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.
Cruell(e)s, Crowel(l)s, n. pl. Also: crwells. [F. écrouelles.] The king's evil, scrofula.1599 Maxwell Mem. 42.
The Q. hath tills day cured the crowells 1629 Boyd Balm of Gilead 70.
There he will set down a squinacie, crowels, or boils 1657 Balfour Ann. IV. 360.
The Kings Ma'tie … healte 100 persons of the cruelles, or Kings eiuell 1643 Cupar Presb. 15.
He, as the seventh sonne of a woman, touches for cureing the cruells 1660 Lamont Diary 122.
Lady Balcleuch (who had the cruells in hir arme) … was touched by his Maj. a1721 Wodrow Hist. (1722) II. 445.
His right hand and right knee broke out in a running sore, commonly called the cruels
