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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sadil(l, Saidil(l, Saddil(l, n.¹ Also: sadile, -yl(l, -ell, sadle, saidel(e, saiddel, saidle, sedell, -ill, sedle, sidle, saddall, saddell, saddle, seddill, seadill. [ME and e.m.E. sadele (Layamon), -el (c1250), -le (c1330), saddle (1555), OE sadol.]For many further examples, see the entries for other parts of an animal's harness, as Brechame, Bridil(l, Curpall, Foreplait, Girth n.², Harnes(s)ing, Ledder n.² 3, etc.

1. A saddle for a horse or other riding-, pack- or draught-animal.In most occurrences, a riding-saddle; but also, a pack- or a draught-saddle: see (a) quots. 1488 and 1537–8.Also in quasi-fig. applications alluding by metonymy to the use of a horse specif. for riding.(1) ?1438 Alex. i 1052.
The renkis begouth sa thik that He feld full fair in sadill sat Ib. 1057, 2679, 3005, etc. c1420 Wynt. iv 220.
Apon a cowrsoure … Adressly he sat that day … In his revel bot sadyll syde 14.. Acts I 303/2.
Of a tursel behind a sadyl a halfpeny. Of a tursel in a sadil a peny. Of a tursel befor a man iiij d. Ib. 337/2. 1456 Hay II 48/25.
The sadill, with the grathe that langis it 1457 Peebles B. Rec. I 119.
Sadyl 1473 Treas. Acc. I 13. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 756. a1500 Rauf C. 475. a1500 Lanc. 2950.
The stedis rynyng with the sadillis bare Ib. 3130.
Without steropis in to his sadill start 1488 Treas. Acc. I 88.
For a sadil to twrs thaim [sc. boxes] in to Edinburgh 1494 Loutfut MS 44b.
And sal se thair sadillis pincheres and chamfroiz 1496 Halyb. 136.
2 sadyllis c1500 Rowll Cursing 230 (B).
Heltaris, heidtailis, sonkis or sadillis [M. saidillis; rh. ladillis] 1503 Treas. Acc. II 203.
Ane sadil quhit Ib. 207, 225. 1507 Ib. III 399.
Ane heich quhit sadil for the quene for ane pilȝane 1508 Ib. IV 135.
For grathing of foure sadilles, new pannalit, naling, and wawting of thaim with wellus c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 156/191 (Asl.).
He left the sadill all beschittin 1511 Treas. Acc. IV 196.
v marykyne skynnis to ane sadill and harnesing of the kingis mule 1537–8 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 205.
Towis, sadillis and all necessaris to the furnyssing of the cartis 1538 Treas. Acc. VII 98. 1539 Ib. 177.
iij quarteris of grene welvot to cover ane lytill sadill maid for sport, witht the harnessing thairto 1540 Ib. 327.
To cover the lappis of the samin sadillis under the velvet, xij cordewall skynnis 1543 Ib. VIII 182.
To cover ane futestuill to the sadill 1546 Ib. IX 37. 1547 Ib. 98. 1551–2 Ib. X 52.
Sadile 1552 Ib. 126.
For ane soume with ane sadill thairto 1568 6th Rep. Comm. Hist. MSS App. 658/1.
The mending of the sadill … and … lathetis to it a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 332/40.
And for thair sadillis thai haue soddis(b) 1506 Orkney & Shetl. Rec. I 249.
My sadell c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 99/48.
He fyld never sadell in his dais And Curry befyld tua(c) 1552 Treas. Acc. X 84.
Ane sadle 1565–6 Treas. Acc. XI 460.
Sadleis 1661 Acts VII 253/2.
Sadles covered 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 357.
9 old sadles(d) c1475 Wall. viii 213.
Saidlys thai teym off hors bot maistris thar 1489 Treas. Acc. I 111.
Saidillis 1518 Ib. V 147.
Saidelis 1535 Stewart 57759.
Thir fercie freikis that so vther provit, Still in thair saidill sat wnremovit Ib. 57762. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 187.
Saiddelis a1585 Polwart Flyt. 774 (T).
Lik laidill, husche paidill, schyt the saidill 1600 Treas. Acc. in Crim. Trials II 237.
Saidillis 1621 Maxwell Mem. I 328.
For banding, plaiting, stuffing, and chalmiring of ȝour saidill Ib.
To the saidillar, to set to curpall and posteilȝen tagis to the lyttil saidill 1661 Nicoll Diary 325.
Saideles 1679 Sc. Ant. IX 109.
To pay a saidel and stokings 17 lb. 6 s. 8 d.(e) 1516 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 38.
To bring the saddill in place that Adam clamis Ib.
Saddall 1592 Cal. Sc. P. X 703.
A hurt he gat in loupping on the saddell at the hunting 1611 Reg. Panmure I xxx.
His grayhounds killed ane hare, quhilke was hung to ane of the laird's servants saddle's tore 1674 Inverurie 363.
Saddill(f) 1600-1610 Melvill 259.
With the sedle betwix my legges 1603 Montgomery Mem. 247.
For the caring of my sedell, v s. 1648 Thanes of Cawdor 305.
4½ ells thick cairsay to cover a seddill(2) 1487 Acts II 183/2.
Hors depute to werk and nocht to the sadill 1641 Old Ross-shire I 219.
I have put out so many horses and ryders that I have not reservit above twa for my awne sadill

