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.
Misell, Missel(l, Missale, a. Also: missaell, mysel(l, -ale, myssell, -ele, -ale, -aell. [Sc. var., ? with late vowel-shortening, of Mesell a.: cf. also ME. (appar. uncommon) misel, mys(s)el.] Leprous.a1400 Leg. S. xxv. 45.
This Julyane … was mysale [L. leprosus] bot God hyme gafe Hele of body Ib. 425.
Myssele c1575 Balfour Pract. 131.
Na lipper nor missell folk sall enter within the town
b. absol. as collect. noun. —a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 546.
As he com in that land Sewin myssale vgly he fand Ib. xxxvi. 366.
& missale are clene mad alsa
c. As a term of abuse, common in Inverness. (So also in ME. and e.m.E. and 18th c. Eng. dial. of Exmoor.) Cf. Mes(e)lie a.In the extant Sc. instances applied to women.1565 Inverness Rec. I. 128.
The said William … callit hyr blay ribald missaell lipper hwyr 1571–2 Ib. 212. 1575 Ib. 243.
[Calling her] glangoir, myssaell, lypper carles geit scho was 1608 Paisley B. Rec. 285.
Agnes Nesbit slanderit … the said Elizabithe … utterand the words following … ‘Thou art ane tryet lurdane’, and ‘ane missel lurdane’
d. transf. to fish and swine and their flesh. [Cf. Mesell a. 1 b, Misellit ppl. a. and Lipper a. 1 (3).](1) 15..
Aberd. B. Rec. MS. XV. 656 (Jam.).
Ane mysell swyne 1535–6 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 128.
Becaus the said David sald and vpheld thaim [two swine] haill and wnfalte stuf quhilkis war falty and myssell 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 102.
Mysell or corrupted swine sould not be sauld —1556 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 29 Oct. (see Lowand-ill n.).
Mysell bakin [= bacon](2) c1575 Balfour Pract. 582.
Missel fish
e. attrib. in mysal hous. —1456 Hay II. 28/15.
To byrn mysal housis
