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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
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Stek(e, Steik, Stik, Staig(e, n. Also: steike, steick, steyk, steek, steake, steck, stic(k, styk, staidge. Pl. also stikkis. [e.m.E. styc, stic (both 1482, Cely Papers), (flemisshe) stickes (1513), sticke (1614), Flem., LG stik, stuk, Du. stuk a piece.]Chiefly in commercial use.

1. A piece or item of goods; a small number or quantity of the same good; the quantity belonging to one merchant.(a) 1443 Aberd. B. Rec. MS IV 316 (27 Aug.).
Alisand Taitt … askit a stik of gude to borch the quhilk John Wod … had gert be arestit 1498 Halyb. 160.
The pillaris off bras, 24 stekis weand v^cxij li., ilk li. cost 4½ gis. … 2 throwys … ilk stek cost 7 li. … Item for pakyn, ilk stek 6 s. … Item … 3 blak hattis, ilk stek cost a croun of gold 1498 Halyb. 156.
4 dossin of pannellis of rassit vark cost 3 grotis the stek, 12 s. 1539 Inv. Wardrobe 51.
Item vii stikkis of tapessarie of antik werk of the histories of Venus Pallas [etc.] … viii stikkis of the historie of Salomon … viii stikkis of poecie [marg. Thir stikkis following brocht hame be William Schaw] 1550 Reg. Great S. 105/1.
6 lie steikkis de wanscott 1579 Inverness Rec. I 271.
Four schaiffis in ilk steake of aittis of fyff steakis, extending to xx schaiffis 1585 Edinb. Test. XIV 253b.
Twa litill steikis watt confetouris weyand viij pund and vj vnce 1615 Edinb. Test. XLVIII 182.
Ane steik of Raeseines price xx merkis 1634 Brechin Test. V 124.
The guidis and geir subsequent beinge within the said schip of the stick and pack thairin perteninge to the said vmquhill Alexander(b) 1595 Edinb. Test. XXVIII 233.
Thrie staiges of tazelis, ilk staige contening xv cours & ilk cours xx pair of tazelis, price of ilk cours xx s. 1595 Edinb. Test. XXVIII 294.
Thrie staiges of tazelis for walkeris ilk staidge contening xv cours & ilk cours xx pair of tazillis 1642 Edinb. Test. LX 173b.
Tuentie sevin dossane of double and single staiges sewit and vnsewit

b. A quantity, prob. a cask, of wine. 1433–4 Aberd. B. Rec. MS IV 3 (26 Jan.).
A bott of malmsye with twa uthir stikkis of wyne 1468–9 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 23.
Of Rynche wyne becaus of greitt steikes of ilk crowne ij d. 1495 Halyb. 22.
A stek off Ryne vyne hald[and] 3 ham and 1 strif 1533 Boece 594b.
Quhen he of the wyne was weill appleissit the marchand demandit gif he desirit ony haill steikis of the samyn sorte 1545–6 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 120.
The Burdealx wyne xxxviij li. the twn, the Romany xix li. the steik 1546 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 547.
Four stikkis of Romany wyne 1603 Comm. Univ. I (Edinb.) App. 19.
Of Rence wyne, becavs of the greit steikis of ilk Scottis pund worth, foure penneis

c. A single one or a small number of skins. c1390-1434 Sc. Merchandise (ed.) 116.
Here begyns the reknyng of the skyns that v^xx makis the C, that is to say woll skyns, schorlingis, & hogrell … The C at a nobil The stic at xvij mitis c1390-1434 Sc. Merchandise (ed.) 117.
Here begynnys the reknyng of the hidis … ekand to the last xvj gr. ij Ynglis, it ekis to the stic ij mitis 1496 Halyb. 69.
Rasauit … a pok of hograllis contenand 415 stekis 1582–3 Perth B. Ct. (5 Feb.).
iiij^c kid skinnis viij haill stik of otteris vj smaller stikis 1597 Bk. Rates 10b.
The stik of tod skinis xx s.

