A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Grils(e, n. Also: grillis(se, gryls(e, grels. [Late ME. grils(e, grill(e)s (1417), of unknown origin; cf. Grissill and Girls. In early use app. chiefly northern Eng. and Sc.] A young salmon. Freq. as collective pl.1398 Acts I. 209/1.
Solvet nomine custume pro quolibet salmone vnum denarium et pro duobus grels vnum denarium 1431 Exch. R. IV. 536.
Trium lastarum et duorum barrellium … de grilse 1441 Ib. V. 105.
Viginti duas parvas barrellas de grylse vel salmonum 1448 Ib. 325.
De … xxij barillibus de grilsis vel salmonum salsorum Ib.
xxij barillia de grillis 1469 Acts II. 96/2.
Salmonde, grils, and trowtis 1522 Reg. Cupar A. I. 303.
Thre dusane of auld salmond fych and twa dusane of grils 1549 Banff Ann. I. 23.
Personis sall not tak na kynd of fysche, gryls, and salmond at thair awne hand 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 22.
That na man take fisch or take salmond or salmon trouts, grilsis, in forbidden time
