A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Spittil(l, Spattill, n. Also: spittle, spattel, -le, spettill, -le. [ME and e.m.E. spotle (Ancr. R.), spatel (a1240), spatill (c1400), spetil (1422), spyttle (Caxton), spittle (1577), OE spátl, spǽtl, MLG spêdel.] Spittle, saliva, spit. Freq. with reference to its use, in the sixteenth century, in the sacrament of baptism.(a) ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 168.
Vile seruandis of Pylot … powand ȝour blist mouth with thair wile handis, and syne spewand in it the maist foule stinkand spattill 1551 Hamilton Cat. 190.
The minister takis his spattel and unctis the barnis neysthirles and the eiris, to signifie that a Christin man suld have ane sweit savoir 1560 Acts II 533/1.
Oyle, salt, spattill and sic lyke in baptisme ar bot mennis inuentiounis 1560 Bk. Disc. 187.
In baptisme, we acknawlege nothing to be used except the element of wattir onlie … Quhairfoir, quhosoevir presumeth in baptisme to use oyle, salt, wax, spattill, conjuratioun, or croceing, accuseth the perfyte institutioun of Christ Jesus of imperfectioun 1558-66 Knox II 116.
Spattle(b) c1520-c1535 Nisbet John ix 6.
Quhen He had said thir thingis, He spittit into the erd, and made clay of the spettill, and anoyntit the clay on his een 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 31/17.
Christ by clay & spettle wrought together, opened the eies of the blynd man(c) 1567 Acts (1597) ii 8b.
Spittill 1587 Carmichael Etym. 32.
Spittil 1629 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 40.
Ye get scarce liberty to swallow down your spittle 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1681) ii 20.
He … having cleans'd his beard from spittle … cryes [etc.]