2. specif. A piece or length of cloth. Also attrib. Cf. sense 3below.(a) 1466 Exch. R. VII 423.
Tribus stekis de bukrame 1494 Halyb. 19. 1495 Halyb. 54.
Rasauit fra Patryk Vyghom 2 stekys of quhit 1496 Halyb. 136.
2 half stekis off lane 1497 Halyb. 82.
Rasauit … a pak of clath. Sald out off it … a stek for xi gis. the ellin, lang 32 ellis … Item out of the samyn pak a stek … langs 30 ellis 1498 Halyb. 169, etc. 1501 Halyb. 254.
A quarter of a stek of kemsyst blak, cost 17 li. the stek 1518 Prot. Bk. J. Foular II 39.
ij stekis of hois claith 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. II 42.
The thiftus steling … of twa stekis of bukrum 1540 Crim. Trials I i 300.
Deliverit to the Quenis graces talȝour ane steke of purpur veluet(b) 1489 Treas. Acc. I 136.
A steik of black chamlot to be a galbert to the king 1496 Treas. Acc. I 285.
Foure steikis of bukram, … ilk steik haldand vij elne and a half 1503 Treas. Acc. II 289.
Tua steik burd Alexander to the Gray Freris 1504–6 Treas. Acc. III 89.
Ane blew steik of sey 1506–7 Treas. Acc. III 268.
For tua steik bukram to be ane cowch to the quene 1513 Rentale Dunkeld. MS 114b.
Steyk 1537 Treas. Acc. VI 352.
Tua steikis of double damyostage to hing about the queir 1546 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 125.
All silkis and clayth to be sawld in haill steiks; item, worsetts siclyke to be sawld in steiks; and all vther merchandice that is to be mesurit with elne to be sawld in steiks and nocht cuttit 1574 Edinb. Test. III 94.
I leve to my wyf … ane kirtill of Scottis blak to be tane of the steik 1587 Acts III 508/1.
Nicolas Vduart … to be visitour and our sear of the saidis craftismen haill warkis steikis and peeces 1587 Acts III 508/2.
His maiestie … grantis to the saidis strangeris … ane patent place … quhair thay sall remane vpoun … mercat dayes … to sell thair maid steikis and peces of stuff … prouiding that thay sall sell na wool nor worsett [etc.] 1599 Acts IV 185/1.
The said stamp salbe hungin to euerie wobe peice and steik of claith silk and stuff 1624 Edinb. Test. LII 321b.
Steike 1635 Edinb. Test. LVII 55b.
Fourtene peice of padua sairge at xl lib. the steik 1652 Edinb. Test. LXV 243b.
Tuo haill steickis of demitie estimat to xiij lib. xij s.(c) 1588–9 Cal. Sc. P. IX 671.
ij steckis seirge Daskot at xxvij l. the steck(d) 1588–9 Cal. Sc. P. IX 672.
xij steck craip of Leon 1650 Laing MSS 254.
£32 12 s. as the pryce of a steek of Reesles grogen 1693 Edinb. B. Rec. XII 112.
The petitioner … had set up ane loom for working at damase … and … had wrought severall peices or steeks of it(e) 1476 Acta Aud. 55/2.
Twa stikis of blak schamlot 1490 Acta Conc. I 158/1.
ij stikis of double kirsp contenand xxxij ellis, a stek of kirsp contenand xxij ellis, twa stikis of kirsp contenand fiftj four ellis, a stek of kirsp contenand xxx ellis 1490 Acta Conc. I 158/1.
Five stikkis of trelȝe of sindry hewis 1510 Rentale Dunkeld. (SHS) 7.
Lie styk [of green camlet] 1515 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 94.
To gather … fra the merchantes … in Zealand or in Flanders … ane gryt of ilk stick of cloth 1550–1 Dundee B. Ct. II 37b (20 Feb.).
Ane stik of sadgrene 1552 Dundee B. Ct. II 203b (16 Dec.).
The said Villem protestit that his stik of clayth pilleit furthe of … Quhyttis schip ly nocht vnder this compt 1553 Old Dundee I 50.
John Mand, Dean of Guild, sealmaster of all stikks of claith 1555–6 Dundee B. Ct. III 31a (11 Feb.).
Ane paking scheit of xiiij ellis & ane burdclayth quhilk he had about ane stik of clayth 1561 Inv. Q. Mary 21.
[Heading] Stickes of silk great and small peces all mesourit with a Scottis elnwand. Item twa peces [etc.] 1590 Exch. R. XXII 94.
Woollen cloth called stikis of English goods 1597 Bk. Rates 2b.
Inuarde Custumes … Bombasie the stik thairof xv li.(f) 1584 Edinb. Test. XIV 133.
Ane staig of layne coist iiij li. greit summa xxi li. Item ane vther steik of layne coist iij li. x s. greit summa xviij li.attrib. 1540 Acts III 376/1.
It is statute … anentis drawaris of claith & litstaris of fals colouris that in euery burgh thare be ane qualifijt man chosin to seill all claith and sall haue for his labour of ilk steik seling xij d.

