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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Angel, n. Also: angell(e, -ele, angyle, angill, angle; aingell, aingle; engel. [Early ME. angel, OF. angele, L. angelus.]

1. A divine messenger or spirit; an angel.1375 Barb. viii. 234 (glitterand as thai war lik till angellis). a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 909 (with angelis of god); xvii. 313 (ane angel brycht). c1420 Wynt. v. 4525 (ane angyle slwe that herytyk). c1450-2 Howlat 729 (the bodword of blyth angellis). 1456 Hay I. 6 (he passit all the angelis in beautee). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxv. 74 (the angell Sanct Gabriell). 1533 Gau 39/17 (the salutatione of the angel). c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6255 (all the angellis of the ordouris nyne). a1578 Pitsc. I. 379/9 (ane fair lady most lyke ane angell).

2. Used attrib. = angelic; of angels.a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 783 (a crage of angil wark). a1500 Doug. K. Hart 312 angell song). c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 265 (your angel mouthis); lxxxv. 80 (fulfillit of angell fude). a1585 Maitl. Q. xlviii. 65 (with angell hew); 81 (hir angell voice).

3. Angel-noble, an English coin first struck in 1465, being a new issue of the noble, bearing a figure of the archangel Michael piercing the dragon. 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 80.
Of angell nobilis sevin hundreth and fifti angelis 1536 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 222.
The sovme of sewyntene scoire of merkis in gold of angell nobillis [etc.] 1549 Compl. 89/4.
Aucht scoir of thousandis engel noblis 1560 Stirling B. Rec. I. 75.
Thre angel nobelis in quhyt silver 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 449.
This angle noble … Vnto your Lordschip I will gife 1593 Conv. Burghs I. 410.
The said lord Conseruatour to refound … the said tua angill noibillis

b. Elliptical for sense 3 above. Also duble or dowbill angel. 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 79.
Of angellis, twa hundreth foure score and v angellis 1492 Acta Conc. 208/1.
Ane hundrethe and threskore angelis of golde 1519 Peebles B. Rec. 49.
The soume of forty frankis wsuall moné of Frans, that is to say, vij angellis 1598 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 165.
The Spanis pistolatt, … the gunhoill angell 1614 Fraser P. 235.
To the reparatioun off ye shoir … ane angill 1620 Grant Chart. 325.
Ane duble angell at xiij li. vj s. viij d.attrib. 1594 Paisley B. Rec. 159.
Twa ringis of gold, baith of ane angell wecht 1596 Montgomery Mem. 234.
Nyne vnces and ane angell wecht of gold