1) A large tub which had two ‘ears’ through which a pole might be passed.
1468-9 ‘For 5 girths bought for the Trinity saa’, Hull
1497 j maskfatt, j gylefatt, et j saa, Adel
1530 for two gyrthys to a say, 1d, York
1554 ij kymmeles, a sea, an arke, South Cave
1566 a masken fatt, 3 cowlinge tubes, a saye, a swine tubbe and thre gallons, Grinton
1663 J Briggs pro watersea & piggen, Ripon.
2) A cloth of fine texture, like serge, formerly made partly of silk but later entirely of wool.
1310 ‘Sayes of Wortstede price Ł4’, Hull
1394 et sur mon corps un drape de blew saye, Wighill
1432 unum lectum de rede say enbrowded, Lead Grange
1490 a vestiment of blake seye, York
c.1537 the halle ... hanged with fine say ... Normandy sey with moche other Englysshe saye, Halifax
1636 scotch cloth and say garters, Thirsk
1697 one green say appron, East Ardsley.