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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.

Consel, -sele, n. Also: consell(e, -seel, -seil(e, -seill. [ME. consel, -sele, variants of concel(e and counsel(e: see Counsel n. and cf. Consail.]

1. Counsel, advice.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 456.
He gef till al Heilful consel c1420 Wynt. v. 5148.
God send hym a swet angelle, To gyve hym comfort and conselle Ib. 5324.
Throwch youre fellowne fals consell [: fell] 1422 Stirlings of Keir 208.
For his consel, helppis, and gud merytis to me hedirtyll downe c1475 Wall. i. 82.
To Corspatryk of Dunbar sone he send, His Consell ast, for he the contre kend 1482 Reg. Morton II. 246.
I sall … conseill the consell he schawis to me 1513 Doug. Æn. Comm. iv/1.
Tharfor was gevin consell to August Octavian … that [etc.] 1520 Bk. Carlaverock II. 459.
Geif he ony consell askis me, I sall gef hym the best I can 1549 Compl. 99/29.
This ald Herenius send his ansuer and consel 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 35.
The wicked consellis of sic as provokis Inglismen, and solistis Frensche men to cum in this realme a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxx. 58.
O royell roy, this realme ay rewile be rycht And be wys consell gyd thi maiestie(b) a1400 Leg. S. xii. 225.
He … askyt at hyr hyr consele [MS. cause hale], Quhow he suld do for his sawle-hele Ib. xxx. 154. a1500 Bernardus 200.
To thi frend gef thow sal gef consele, For his profet honowr and awale c1475 Wall. i. 362.
He was wis, and of his conseill gud 1482 Reg. Morton II. 246.
I sall gefe to hyme the best consele I can 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest. viii.
Weil lernit phisicianis, quhais conseill … is baith profitable and necessar

2. A council. 1417 Acts I. 227/2.
Gevyn vnder oure priue seil at Perth in general conseil the xxvj day of Junij 1423 Edinb. Chart. 214.
Yhur symplez sugetis, alderman, baillees and conseel of yhur burgh of Edynburgh c1420 Wynt. vii. 1877 (C).
Sa wes gret consellis seyr Haldyn oft of this mater Brus v. 480.
His consell he assemblit then Ib. xi. 270.
He … callit all his consell preue c1475 Wall. i. 62.
The consell than of Scotland meit hym thar Ib. iv. 11.
A gret consell was sett Into Glaskow 1544 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 199.
The hail consell … ordanit Thomas Menȝeis … to ryd to Dundy to the lordis