A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Pulse, n. [e.m.E. and late ME puls(e (Trevisa, Cath. Angl.), also e.m.E. poulce, poulse, var. of Pous n. conformed to the L.; cf. also F. pouls. Cf. also Punse n.2] The pulse, the beating of the arteries. Sometimes without article. Also in pl.To graip (someone's) pulses to feel someone's pulse, and fig. to try (someone's) puls to try to discover someone's opinion or intentions.(1) 1533 Boece 408b.
[The] spirit … passing fra the harte quhilk be puls of the cordiall vane was deprehendit 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 13.
Frequent puls small & profound 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas i 995.
None her trembling pulses neids to finde(2) 1622 Criminal Trials III 516.
To wit, graipping of the pulses or chaikill-bane and breist quhilk … is the ordiner behauiour vset … be the visitouris of ony patient 1657 Duncan Glasg. Physic. & Surg. 75.
After she had graiped his pulsis shoe told him that his diseas was curable(3) fig. 1677 Lauderdale P. III 89.
But to try their puls and render them inexcusable
