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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Reconsal(l, -sel(l, v. Also: reconn-, recun- and -saill, -seil, -cel, -ceil(l, -ceyl, -ciel, -ceall, -ceal(e; racunsal. [ME reconseyl (14th c.), -saille (c1450), OF reconseiller, -celier. Cf. Reconcil(e v.]

1. tr. To bring (a person) back into right or friendly relations (to (til) or with (another)).(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 719.
Fadyr, wele wat we We haf mysdone … Bot now reconsel ws hyme til c1520-c1535 Nisbet 2 Cor. v 19.
God was in Crist, reconnceland [W. reconcilynge, P. recounselynge] to him the warlde Arundel MS 281/96.
The Fathir, to quhom I beseik thé for to reconnsall me 1679 J. Somerville Mem. II 365.
Ther prince had a fairer oppertunitie to reconceall themselves to him(2) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Ep. Ald Test. xx 5.
Lo the gret preest quhilk pleisit to God … And in the tyme of wrathfulnes he was reconnsaland 1533 Gau 42/31.
We war inimis with God bot now we ar reconsalit be the deid of his Sone 1551 Hamilton Cat. 154.
He deit … to reconsal us and bring us agane in the favour of His Father eternal 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 84b (Table).
Quha hes waged … battell betwixt them, may not be reconcealed without the king's licence

b. reflex. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 70.
Quha that … heris the word of God diligentlie, reconseilis thame self to God and thair nychbour 1559–60 M. Napier Mem. J. Napier 66.
Reconsall you with your husband

c. passive, without specified agent.(a) 1533 Bell. Livy I 255/14.
Thocht the trubil … be pecifijt, and the pepill reconseld to the faderis 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary I 92.
Sum of thame upon submissioun and humill sute wer reconceylit to us a1578 Pitsc. I 20/17.
Thair was na plaice almeist to be reconceilled with his onfreindis 1597 Misc. Spald. C. II lx.
The Erle Huntlie tuk young Drum be the hand, and is with him reconceilit c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxxv 94.
I am … Evin with thai godheid reconseild 1628 Dundonald Par. Rec. 257.
He was not reconcealed with Alexander Rainkein who had offended and injured him 1660 Nicoll Diary 274.
Generall Monk did thaireftir repent him of this deid. … Quhairfoir his desyre wes to be reconcealit to the citie(b) 1531 Bell. Boece II 317.
[He] was recunsaled [M. reconnsalit] to King Hary 1577–8 Inverness Rec. I 260.
To be banneist of this burcht to the tyme thai be recunsalit wyth the prowest [etc.]

2. To bring back, restore, to readmit (a person). Also to a. his allegiance, b. the church.a. 1375 Barb. ix 740.
Thou has a quhill renyit thi fay, Bot thou reconsalit now mon be 1522 Grey Friars 74.
Sen the said George was reconsalit and optenit our souerane lordis remissionb. a1400 Leg. S. xxx 697.
He hyr reconsalyt & brocht in, & remytit hyre al hyr syne 1551 Hamilton Cat. 172.
That na Jew [etc.] … sall be saif, bot gif he be reconsalit to the same kirk a1650 Row 26.
He being excommunicated, … before he wes reconcealed to the Kirk, relaxed and absolved 1660 S. Ronaldshay 29.
[Adam Smyth … was] reconceilled

c. ? Only in Dundee: To readmit to, or allow to continue as a member of, a community after a penalty for wrong-doing has been exacted. 1521 Dundee B. Ct. I fol. 33 (7 June).
Ordanit for punestoun that he sall be … bannest the town for ȝer & day or ellis to be reconsalit be xl s. to be pait to the kirk werk 1559 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 18.
Guif they be reconcealed to com again to this brugh and thairafter failȝes … to incur the pain that [etc.]

3. To restore (a person) to a privilege, favour, etc. 1549 Elgin Rec. I 98.
The baillies … hes reconsalit William Vardan to his fredoum 1552 Corr. M. Lorraine 362.
Travailinge to be reconcielede to the favour of my own naturall realme a1578 Pitsc. I 54/10.
The earle wes laborand werie deliegentlie to reconceill his sone [etc.] … to the auld freindscheip Ib. 85/20.
The king … reconsellit sic ane wnhappie man to his favour

b. To restore (a person's) favour to one. — 1609 Hume Admonit. in Misc. Wodrow Soc. 585.
That … the prince's wrathe mycht be appeazed … and his unfainȝed favour reconcealed

4. To bring back together or restore (estranged persons or parties) to amity. 1531 Bell. Boece I 8.
Thir two partis had all uterlie distroit othir, war not thay war reconseld [M. reconsalit] togiddir be ane nobill man 1582 St. A. Kirk S. 477.
Thai ar all … in the luif and feir of God reconcelit togidder 1614 Lanark B. Rec. 121.
Scho reqweistis me … to sie give I could do anie thing to get them reconseilit 1631 Justiciary Cases I 167.
Robert Hammiltoun … quha was cairfull to haif thame reconceillet 1667 Stitchill Baron Ct. 49.
Arbiters chosen be ilke pairty and to settle, agree and reconceall [pr. reconce all] them

5. To settle (a quarrel) by bringing about agreement between the parties concerned. ?1545 Corr. M. Lorraine 133.
Gif the varyance betuix my lord Ruthven [etc.] … and the lord Gray [etc.] … mycht be reconsalit ?1549 Ib. 318.
Madem … now reconsaill this caus, … dysyr tham [sc. Huntly & Argyll] to speik wyth the lord Ruthven [etc.] 1575 Wemyss Corr. 74.
Feid betux tua nobill hous that, eventour, wald nocht be reconsallit agane 1580 Inverness Rec. I 287.
Vnto the tyme that the said deidlie feid war recunsalit that [etc.] 1595 Cal. Sc. P. XII 49.
[The matter betwixt Mar and his neighbours is not like to] reconsell

6. To advise or persuade (a person) to a specific course of action.See also Reconsalling vbl. n. 1568 Lanark B. Rec. 41.
The cunsall … thocht maist expedient that thai wald elect and cheis thair provest [etc.] … thair selfis be thair awin voittis, and nocht to be racunsalet tharto be nather provest nor bailleis

7. intr. To become reconciled. 1608 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 60.
Archibald Boyd … presentlie reconcelit and choppit handis with hir 1675 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS 22 Nov.
And to reconceill and aggrie if they can