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.
Wis(s)el(l, Wissil, n. Also: vissell, -ill, wishell, wyschell. [e.m.E. whystyll (1489), MLG wissele, wessele, MDu. wissel, ON vixl.]
1. A building used by merchants for the transaction of business, an exchange. b. comb. c. attrib.? A book for recording transactions.1496 Halyb. 99.
In August … he set me in the vissell 40 li. 1497 Halyb. 141.
Rassauit in the vissill fra Jacob de Mair … 10 li. 10 s. 1499 Halyb. 173.
xv lycht crounis. Sald tham in the wissil off Brugis for … 3 li. 6 s. 5.b. 1586–7 Dundee Treas. Acc.
Payit for spargen of the wiselhousc. 15…
Aberd. B. Rec. MS XIX (Jam. s.v. Wischell-buik n.).
Ane wyschell buik
2. The changing (of coin). Also, to mak wishell, to change money. b. To give (someone) wissel of their groat, to give someone their just deserts.1602 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 420.
Thomas Muir … to pey to William Smith vj s. viij d. quhilk he vantit of the vissell of ane auchmerkpece 1662 Edinb. B. Rec. IX 292.
That no inhabitant … presume or take upon hand to refuise the saidis doubles or doytts to passe for a penny apeice in commoun change of money … ather in buithes changehousses or mercatts for commoun passage and wissell 1662 Glasgow B. Rec. II 485.
The … magistratis … taking to their consideratioune the great truble … that is amongst neighboures for want of copper monye to mak wishell, and the great scruple made at the receaving of doytis, for remeid quherof they doe … ordaine, that twa doytis sall pas for twa pennies Scotisb. 1658 R. Moray Lett. 189.
It were no hard matter to give you wissel of your groat for my not hearing from you this last post
