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.
Nirl(e)s, -eis, Nirrilis, n. [In the mod. dial. as nirles, nurls.Taken to be a plur. of mod. Sc. nirl small knot or lump, fragment, crumb, though the latter appears only much later (but cf. Nirlend).]
A disease characterized by inflamed pustules, a rash; once appar. applied to measles.a1605 Montg. Flyt. 319 (T).
Nippit with the nirrilis [v.r. nirleis] 1637 Breadalbane Lett. No. 677.
At the tyme ȝe think the nirles is falling vpon him againe 1638 Johnston Diary I. 326.
Hearing of James taiking the nirles a1646 Wedderburn Voc. (1709) 13.
Morbilli, the nirles 1658 Breadalbane Lett. No. 907.
I did fall so sick of the missills or nirls vpon my mariage 1685 Nimmo Narr. 79.