b. As a prize in a horse-race. 1606 Glasgow B. Rec. I 473.
To John Stirling for ane reid seadill maid be him to the bell reace, ix li. ix s. viij d. 1653 Peebles B. Rec. II 13.
The thesaurer to provyde ane saidill worth ten merkes mony … to be run at upon Beltane day 1662 Lamont Diary 145.
On the morrow after they ran for a cup … the said Cuninghame … caried the same, and Pittencriffe his horse the same day caried the sadell 1662 Dumbarton B. Rec. 81.
The race saidle and furneising 1663 Peebles B. Rec. II 56.
Tuentie-sevine punds, iij . for the inputtes to cup and saidle at Beltane race last 1664 Dumbarton B. Rec. 84.
In the proclaiming of ane race run for at Midsumer fair … by presenting ane sidle and furnitar yeirlie Ib.
Thairfor thay discharge any races herafter … to be proclamit, or saidle run for 1682 Musselburgh 54.
The counsell condescends to have ane horse race the second day of the fair, and appoynts ane sadle to be provydit … to be run for 1684 Peebles B. Rec. II 113.
And the imputs for the saidle to be four pounds the peice 1686 Ib. 117.

c. In figurative expressions and proverbs. 1562 Knox Ressoning 220.
The masse standeth groundles and the greatest patrone thereof for all his sicker riding hath ones loste his stirropes, yea is altogether set besydes his sadil Id. Wks. I 242.
Als seimlye a sight … as to putt a sadill upoun the back of ane unrewly kow a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 319.
He is a weak horse that may not bear the saidle Ib. No. 537.
It is as meit as a sow to bear a sadle a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 666.
He wald eat ane hors behind the sadell

d. With qualifying expressions specifying a particular type of saddle.See also Arming 3, *Bottail sadil(l, Car-sadil, Cart n.¹ 3, Clogbog n. 2, Dule n.¹ 4, Franche adj. 1 (4), Gentil woman, Haknay, Harnes n. 4 b, Heich adj. 1 (a), Jen(n)et(t n.¹, Kar sadill, Lade-sadil, Littar 1 b, Mule n.¹, Mulet, Paceing vbl. n. 2, Pad, Sled, Soum n.³ d, Stele, Stok, Ȝokit. 1398–1400 Aberd. B. Rec. (SHS) 175.
A cart sadil 1494 Loutfut MS 43b.
Arm ȝow and leip on in hie sadillis or vtheris gif it sa be ordanit 1501–2 Treas. Acc. II 142.
For mendin of ane coffir sadil 1512 Ib. IV 308.
Ane coffir saddill 1539 Ib. VII 205.
Twa cordwale skynnis to cover ane sadill of the Frenche fassoun 1548 Edinb. B. Rec. II 136.
Ane ryddyng sadill and ane laid sadill

e. attrib. and comb.With band, covering, graith, heid, stok, torr, also in Sadill-bag, etc.Sadill hors, a riding-horse, as opposed to a werk- (i.e. draught) hors.(1) c1670 Row 463.
It [sc. the ministry] will die in thy hand … therefor the backe shall beare the sadle-band … This prophesie … wanted not its fulfilling, for this Mr. Andro Forrester … being deposed and disgraced, his backe did beare the sadle-band — 1586 Treas. Acc. MS 59.
Grein welwet to be ane of the sadill coveringis 1608 Argyll Acc. 17 Nov.
For skarlatt to be ane sedill cuffering — 1639 Aberd. Council Lett. II 143.
All forane manufactoris, as … sadlis, saidlegraiths [etc.] 1640 Ib. 242.
For not furnisheing the hors with saidill gearth 1685 Inverness Customs MS 13.
Sex sute sadle greath — 1602 Treas. Acc. MS 181.
Blak fustiane … to be ane pok to the saidill heid 1653 Edinb. Hammermen in Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 131.
[Samuel Hoyll] brasier and founder produced his assay … three several sortis of naillis with ane sadle heid — 1618 Edinb. Test. MS L 112b.
Certane asche timber to be sadill stokis 1661 Acts VII 253/2.
Sadle stocks ilk threttie c1650 Spalding I 154.
He had … tuo pistollis be his sydis, and vther tua at his sadill torr 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1751) 25.
Other two [sc. pistols] before, One at either saddle tore(2) c1650 Spalding I 49.
Thrie vtheris of his sadill horssis Ib. 299.
Bot nather wark horss nor saddill horss wes left about Strathbogie Ib. II 469.
He … took his best sadill horss, and plunderit the countrie about

2. On a ship: ‘A block of wood, hollowed out above and below, fastened to a spar to take the bearing of another spar attached to it’ (OED). 1512–13 Treas. Acc. IV 463.
To Walter Paterson for viij greit treis to mak the sadillis to the greit schip and Margret 1536 Ib. VI 451.
Gevin for twa mastis, sadillis, nalis and hunis to the Mare Willebe … xxx frankis ?1597 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 22a.
For the tereye to be sadellis

3. Attrib. in the place-name Sadilstane, ? referring to a rock which in some way resembled a saddle. 1543 Reg. Privy S. III 35/2.
The landis of … the Hoile-myln and Sadilstane with thair pertinentis