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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Bell, Bel, n.¹ [ME. bel, bell(e, OE. belle.]

1. A bell.See also commoun, dede, hand, sacring, skellat bell. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 888.
Scho gert in haste the bellis rynge c1450-2 Howlat 765.
Claryonis lowde knellis, Portatiuis, and bellis c1475 Wall. ii. 223.
Compleyne also, yhe birdis, blyth as bellis a1500 Bernardus 321.
Litile doggis and messanys with thar bellis a1500 Prestis of Peblis 469.
With club and bel and partie cote with eiris He feinȝeit him ane fule 1506 Treas. Acc. III. 359.
For xxx dosan of bellis for dansaris c1500-c1512 Dunb. vi. 107.
I will na preistis for me sing. … Na ȝit na bellis for me ring 1531 Bell. Boece I. 75.
Sa huge nois rais be reird and sowne of bellis, that hang on thair bardingis, that the ennimes war affrait 1535 Stewart 22016.
He … ordand … ane mes for to be sung Solempnitlie, and all the bellis rung 1552 Treas. Acc. X. 125.
To Iohnne Mosman, to gilt ane silver bell of my lord governouris 1553 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 338.
For rynging of the bellis all nycht on Salmes evin a1578 Pitsc. II. 124/18.
Na man mycht for the eirdine heir ane vthir for bellis, gunis and trumpatis 1598 Elgin Rec. II. 69.
They [= mummers] haid a lad playand upon banis and bells with thame 1647 Peebles B. Rec. 382.
The silver bell of Pebles with tua litle bellis and eight pendicles thairat

b. Coupled with buke in ecclesiastical use. a1400 Leg. S. xix. 114.
He … in gret thank his seruice tuke, But ony aythe one bel or buke c1420 Wynt. vii. 3018.
Cursyd wyth buk and bell a1500 Rauf C. 533.
I am knawin with the Quene … be buikis and bellis c1500-c1512 Dunb. lviii. 23.
Swa thai the kirk haue in thair cure, Thay fors bot litill … of the buikis, nor bellis quha rang thame 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 297.
Reasing the devill with invocationes, With herbis, stanes, buikis and bellis

c. Used for giving public notice or for striking the hour. 14.. Acts I. 92*/2.
When the lytill bell is rungin thro the tovn, than the bell in the bell-hous salbe rungin thris [to summon the guild] 1480 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 37.
That … the bell pas throw the toune and warne all the nichtbouris thairto in the tolbuith a1500 Seven S. 1145.
With that the bell rang sone on ane. The chak wache has Ysak tane c1500-c1512 Dunb. v. 31.
Scho come againe to hevinnis ȝet, quhen the bell rang 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 13.
The bel sal ryng to the medicinis lesson, quha sal reid on to ix houris 1566 Crim. Trials I. i. 479.
Being in his bed the 9th Febr. at twa in the bell after midnycht 1608 Kinghorn Kirk S. 11.
Issobell Stewin … was ordanit to present hirselfe … at the kirk door … & to stand thair betuix the second and third bell

d. In allusive or figurative uses. 1536 Lynd. Answ. Flyting 39.
Quharefor be war with dowbling of the bellis 1573 Sat. P. xxxix. 8; Ib. 16.
Lend vs ane bourrouing of ȝour auld blak bellis [= cannon]

2. To bere the bell, to hold the foremost place; to rank above all others. 1535 Stewart 27007.
The fair ladie of all bewtie but blame Into Britane that tyme scho buir the bell c1550 Rolland C. Venus iii. 114.
Gawine Dowglas … Into his dayis abone all buir the bell Id. Seven S. Prol. a ij 20.
In vulgar toung he bure the bell that day 1568 Pref. Lyndesay ii.
Thocht Kennedie and Dunbar bure the bell, For the large race of Rethorik thay ran a1585 Maitl. Q. lxviii. 60.
For thy wallis thik & strang Thow iustlie beiris the bell 1596 Dalr. II. 128/13.
The king, … als we speik, ay brocht away the palme, ay bure the bel, and ay wan the victorie a1598 Ferg. Prov. 60.]
[It is a sillie flock where the ȝowe bears the bell

3. Attrib. with akyr, custume, silver, stok, tour.Bell akyr, bell custume(s, prob. denote land and custom-dues applied to the upkeep of a bell. 1501 Acta Conc. MS. XI. 3 b.
Ane aker of land callit the bell akyr Ib.
Concernyng the sade bell akyr of land — 1591–2 Misc. Spald. C. V. 116.
To rais lettres … agains Patrik Leslye, for the bell custume 1592–3 Ib. 117.
The bell and small custumes 1608–9 Ib. 85.
To varne the towne to heir the bell costume rowpit 1641 Acts V. 510/2.
The bell customes, small customes, toll and otheres customes — 1596 Elgin Rec. II. 43.
To assist the officiar to poynd the tennents of Pluscarden anent the bell silver - 1591 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 428.
This bell stok wes maid off ane auld schipps balk — 1558 Rentale Dunkeld. 354.
Ane slott to the fore chalmer and bell ture durris; … tua slottlokis to the bell ture