A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Scudlar, -er, n. Also: skudlar, skuddiller. [f. early OF *escudeler, later escuelier, f. *escudele, escuele (mod. F. écuelle), L. scutella a pan. Also in the later Sc. dial.]
1. A servant who carried out the most menial tasks in a kitchen or for an army; a scullion; an unskilled servant; a drudge.c1475 Wall. v 1027.
Thai … fand no ma Excep wemen and sympill serwandis twa. In the kyching scudleris lang tyme had beyne 1531 Bell. Boece II 388.
[150,000] fute-men … And, by this, wes infinite noumer of scudlaris and cariage men [L. calonum ac lixarum] 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Lixa, a scullion, or scudler, ‘calo’ 1596 Dalr. I 196/11.
The skuddilleris and kitchine boyes and a fewe suddartis … invade the ennimies 1699 Foulis Acc. Bk. 265.
To the scudler thair 6 s. 6 d.
2. One regarded as a worthless member of society; ? one who lives on his wits, ? a parasite, ? a scrounger.1531 Bell. Boece I 179 (see also Balfour Pract. 678.)
He [sc. Argadus] commandit al scudlaris, tavernaris, dronkartis [L. Lixas, cupidinarios, popinones] and othir siclike vile pepill, devisit more for lust than ony necessar sustenance of men, to be exilit 1531 Bell. Boece II 163 (see also Balfour Pract. 680).
All vagaboundis, fulis, bardis, scudlaris [L. scurras] and all siclik idill pepill, sal be brint on the cheik 1531 Bell. Boece II 121.
Scudlaris 1622-6 Bisset I 42/34.
Skudlaris c1638 Bk. Pasquils 57.
From horsruber, scudler, scold and hagge, Tinker, treulerd, slouene and sluit … the Lord deliuer us
3. As a name for a dog.c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 92.
Pray Luffra, Scudlar, and Baute, Of me, Bagsche, to haue pitie
