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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.

Consail, -sale, -sal, n. Also: -saile, -saill(e, -sayle, -sall(e. [ME. consail, -seil, -seyl (c 1290), OF. conseil, L. consilium and concilium. Cf. Counsail n. and Consel n.]

1. Counsel, advice.(a) 1375 Barb. vii. 546 (E).
This consaill thoucht thaim wes the best Ib. xix. 766.
In hy to consaill gan thai ta, That thai wald folow thaim no mar 1389 Charter (Reg. H.).
Our lettres of consail & comandement … to the forsaid Schir Iames to gyve tha landes to borch c1420 Wynt. ii. 730.
Thai sayde it wes thare wylle, And full consaylle thai gawe thar tylle 1426 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 201.
Quthir be help and consaile of the said Dauy or vtherwyse c1460 Thewis Wysmen 93.
He heris consaill radely, And al with consail dois glaidly c1475 Wall. iii. 38.
In Rycardtoun he wald no langer byde, For freindis consaill Ib. v. 617. 1506 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 693.
We … sal kep his … consail & secret schewin to me or him fra all vitnes 1551 Prot. Bk. W. Corbet 19.
To geiff to hyr halff all the gwiddis … geiff scho gyiddis weill and dois his consail(b) 1385 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. 410/2.
With consale of the forsayde curt and noblis … , it was giffyn for dome [etc.] c1420 Wynt. ii. 745.
He sone inclynyd to thare consale Ib. iv. 306.
Ay till hym he wes rebel In were, and in all consale felle 1461 Liber Plusc. 384.
Thow man … Off wyt and wysdome, of consale and of reed 1463 Liber Aberbr. 131.
For help … and consale of the said byschop of Brechyn 1490 Acta Conc. 153/2.
To … vnderly the consale, ordinance, and deliuerance of thir lordis vnderwrittin 1513 Doug. xi. vii. 113.
O douchty kyng, thou axis consale, said he 1523 Bk. Carlaverock II. 460.
I sal concele his consale gif he ony schawis to me(c) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 822.
My consall is, That thu in this cunctre duell still c1420 Wynt. iv. 940.
Be the consalle … And queyntyse off Temystocles, All othire wayis thare fortowne wes 1432 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii. 44.
The said Schir Thomas … sall wytht … his traual and his consall be in the helping … of the said Willȝam in his rychtwis causis a1447 Bower II. 344.
Till ald mennis consall tak gud hede; Reboam his kyngdam lesit, Ȝonge mennis consall for he chesit 1517 Bk. Carlaverock II. 456.
I sall … geif him the best conesall I can, and he ask it 1533 Gau 12/5.
Thay … quhilk wsis wich craft … or takis consal at thayme quhilk wsis siclik 1535 Stewart 34041.
Laulie and meik and of consall rycht gude a1578 Pitsc. I. 43/17.
Sum men … gaue consall that nane of them sould enter at that tyme in the castell of Edinburgh

2. A council; a set or body of advisers.(a) 1375 Barb. v. 481 (E).
His consaile be assemblyt then, And with assent off hys consaill He sent til Ar 1398 Acts I. 211/2.
As his consail beande with hym in the tyme wil avow & ansuer for before the kyng & his consail general c1420 Wynt. v. 1701 (C).
A gret consail he gert be Haldyn withe solempnyte 1466 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 396.
[The] forsaide lordis … sal meit … in the Castel of Stryuelyng in presens of our Soueran lordis consail c1475 Wall. viii. 1500.
The consaill sone a condeyt gaiff him till 1533 Boece viii. xi. 273 b.
How in ane generall consaill the Pelagiane heresy was rescindit(b) a1400 Leg. S. xii. 402.
In-to thare consale thai hyme brocht 1419 Wemyss Chart. 44.
We sum tyme bygane warre present in a consale amang vthyr prelatys, erlys, and baronys 1449 Acts II. 37/1.
It is ordanit that justice clerkis reueil nocht to na persone his accion … withoute commandiment of the King or the consale 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 46.
To ane passande in the North with lettres for the generale consale twiching the Archbischop 1492 Acta Conc. 250/1.
To call before thaim the alderman, bailȝeis, consale and comunite of the burgh of Aberden 1510 Reg. Privy S. I. 319/1.
It is fundin be the lordis of consale that the saidis landis has been in his handis [etc.] 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 156.
Thair wes ane consale haldin in Aphric(c) c1420 Wynt. v. 1715.
A gret consalle he gert be Haldyn wyth solempnyte 1450 Acta Conc. II. Introd. 14.
Gif ony persone geris summonde ane uthir befor the king and his consal c1475 Wall. x. 600.
Out fra thair men in consalle ar thai gane 1522 Fife Sheriff Ct. 175.
We & our lordis of our consal in our name will adnull his saidis proces a1578 Pitsc. I. 175/23.
They … brocht him to the consall and hangit all his servandis … befoir his eine Ib. 246/23.
This ambassadouris passit away to France at the king of Inglandis and consallis command 1604 Breadalbane Lett. (Reg. H.) 24 June.
Eftir my hame cuming out of the Lawland, quhair I conferrit with my lorde chancellor and certane of the consall 1615 Dunferm. B. Rec. 65*.
The provest, baillies, and consall of the burgh of Dumfermeling

b. Attrib. with house. 1495 Acta Conc. 382/1.
Marchmond … askit ane not that he wes remouit furth of the consale house