b. A quantity or length of line or thread. 1504–6 Treas. Acc. III 91.
xij steik of merlyn weyand xxiij pund 1614 Edinb. Test. XLVIII 61b.
Ane steik of legatour of threid price thairof xix lib.

3. specif. The quantity of goods or cloth, as in 1 or 2 above, sent, as a batch, for dyeing. Cf. quot. 1540 at 2 attrib. 1694 Dundee B. Laws 560.
That no servant … shall taick upon them to taick in above eight ells of cloath, thick or thin, for litting, as a staig in name of ther fie att on tyme 1697 Dundee B. Laws 561.
The whole maisters of actuall wackers and litsters … considering ther great losse by giving staigs either to printices or jurnemen … do heirby discharge all litting of staigs in all tym coming, less or more, no nott so much as ane pair of stokens … neither to prentice nor jurneyman

4. A piece of money, a coin. 1494–5 Halyb. 51.
Thir ar the steykkis of gold at John of Carkatill … hed in his purs, … xxxi ducatis, … fyfte Byris gudlins and Georgis [etc.] 1496 Halyb. 9.
Rassauit … for fynans … thir stekis of gold … 8 lewis, price 7 s. 6. [etc.] 1572 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I cxlv.
Act concerning the cunyeing of half merk steikis 1573 Sempill in Sat. P. xxxix 207.
Sum gat thair handfull of thir half mark steikis 1583 Perth B. Ct. (2 August).
The said Villiam ressauit fra the said James ane half merk stik in part of payment 1584 St. A. Kirk S. 526.
Jhone Thowles deliverit to hir ane half merk steik 1589 St. A. B. Ct. 22 Aug.
Aucht round steikis worth viij s. 1615 Edinb. Test. XLVIII 275.
Of reddie money fourtie aucht auld halff merk steikis 1689–90 Glasgow B. Rec. III 516.
In the which money there is four light cobbs ane goodline steick for ane rex daller, [etc.] 16.. Admir. Ct. Form 64.
In Stockholme the Sweinish crowne [sc. the coin] is 24 Rome stickes

5. A piece of work, a matter, affair or concern (appropriate to a particular, specified person). See also Maister-sti(c)k n. b. A steik (stick) of vark (work), a (considerable) piece or amount, a deal of work. 1554 Dundee B. Ct. II 356b (10 Dec.).
Anent the accioun & clame persewit be Charlis Fothringhame agains Williem Cryste … the baillies dischargis thare [handis] thare of & ordanis the parties to pas effore the dane of gild becaus it wes fund ane merchand stik 1555 Aberd. B. Rec. I 292.
Johnne Chalmer wes accusit … for the … myspersoning of Dauid Mar, … quhilk wes ane commound theyffis stik 1588 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 126.
Whatsomever action of merchandize resulting betwixt merchand and merchand alswell for debt and wtherwys tending to ane merchand steik ony manner of way, the samen sall only be perseued befor the Deane of Gildb. 1581 Sat. P. xliv 15.
That maisters of ane euil steik of vark Sould ay detest the gudlie, vpricht lyf 1660 A. Hay Diary 253.
We found the Laird very unfixed, and feared that we should have a stick of work with him

c. ? A piece (of anything), ? an example, something. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 905.
It is evill to fasten a fast steik on a louse man

6. Appar. the amount of a harvest after excluding the portion set aside as teind. 1612 Aberd. Council Lett. I 115.
Eftir the … schearing of … cornis to mak premonitioun to thame that hes richt of the teind … to come and teynd within sevin dayis … Otherwayis … twa honest men … sall teynd and vallour the pryce thairof and thaireftir the laborer of the ground sall have baith steik and teind to his awin yeard but process of law and [word bound in] onlie restrictit to pay the pryce apprysit