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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
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Ȝule day, Ȝuil(l)-, Ȝo(o)le-, Ȝewll day, n. Also: Ȝul-, Yul(l)(e)-, Yhule-, Ȝuil(l)e-, Yuil(l)-, Yuille-, Ȝwil(l)-, Ȝuell-, Ȝoil(e)-, Ȝoull-, Youle-, Yooll-, Yoole-, Ȝeul-, Yeul(l) day, Ȝwle da. [Early and north. ME ȝoldaȝȝ (Orm), ȝeol-dæie (Layamon), ȝol day (Manning), OE ᵹeohheldæᵹ, ON jóldagr.] Christmas day. a. As a feast day or day of celebration of the birth of Christ. Also pl. b. As a day on which or date by which payments were made or debts collected. c. proverb.a. a1400 Leg. S. xxxi 896.
Thar-for I cum to tel thé That thu sal cum that day to Me That I til erde come … Thare-for one Ȝulday next ewine Thai send to se gyf scho lyfande Ware c1420 Wynt. v 1395.
On the Yhule day [C. Ȝoil day, W. Ȝule day] He bad thre messys be sayd ay a1500 Rauf C. 404.
Solempnit Ȝule day quhen ilk man suld rest 1488 Treas. Acc. I 100.
On Ȝwle da, to the king himself to play at the dys and cartis … xxviij li. To the kingis offerande on Ȝwle da … xxviij s. 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 62.
The queine sould be in Scotland … befoir Yule day 1588 King Cat. in Forbes Kal. Sc. Saints 170.
Ȝulday [Cath. Tr. 200, Yulday] whilk is the birth of Our Salueour Jesus Christ 1596 Logie Par. Hist. 81.
[John Mentayth, piper] … to anser for playing in the kirk ȝaird … on that day callit of awld Yull day 1605 Dundonald Par. Rec. 69.
Johne Wylie … accused for noth yoking his pleuch on Yule day last 1640 Dunferm. Kirk S. 8.
The act … ordaining all persons to leave of thair feastining … on Yulle day was red 1647 Banks Sc. Cal. Customs III 188.
The observing of Yule day and other superstitious dayis is muche occasioned by coalhewers and salters flitting and entring at Yule(b) 1531 Bell. Boece II 66.
Uter maid ane riatus banket … on Yuill day 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 52.
Pray God conserf your grace eternaly. At Edinburght this Yuill day at ewin a1586 Maitland Geneal. Setoun 53.
The 24 of December, being Ȝuill dayis euin 1562-3 Winȝet I 115/26.
All wthir [days] … vniuersalie obseruit, as Ȝuil-day, Circumcisioun, Epiphanie, Lentren 1573 St. A. Kirk S. 389.
The said day James Clwny … and Waltir Ȝownger being accusit for violating of the Sabbat day be superstitius keping of Ȝwill-day haly day and abstening fra thair wark … that day, James Clwny promittit to desist … fra keping of Ȝwil-day haly … And Walter Ȝownger … said that he is ane yowng man and saw Ȝwil-day kepit halyday and that the tyme may cum that he may see the like yit; and thairfo[r] wald nocht becum oblist nor astrictit … to work or abstein fra wark that day bot at his awn plesure 1575 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 334.
That the toun of Dumfries, on Ȝuile day last by past … brought a reader of their own … and caused him read the prayers 1576–7 Mill Mediæv. Plays 160.
[Accused] for the mantening of the tuentie fyft day of December last … as Ȝwill day, halding the same halyday and abstening fra labour for the maist part with festing and playing 1596 Dalr. II 462/15.
Ȝuil day, Christes awne day 16.. Hist. Kennedy 5.
On the Yuill-day … [Alexander of Donour] come … about the time that he knew the erll to be at the morning mess 1654 Lorimer St. Cuthbert's 51.
He promised neevir to baike pyes for Yuilday 1680 Lauder Observes 18.
Some of the schollars … making ane effigies and image of the Pope, they entred in a bond … to burne him after a solemne procession on Yuille day 1686 Lauder Notices Affairs II 772.
Generall Douglas … to choise some Popish souldiers … to guard their Masse Chapell on Ȝuille-day(c) 1547 Edinb. Hammermen 173b.
Vpon Ȝuell day at morne for ane candell iiij d.(d) 1494 Treas. Acc. I 239.
Ȝole day 1511 Treas. Acc. IV 180.
The xxv day of December, viz., Ȝoile day(e) 1678 Craven Ch. in Orkney 73.
His lordship … desyred them to observe Youle day by having sermone thereupon(f) 1575 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 339.
That all dayes that heirtofoir hes bein keipit holie, besydes the Sabboth day, sick as Ȝoole day … may be abolischit 1645 Ritchie Ch. S. Baldred 271.
Quhidder the pepill … did work in their calling on Yoole-day as on uther dayis c1650 Spalding I 127.
Doctor Scrogie gave the comvnioun vpone Yooll day [I (BC) 85, Yeull day] in Old Abirdein, notwithstanding the same wes forbiddin by the assemblie actis c1650 Spalding I 375.
Sonday 20th December, thundring out of Abirdeins pulpites aganes Yoollday, chargeing merchandis and craftis men … to keip there boothis, by, sell, and labour as on ane work day c1650 Spalding II 89.
Frydday, 25th December, of old called Yooll day(g) a1538 Abell 27a.
Ȝewll day 1574 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 18.
Personis chargit befoir the assemble for plaing, dansin, and singin off fylthe carrolles on Yeull day, at evin 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 174.
Thay cause thair wyfis and seruants spin … vpon Ȝeul day [Cath. Tr. 232/27, Yeul day]pl. 1608 Misc. Maitl. C. I 411.
Thair superstitious gysyne in the tyme called-superstitiouslie Yule dayisb. 1573 Prot. Bk. T. Lindsay 54b.
James Grahame sall … pay [etc.] … betuix the dait heirof and the Natiuitie of Christ callit Ȝuill day 1624 Elgin Rec. II 187.
William Cuming and James Innes collectors for Satterday being Ȝoull day; xl s. collected that day 1673 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 166.
Promised to pay me the abonewrittin sowme upon Yoole day last wasc. proverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 840.
Ilk day is not Ȝule day a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1299.
Quhen Yule day fallis on Tuisday, sell they hogs and by thé hay