A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Wildfoul, Wyld fowle, n. Also: wilde foule, wyld foull, -fowill. Pl. wild fowles, wyld foul(l)is, -foulls, -fowlis, wylde foulys. [ME and e.m.E. wyldefoule (Piers Plowman), wildefowle (Shakespeare).] A wild bird, chiefly pl. or coll., game birds.sing. 1456 Hay I 278/1.
Quhasa ever may first tak wilde foule, or fysch, or wylde beste in the wilderness, it is hispl. c1400 Troy-bk. i 276.
Wyld fowlis feill reparit thare, As of ryvere and vthyr kynd As in syk places men may fynd 1456–7 Acts II 51/2.
Anentis the keping of birdis and wylde foulys that ganis to eit … as pertrikis, pluvaris [etc.] a1500 Sir Eger 2223.
Dight spits and then laid the rosts to, Both of wild fowles, and als of tame 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II 13.
All maner of selling of wyld foulis or tayme, cvnyngis, or vther syk lyk stuff 1540–1 Treas. Acc. VII 422.
[That] na man hunt haris nor schute with culveringis at wyld fowlis in Lothyane 1576 Reg. Privy C. II 514.
The derth … of wyld fowlis dalie incressis—cheiflie becaus the same ar slayne and the eggis tint c1580-90 Rules of Health.
Lat all ȝour ladyschipis meittis be … lychtt … as … the tender flessis of hennis … and all vthir small birdis & wyldfowlis in vse to be etin 1615–16 Dumbarton Common Gd. Acc. 8.
The slaying of vennisoun and wyldfoulls 1626 Misc. Maitl. C. I 466.
The abbuse of this materiall kirk be wyld foullis, namelie the howllatt, quha enteris thairincoll. 1494 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 67.
All maner of wyld fowle brocht … to sell that the sellaris thairof putt thame oppinly to the merkett c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 190/19.
Vennesoun, wyld fowill, wyne and spyce 1598 Reg. Privy C. V 507.
Wyld foull c1641–54 J. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 530.
There is … plentie of wildfoul specially wild geess
