Oh, it comes into OE from Latin; I might have guessed it.
And "swum for’t" may mean "to flounder about in deep snow"?
Yan
AF> Dear John (and all),
AF> I copy below the list of examples from OED, sell n. 1:
AF> 2. A saddle.
AF> c1425 Thomas Erceld. 49 Hir selle it was of roelle bone. 1590 SPENSER
AF> F.Q. II. viii. 31 Yet was the force so furious and so fell, That horse
AF> and man it made to reele aside; Nath'lesse the Prince would not
AF> forsake his sell. 1600 FAIRFAX Tasso VI. xxxii, Downe from his steed
AF> the Christian backward fell; Yet his proud foe so strong and sturdie
AF> was That he nor shooke, nor staggered in his cell. 1803 SCOTT Cadyow
AF> Castle xxx, From gory selle, and reeling steed, Sprung the fierce
AF> horseman with a bound. 1855 BAILEY Mystic 140 Then to horse; the
AF> gallant knighthood lift their ladies to the sells. 1886 R. F. BURTON
AF> Arab. Nts. (abr. ed.) I. 175 He bade one of his pages saddle him his
AF> Nubian mare-mule with her padded selle.
AF> Hope this is useful.
AF> Andrew
AF> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AF> Dr Andrew Frayn
AF> Lecturer in English Literature
AF> Erasmus Co-ordinator
AF> English and American Studies
AF> School of Arts, Histories, and Cultures
AF> Samuel Alexander Building
AF> University of Manchester
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AF> Quoting Yan <[log in to unmask]>:
>> Dear John,
>>
>> "Selle" is plural for Italian noun "sella" (a saddle)
>> (however I couldn't cope with "swim for it" in the context...).
>>
>> Perplexedly,
>>
>> Yan
>>
>> JR> We are currently annotating "An Almanac of Twelve Sports",
>> JR> verses by Kipling, illustrations by Nicholson.
>>
>> JR> The first two lines of "Hunting" are:
>>
>> JR> Certes it is a noble sport
>> JR> And men have quitted selle and swum for't.
>>
>> JR> Can anyone suggest a meaning for 'quitted selle'.
>>
>> JR> All suggestions will be gratefully received.
>>
>> JR> Good wishes to all, John R
>>
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