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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Kavil(l, Kavel(l, n.¹ Also: kawyl, kawell, kaivel. [Var. of Cavill n.¹ Cf. also Kevill. n.]

1. a. A piece of wood used in casting lots. b. A lot that is cast.(1) 1428 Liber Melros 521.
The said abbote & the said lorde of Haliburton tuke twa kavillis [pr. kabillis] & brocht me thaim & I kest thaim, the tane to the son, the tothir to the schadow & thus it [the land] was departit 1513 Doug. iii. v. 82.
Thou suffert no kut nor kavillys cast for thé Ib. v. ix. 10.
In a helm of steill Thar kavillys haue thai castyn 1533 Bell. Livy I. 121/16 n (B).
Thir two brethir … keist kawellis amang thame twa, quhilk of thame [etc.](2) 1513 Doug. i. viii. 27.
Gif dowt fallis tharby, Be cut or kavill that pled sone partit was Ib. ii. iv. 6.
Laocon … chosyn by kavill onto that ilk office 1640 Misc. Spald. C. V. 227.
The hail tennents … obleigis thame to bring ther men as hes fallin to them be kavellis

2. A division or share (of land, a fishing, etc.) assigned by lot. 1459 Rep. Hist. MSS., Varr. Coll. V. 82.
Jhon the Lelman sal tak Ectour of Meldrum kawyl as he is oblyst and sworn to do … has it war is awyn … , becaus thar was na nothyr that wald resaff is kawyl and he was absent in the tym hym self 1570 Lanark B. Rec. 48.
For to haf ilk persone thair kavil [pr. kavie] of certein of the muir quhilkis the provest [etc.] … hes sechtet and bundet c1650 Spalding I. 294.
Thay gat about threttie chalderis of vittl and siluer rent out of the bischopis kavell, consisting of thrie cobles on the water of Done, and vther rentis out of the samen water

3. Rendering Latin sors. a. The response of an oracle. b. One's lot or condition in life. 1513 Doug. iv. vii. 31.
The kavillys [L. sortes] of Lycia 1596 Dalr. I. 212/13.
The Britonis willing to cast aff thair kaiuel and sair tyred to keip it langre [L. suæ sortis pertæsi], to be trubitaries to the confiderat Kingis