A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1577-1694
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Virginal(l, Virginel(l, n. Also: wirginal(l, -el(l, wirgenel, vergenall, virgnel(l, wirgner. [e.m.E. virgynall (c1500), virgynalles pl. (1530), virginals (1542), virginall (1551), virginal (1638), appar. f. as Virginal adj.] a. A virginal, the musical instrument. In pl., pl. as sing., and coll. use. b. With double, pair. c. attrib. and comb.a. pl. a1578 Pitsc. I 359/12 (I).
Trumpatis schalmes luttis and violes virginallis or pinattis and all vther kynd of instrumentis 1612 Halyb. 333.
Wrests for virginals the groce … vi li.pl. as sing. 1587 Maxwell Mem. II 160.
I spak to ȝow annentis the virgnellis … quhilk pertenis to ȝour brothir 1593 Edinb. B. Rec. V 104.
Mr. Jhonn Chalmer is qualefeyit in the airt of musik and playing upoun the virginallis 1603 Elgin Rec. II 398.
To play wpone all musicall instrumentis and speciallie wirginallis monicordis luit seister c1610 Melville Mem. 124.
[Queen Mary] somtymes wald play vpon lut and virginelis 1613 Breadalbane Lett. (Reg. H.) 7 March.
As for the wirginellis … I haif naine heir that skill of them except the ȝoung laird 1627 Bk. Carlaverock II 91.
Thair is ane of them quha pleyes weill vpon the wirgenelis 1681 Foulis Acc. Bk. 98.
To Lissie to give the man mended the virginalls, £2 16 s.coll. 1640 Kennedy Aberd. Ann. II 135.
[They had teachers under them, and taught both vocal and instrumental music, particularly the] virginall [and] luteb. (1) 1597 Halyb. cxiv.
Virginellis the pair 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 332 (see Pair n. 4).
Virginals 1673 Leith Customs 15.
2 paire of virginells £2 1673 Leith Customs 16.
One paire of virginalls 1673 Leith Customs 23.
One pair vergenalls £1 1680 Foulis Acc. Bk. 46.
A pair virginalls 1694 Inchmahome Pr. 162.
In the hall … ane pair of virginalls(2) 1613 S. Leith Rec. 11/1.
Four scoir marks … for byinge of ane pair of double wirgenels for thair musick scool 1615 Bentinck Dornoch 176.
I will intreat ȝow to send me ane pair of the fynest dowle virginallis ȝe can get for the moneyc. (1) 1593 Edinburgh Testaments XXV 191b.
xlvj hankis of virginall stringis at viij d. the hank 1643 Edinburgh Testaments LX 239.
Sextene dossane of virginell stringes estimat all to iiij lib. xiij s.(2) 1673 Greyfriars Interments 3.
Adam Alexander virginals maker, his wife 1678 Edinb. Marr. 3.
Alexander Adam, virginall-maker 1684 Greyfriars Interments 3.
Adam Alexander wirgnermaker, a child