A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Spectakill, -akle, n. Also: spe(c)kt- and -acle, -acile, -acal, -ekell, -ekle, -ikyll, -ic(k)le, (spektak, spectale). [ME and e.m.E. spectakil (a1340), -acle (a1380), -akele (1423), -akyl (1434), -akill(e (a1540), specktikill (1658), OF spectacle (12th c. in Larousse), L. spectāculum, f. spectāre to look.]
I. With reference to the means of seeing something.
1. A means of seeing, a window, a mirror. Also in fig. context. Cf. Spekle n.(1) 1460 Hay Alex. 15908.
The glas quhaireof was made his habitakil Was far clerere na glas of a spectakill(2) 1492 Myll Spect. 271/2.
Spektakle 1492 Myll Spect. 272/28.
This buk … is intitillit & callit the Spectakle of Luf for in it apperis & schawis sum evillis & myshappis that cummys to men thairthrow as the filth or [sp]ottis of the face schawis in the myrrour of glas 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1492.
This royall relick … Surmounting far in brichtnes, to my dome, The coistlie subtell spectakill [L. spectacle] of Rome Or ȝit the mirrour send to Canace
2. pl. Spectacles worn as an aid to vision; also specif. as used in close or detailed work, as the accurate measurement of very small quantities (quot. for 1637) and the like. Chiefly, const. ane pair of spectacles. Also attrib. in sing. and pl. with cais.(1) 1509–10 Rentale Dunkeld. (SHS) 255.
[Six pairs] lie spectaklis 1597 Edinb. Test. XXX 162b.
Ane pair of specteklis 1598 Lennox Mun. 356.
I … haif coft twa pair spectakillis, with ane kace, for awcht schillingis; thay ar verie few, and evill to be haid in this towne 1664 Household Bks. Archb. Sharp 42.
For 2 pair of spectales [? misreading of MS abbrev. for spectakles] and caice 03 18 00 1716 Household Bk. Gr. Baillie 41.
Spectickles(2) 1579 Edinb. Test. VII 176.
I leif to my gude freind … ane pair of siluer spectakles with ane brasin cais 1610 Edinb. Test. XLVI 172. 1645 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 45.
A pair cristell spectickles with siluer, £10 1653 Edinb. Test. LXVII 9b.
Twa pair of gildet spectekles(3) 1546 Aberd. B. Rec. I 236.
Spectikyllis 1588 Cal. Sc. P. IX 671.
v gross specktekellis of vij l. the gross 1594 Edinb. Test. XXVII 122b.
Sax dosone spektakillis at xv s. the dosone 1597 Bk. Rates 10 b.
Specticlis the dosane, xx s. 1637 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 107.
The essayer … pares the silver til it be of the wecht of xij graynes and puttis it in the ballance quhilk is within a glass or lanterne and quhen the wecht and the siluer aggries precisely without difference of a hair quhilk he espyis be luiking within the lanterne be spectacles then [etc.] 1689 Foulis Acc. Bk. 106.
To the boy … for safer of my spectacles and silver caise, 14 s. 1695 Foulis Acc. Bk. 180.
For 2 glasses and in puting for spectacles £1 10 s. 1697 Cramond Ch. Ordiquhill 6.
He … is now at Edinburgh, & makes spectacles sett in leatherattrib. 1594 Edinb. Test. XXVII 122b.
Sex dosone of spektakill caisis at x s. the dosone 1597 Edinb. Test. XXXI 52.
Sex dussone of spectacles caisis estimat to xxxvj s.
3. A sight; an event or state of affairs invoking ridicule, scorn, sorrow, etc. in spectators; a person attracting attention of this sort. Also to mak a spectakle (off).(1) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Luke xxiii 48.
Al the pepile of thame that war thare togiddir at this spectacile [P. spectacle; Vulg. spectaculum] [sc. the Crucifixion] and saw tha thingis that war done, strake thar breestis, and turnit agane a1538 Abell 43b.
Thai come till hir chalmir and fand in bed with hir in harmes ane wglie and horrible monsture. Mony ran to se that spectakill 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 2.
Nouther is it necessarie to put in wryting … thay thingis [sc. examples of the queen's behaviour towards the king], quhilk thay wer than as a spectakle notit of all mennis eyis sa now as a fresch image, thay remane imprentit in al mennis hartis 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 65.
Thair follow … the ancient enemies to his fatheris hous … that thay alswa micht feid thair eyis with that woful spectakle [sc. the king at death's door], and quhais deith at hand thay luikit for 1603 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 19 Feb.
The counsall house being drawin about the wallis in the lyme thairof, draughts of spectaklis, in derisioun of the counsall c1615 Chron. Kings 110.
Thay fand the king lyand in the ȝaird … The kingis body, efter it had bein ane lang tyme ane spectacal, wes careyit to the paleise 1661 Elgin Rec. II 300.
Margrat Murray … did most wickedly curse his wyffe [and] within ane werie schort space efter shoe turned ane pitifull spectakill and died(2) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Heb. x 33.
Ye war made a spectacile be despitis and tribulatiouns 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 260.
To the peple wes maid ane spectakle Off my dede and deformit carioun
b. In the public spectakill, in the public view, able to be seen publicly.1566 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 81.
The said Paul … sall come to the kirk doore … clad in sackcloath … and there remaine whill he be brocht into the sermoun, and placeit in the public spectakill above the peiple in tyme of every sermon
4. A specially arranged display or pageant, as part of a celebration, prepared with the intention of entertaining the public.1533 Boece 267b.
Throw all the realme spectakis and playis war maid, … that all the pepill suld attanis be glade and thank Almychty God for this glorios victorie
5. An apparition conjured up by witchcraft, a vision.1591 Crim. Trials I ii 253.
Sche wes daylie and nychtlie trublit with terribill spektacles and visiounis, … quhilk visiounis man haif procedit of your dewilisch airt of wichcraft
6. An illustrative example of something.1567 G. Ball. 90.
O Lord quha sall in heuin dwell with thé? … The innocent, that is ane spectakill Of haly lyfe and conuersatioun [etc.] 1632 Lithgow Trav. x 489.
When the starres of great states decline … and [are] made the deplored-for spectacles of the inconstancy of fortune
