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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.

Ribban, -en, n. Also: rybb-, rib-, ryb-, rebb- and -ane, -and, -ain, -ene, -ein(e, -on, -ine, -in(g, -yn. [Late ME and e.m.E. ryban (1411), ryband (Prompt. Parv.), rybben (1545), ribbond (1555), -and, OF riban, of unknown origin. See also Reban n., Ruban n.] Ribbon, or a ribbon.A stuff woven into a narrow band, and used as a lace, etc., or as an ornamental addition to clothing; a length of ribbon.Chiefly pl., freq. coll. pl. indicating bulk rather than plurality.pl. (1) 1471 Exch. R. VIII 120.
iij unciis de ribbanys 1473 Treas. Acc. I 16.
viij elne of smale rybbanis for the king 1551 Ib. X 28.
vj quarteris rybbanis … to hyng my lord governouris ordoure about his graces nek 1552–3 Edinb. B. Rec. II 337.
Ribbonis 1565 Treas. Acc. XI 350.
Ribbennis to the cloikis and dawanteris 1574 Edinb. Test. III 143b.
Thrie boutis narrow ribbennis of scheitis 1583 Treas. Acc. MS 124.
For ribbennis to knit the kneis of the breickis 1593 Edinb. Test. XXV 191b.
Tua dossone braid glansing ribbaneis at xxxvj s. the dossone 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 79. 1627–8 Peebles B. Rec. I 415.
For thrie els of greine ribbingis to the silver arrow 1643–4 Dumfries Treas. Acc. MS 7.
For the officers clothis ribbens clesps c1650 Spalding I 195.
Sum wemen … knyt blew ribbinis about thair messens cragis 1663 Household Bks. Archb. Sharp in Misc. Maitl. C. II 502.
Ribbanes to my lord shoes 1666 Edinb. B. Rec. X 10.
The skinners … wer allwayis in use to horne all sort of poynts ribbens [etc.] 1684 Ib. XI 122.(b) 1489 Treas. Acc. I 158.
Half a dussane of rybanis 1501 Ib. II 22.
For ane unce ribanis to be pointis to the king v s. Item, for hornyng of the samyn xvj d. 1503 Ib. 203.
For ane unce sewing silk to be cordis to the collaris of the kingis gownis quhen tha tuke away the ribanis 1506 Ib. III 51.
For … small grene ribanes to hing the said cowrtingis Ib. 248. 1507–8 Ib. IV 31.
Ribainis 1623 Edinb. Test. LI 320b.
Nyne bowt … clinkard ribenes 1635 Galloway P. 11 Aug.
Ribins to be … poynts 1667 Old Ross-shire I 60.
Ribands to thair gravats 1674 Argyll Justic. Rec. 44.
The said pannell broke open his pack and stoll out therof threttie els of ribins of diverse collours 1695 Banff Ann. I 166.
That it shall not be in the power of any person when sealls are appendit to adhibit any ribens to burgess acts, but only ane small strip of parchment(c) 1664 Household Bks. Archb. Sharp in Misc. Maitl. C. II 509.
For rebbanes … for the childrene(2) 1501 Treas. Acc. II 22.
For … worsat ribanis to cord the samyn goune Ib. 32.
Ane skenȝe of Franch ribanis 1522 Perth Hammermen 20.
For … silkin ribanis to the chesapill 1566–7 in Hay Fleming Q. Mary 508.
Quhyte Florens ribbennis 1580–1 Treas. Acc. MS 36 (2).
Ane bolt of silkin rybbennis 1584 Edinb. Test. XIII 151b.
Tua hankis of Danskine ribbanes for scheittis 1585 Ib. XV 26.
Worsett rybbeins at xviij d. the ell 1586 Ib. 64b.
Aucht dissone floren ribbennis 1651 Ib. LXV 225b.
Of silk & silver ribbines 1665 Irvine Mun. II 91.
Twintie ellis of small silk ribbens 1672 Stirling Common Good 75.
Twa elnes of silver ribins to the possit cupe [at the races](3) 1561 Treas. Acc. XI 86.
Ribbynnis of blak silk to ege the said goun with 1661 Acts VII 253/2.
Ribbands of worsted ilk ten grocesing. (1) 1502 Treas. Acc. II 198.
For … worsait ribane to cord the said goune 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Georgics iii 487.
Nivea … vitta, a bande withe ane quhyt string, ribband 1611 Mar & Kellie MSS 67.
iij yards of ribin to the hosekinnes 1621 Maxwell Mem. I 331.
For ane ell of blak ribbeine to be ane stay to ȝour hatt, i d. 1676 Cunningham Diary 83.
For … flow'r'd ribbon to my cloaths 1700 Old Ross-shire I 144.
Blak ribin(2) a1500 Henr. Garmont 28.
Hir patelet of gud pansing, Hir hals ribbane of rewth a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 61.
He also carried the golden key … in a blew ribbing 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Vitta, taenia, a head-les or ribband c1650 Spalding I 154.
Few or none of this haill army wantit ane blew ribbin hung about his crag doun wnder his left arme, quhilk thay callit the covenanteris ribbin 1669 Cullen Kirk S. 14 Nov.
His sonne called for a ribband he had given to a lass

b. attrib. and comb. 1562 Treas. Acc. XI 225.
Ribben silk 1568 Edinb. Test. I 153b.
Ribbing silk 1615 Ib. XLVIII 215.
Thretteine pair of ribben schivereines 1636 Black Bk. Taymouth xxiii.
ii dusson orange ribband points — 1671 Edinb. B. Rec. X 111.
At the instance of some ribbing weavers

c. Saint Johnston's ribban(d, a halter, the hangman's rope. 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. 119.
Hence of Saint Johnston's ribband came the word In such a frequent use, when with a cord They threaten rogues 1642 A Second Discovery by the Northern Scout 7.
I hope Gregory Brandon will one day gird him up in a hempen halter on St. Johnnestone ribband ?c1660 Bk. Pasquils 169.
Sanct Johnstones ryben sets him best