A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Mail(l, n.1 Also: mail(l)e, mayle, male. [ME.(c 1330) and e.m.E. mail(e, maill(e, mayll(e, e.m.E. also male (1588).] = Mailȝe n.1 Also comb. with harnes.(1) 1456 Hay II. 46/4.
The haubert … is maid of mony syndry pecis as of maillis c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 1868.
And als at his hawbrek and at his chanmall Ane perle … hang at euerie male(2) c1420 Wynt. iv. 2283.
That kyng … Thai knewe welle be his habyrjowne Wytht gylt mayle [v.rr. mailȝeis, malȝeis] 1456 Hay I. 142/27.
Bathe armouris as platis and maille c1475 Wall. v. 149.
[He] By the gude mayle … his crag bayne In sondyr straik Ib. x. 426.
Hym selff hewy cled in to plait off maill a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 684.
Quhill clowis of clene maill Hoppit out as the haill Ib. 928. 1494 Loutfut MS. 46 a.
Hosis of mail 1508 Treas. Acc. IV. 25.
For vj quartaris fustian to the Kingis maill c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 152. a1500 Lanc. 2647. 1513 Doug. ii. viii. 55.
Inran … in schynyng plait and mail [Sm. maile, R. plate of male] Pyrrus Ib. xii. ii. 95. 1532 Treas. Acc. VI. 88. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9539.
Quhill plait and maill all into flenders flew(3) 1575 Edinb. Test. III. 352 b.
Five pund & ane half of maillis price of the pund iiij s. iiij d. 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 321.
Mailleis the pund weght, vj s.(4) comb. 1474 Treas. Acc. I. 23.
Gevin for a male harnes to the King … iij li.
