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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.

Boull, Bowl, n.¹ Also: boul(e, bowll, bouell, bowall, booll; bulle, bwill. [ME. boul(e, bowl, OF. boule.]

1. One of the balls used in the game of bowls. Also pl., the game itself.See also allay, playing, port, roll (or row) boull. 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 339 b.
The ȝoung noblis … suld tak thar play … in the hand bow … and nocht in bowlis, fut ball, or sic playis 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 332.
To the King to play at the lang bowlis 1552 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 172.
Gif ye sall grant to me … ane penny of … bowlis and wther pastymes a1500 Doug. K. Hart. 924.
He gart me ryn full rakles … At ball and boull 1533 Boece x. xiij. 380 b.
Ȝoung men … in casting the bar, the boull, the dart, or in archery suld be exercit 1596 Elgin Rec. II. 46.
Comperit Walter Hay, … accusit for playing at the boulis and golff upoun Sondaye in the tym of the sermon 1597 Ib. 51.
Playing … at the bouells 1599 Ib. 74.
Playing at the bowallis 1652 Lindores Abbey 211.
Who sall be deprehended … playing at the bowlls … upon the sabbath 1668 Rec. Old Aberd. I. 113.
That no persone … goe … to play at the bulleis … naither sall len nor hyre bulleis to any uther 1696 Foulis Acc. Bk. 193.
To the garners lads caried in the grass and lifted the boulls 1701 Ib. 291.
Lost at boullsfig. 1696 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. ix. 100.
If I once have footing here, boulls will roll strangely but I shall be in a capacity of being of some use to you

b. Attrib. with maill (rent, hire). 1674 Lauder Journal 272.
Of boull maill, 6 pence 1694 Foulis Acc. Bk. 166; 1701 Ib. 291.
For boull maill

2. A ball or globe. 1549 Compl. 33/5.
Epicurius said that the varld is ronde lyik ane boule Ib. 54/33.
The mune is ane thik masse, round lyik ane boule or bal a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxv. 52.
Tua tuins of clene virginitie, Like boullis of alabast 1603 Philotus lxi.
With bwillis of Indian ebur … ȝour papis for the prioritie dois stryue 1610 Hilderstoun Silver Mines II. 108.
For making of ane boull and turning of it to James Achesone to row his taist [= test] with 1632 Mun. Univ. Glasg. III. 484.
For cullouring of the cock and the boull 1656 Ib. 500.
For altering the booll of the steapell