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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pile, Pyle, n.³ Also: pyll, peill. [ME. and e.m.E. pyl (Gower), pile (Lydgate), pyell (1523), pyle the side of a coin opposite to the ‘cross’ or face, also, once, in this sense (Cotgrave, rendering F. pile), AF. pile (1300), OF. pile (12th c. in Littré) a small upright pillar used in stamping metal, cf. Pile,n.², med. L. pila, id.] The ‘pile’ or under-iron of the apparatus used in minting coins, also in imprinting trade-marks.From the die on its surface was made the impression on the cloth or on the reverse or ‘pile’ side of the coin.(1) 1558 Old Dundee II. 330.
The maisters of the walker craft … grantit … that they had receivit of the town their marks engravit in pylis and tursellis of irne respective to be put to all claith to be dichtit be them 1562–3 Reg. Privy C. I. 227.
Producit ane pile and ane tursall maid for cunyeing of certane pecis of gold and silvir, the pile havand sunkin thairin foure lettris viz. GSIH linkand within utheris … the tursell havand thre crescentis with ane thirsell closit within the samin … togidder with twa punscheownis 1587–8 Ib. IV. 265.
[His licence] to grave, sink and mak countaris of lattoun with sic pyles and tursallis as may serve to that effect 1597 Acts IV. 122/2.
Copper … maid reddy to the prenting … with pyle and tursell [pr. cur-] quhairthrouch the same be not counterfute 1605 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II. 320.
The pyllis and tursellis laitlie send hame from England and the puncheons for making of ma pyllis and tursellis 1611 Reg. Privy C. IX. 679.(2) 1631–49 Conv. Burghs IV. 546.
That all money be ordained to pass peill and tursell [pr. tinsell] and be troned

b. Cors, also cross, and pile, pitch and toss. —1506–7 Treas. Acc. III. 376 (see Cors n.² 5). a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlix. 30.
Cast crosse or pyle vha sall begin the play 1611 Yester Wr. 304.
[Which terce fell to the said lady by] lote of cors and pyle castin in presens [of the inquest held in Edinburgh]

c. ? attrib. with -monie. — 1566 Inverness Rec. I. 142.
To refound, content and pay … [£4/10/8] for pyle [ed. pyk] monie of this realme