaying of ten chanys to putt upoun the rigging of the said wirk and gavillis of the samin witht gold 1558 Rentale Dunkeld. 356.
Tua furlattis lyme to mend the riggin of the houssis 1561–3 Edinb. Old Acc. I 437 (see Riggin(g) stan(e pl. (b)).
Rigene 1568 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 5.
For … bringing the stanis fra the kirk rigging quhen the wyndois war biggit 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579) 78.
Culmen domus, the rigging of the hous 1580 Glasgow B. Rec. (M.C.) 125.
Fund in the wrang, for … casting doun of the rigging and thak 1582 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 125.
Greit tarit tow … for ganging our the ryging of the wowtt 1590 Wedderburn Compt Bk. 63.
To the skletter for … mending the riging of the hous 1595 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 590.
The poynting off … the payment stanis vpone the riging 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 87.
Casting doun diffatis and steanis afe the riging of the house 1625 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 170.
Nyne great stanes for the kingis badges to be wrocht in for the rigging of the great hall 1629 Linlithgow B. Rec. 8 May.
For making the skaffalding on the tolbuith rigging 1632 in Law Memor. Pref. lvii.
There was women seen dancing on the rigging of the byre

b. The materials employed for ridging or roofing a house, collectively. 1607–8 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 560.
Sax futt of riging to the kirkpl. 1562–3 Edinb. Old Acc. II 174.
The rigginis of the queir 1578 Reg. Privy C. II 695.
[They] come … to the dwelling hous … and … tirvit the riggingis thairof 1623–4 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 153.
For plaistering the riggingis of lead in [the] new wark in the castell c1690 Weaver's Acc. Bk.
For thaak & herding casting of deafets and rigings

c. The space under the roof but above the top of the walls of a house; a loft or attic. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1385.
This ark [was] … with sett on rufe; Quhose rigyng wes ane cubeit braid, Quharein thare wes ane wyndo maid 1561–2 Edinb. Old Acc. I 366.
Bering of the wobstaris lumis to the kirk rigyne 1597–8 Misc. Spald. C. II 137.
The foirsaid officiar persawit ane corbie pluk furth woll out of the top of thy hous, the saidis tua scheip saltit in ane troche, in the rigging of thy house 1684 Fountainhall Decis. I 301.
Their escape [from the Canongate Tolbooth] was made out at a window, and by passing thro' the riggings of many houses

d. ? = Ruf(e)-tre n. But perh. another instance of c above. 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 88.
And the obligation the lad had given him droops of the rigging amongs the mids of the auditors

4. The action of ridging, or roofing, a building. 1507 Treas. Acc. IV 89.
To the maister masoun of Linlithqw for rigging of the chapell in the place with stane 1542–3 Ib. VIII 166.
For expensis debursit … upoune the rigging and beting of the mulettis stabill 1551 Banff Ann. I 31.
To the sklaitter for the pwyntting of the haill kirk … with rygging of kirk 1561–2 Dumfries B. Ct. fol. 57a.
For rigin of ane hous & theikin of it 1563 Ib. fol. 190.
Theikin rigin and vphaldand the mud vals of the said land ȝeirlie 1594 Paisley B. Rec. 154.
Riging turves … applyit to sundrie others necessars nor for riging of their houssis 1654 Sc. N. & Q. I 174.
4 disone of shirats [pr. shirals] for riging of the said hous

5. The action of variegating with strips of differently coloured stuffs. Cf. Rig(g)it ppl. adj. 1548 Treas. Acc. IX 215.
For ȝallo bukram and reid to ryggyn my lorde governoures pavilȝeounnes

6. attrib. and comb.See also Riggin(g) stan(e. 1654 Sc. N. & Q. I 174.
4 gaing of hedder for riging cheaff to the said hous — 1531 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 115.
Hayther to be pullit and maid duffat … , and the communite … to leid the saidis hayther duffatis and ryging duffattis 1663 Stirling Common Good fol. 16b.
For 150 rigane divots, £2, 10 s. — 1507–8 Rentale Dunkeld. (S.H.S.) 170.
Riggyngtild [and] skalȝe — 1589–90 Crail B. Ct. MS 31 Jan.
For ane riging tree and pan tree 1636 Kirkcaldy Presb. 104.
Riggintrie — 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 7.
Duvatis … to the mending of the gilehous … , x dosoun riginturris to the samyn 1594 Paisley B. Rec. 154 (see sense 4 above).
Riging turves 1675 Kingarth Par. Rec. 105.
Ordains the peopl of Mikl Kilcatten … come to cast rigging turf and to riggin the manse Ib.
Riggin turf