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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Trial(l, Tryal(l, n. Also: tryale, triel(l, tryel(l, trayall, trayell, trayll, tryle. [e.m.E. tryall (1526), triall (1548), trial (c1550), AF trial, triel, f. as Try v.]

1. Inquiry, investigation (into or of a person or thing) in order to establish the true facts. Freq. to tak trial, to investigate, look into. Also, an instance of this.(a) 1566–7 Anderson Collect. Mary I 41.
To tak sic gude ordour for the perfit tryal of the mater 1569 Campbell Love-Lett. Mary 58.
The trial of the said Quenis interes in the murder of the King 1573–4 Exch. R. XX 374.
We charge yow that ye tak tryall in the said mater 1575 Misc. Maitl. C. I 126.
To be diligent for gaitting of tryall of the deid barne that wes cassin furth in Foresteris wynd 1575 St. A. Kirk S. 408.
The personis undir writtin, to tak trial and vesy the puris of ilk quartar withtin this citie 1582 St. A. Kirk S. 489.
The majestratis to caus the quarter maisteris of the town to tak triall of faltouris within this citee, that gude ordour and discipline may be hed within the samyn 1603 Elgin Rec. II 110.
Agnes admittit the probatioun of hir caus to the tryall of all honest nychtbouris that wer thair present 1605 Gunn Drumelzier Ch. 18.
That every brother … use such exquisite trial of the milk-women as is possible 1615 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 28 March.
[He] promeisit to haw haid him hier this day to byd tryall 1616 Conv. Burghs III 28.
To tak tryall anent the paese and sufficiencie of the breid 1611-57 Mure Psalmes cxxxix 3.
My pathes, my lying doun Thow eyest, And narrow tryall takes 1647 J. M. Beale Fife Schools 154.
[The schoolmaster would continue in his post] provyding always that he might have a competent maintenance, because till his own tryall and experience he could not in ane honest way beare out his charge 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 446.
Mr. Paterson, … had run over the kingdom for triall off witches, and was ordinarly called the Pricker, becaus his way of triall was with a long brasse pin 1682 Lauder Observes App. iv 304.
This was mikel worse than an flat refusal, and … would, upon tryal, be found no less than leiseing-making 1691 Kirk Secr. Commonw. (1933) 82.
Then will he see a multitude of wights, like furious hardie men, flocking to him haistily from all quarters, … which are no nonentities or phantasms, … but realities … enduring a rationall tryall of their being(b) 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. II 251.
Comperit Maister Thomas Makcalȝeane and presentit ane wryting of my Lord Archibischop of Sanctandrois, and eftir the reding thairof the said prouest … ordanit for tryell of the caus specifiit thairin … that euery baillie [etc.] 1559 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I 90.
Johne to allow to the saidis personis the inlaik of forgeing and melting efter triell be takin of the same 1566 Rec. Earld. Orkney 122.
And thair to remane ay and quhill that trew triell and just cognission be tane quha hes maist rycht to the samyn [corn] 1593 Misc. Maitl. C. I 62.
The said sessioun to tak cognitioun and triel gif scho hes dung hir gudman 1596 Anal. Scot. I 298.
And als that he sal abyde al lauful tryel for oni of his practising sen his last passing out of this countrey 1615 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 127.
The baillies … ministeris and assessores … to visit the hie schole and to tak tryell quhat ordour is keipit thairin 1629 Justiciary Cases I 124.
Tryell being tane of the saidis fals mettis wechtis and measouris that the havearis and usearis … sall be pwneist c1650 Spalding II 89.
The Erll of Traquhair … settis cautioun to compeir as the rest did, and abyde all tryellis quhilk wes fitting(c) c1600 Montg. Suppl. xi 2.
If thow will credeitt me in oucht, To quhome the treuthe in trayall weill appeiris 1615 Douglas Corr. 196.
Trayll 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 53.
Nather dare wee dive any furder in the trayell of the causse of the saides feares and remedies thereof(d) 1684 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. 3 Ser. XXXVI 139.
[Their chief commissioner] to take the exactest tryle possible for discovering the resetters

2. The action of putting to the test, trying the mettle of (a person or thing). 1558-66 Knox I 199 (see 6 below).
Tryall a1585 Maitl. Q. 9.
Is not a trustie freind by tryell bocht And moir account then ten obteynd for nocht 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. Prov. No. 219.
Tryall maketh trust

3. The testing of qualifications, aptitudes or attainments (of applicants to or candidates for the ministry, the legal profession, a craft guild); a test or examination of this kind. 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 75.
Anent the tryall and admissione of ministeris in the hol dioceye 1595 Acts Sederunt ii 24.
The multitude of unskilfull persons … admittit to excercise the office of ane notar and the little respect had to their triell befoir thair admissioun 1630 S. Ronaldshay 7.
[He] hes passed his tryalles in the saids studies, privat and publick, both in Latin and English1647 J. M. Beale Fife Schools 154. 1661 Lamont Diary 141.
Mr. Thomas Kinninmount … passed his tryalls in the presbetry of St. Androws 1664 Hannay College of Justice 156.
[After 1664, when] the three ordinarie poynts of tryall [were introduced—private and public examination followed by a] lesson—[the fee was raised to forty pounds] 1667 Alford Rec. 90.
Mr. William Christie handled the common head, as was formerlie prescrybed. And the next dyet hee is ordained to sustain his dispute therupon, and the rest of the pairts of his tryals, viz. his questionarie tryall, and the tryall in the languages a1687 Sel. Biog. II 309.
After trial of my gifts and conversation by several exercises and pieces of trial … they agreed to trust me in the name of Christ with the dispensation of the gospel a1691 Kingston Contin. Ho. Seytoun 63.
He made his public lesson of the law before King James the Sixth [etc.] … in the chapell royall of Holyroodhouse in his lawer gown and four nooked cape, as lawers use to pas their tryalls in the universities abroad

b. On tryalls, on probation. 1676 Craven Ch. in Orkney 63.
Mr. James Kay, chaplane to Archibald Stuart of Burray [was taken] on tryalls. [Subsequently approved, he was] recommended be us to the archbishop or to our ordinarie

c. A demonstration of one's skills; specimen act (of preaching, etc.) or a specimen artifact designed to allow one's competence to be assessed. 1634 N. Meldrum Forteviot 97.
The divers tryells given be said Mr. William before, in adding, exercising, handling of controversies, and publicke preaching

d. Of a ship: A test of seaworthiness. 1641-8 Skipper's Acc. (Smettone) 20.
For met & drink to the men that styed into the shep quhen shoe bed her tryell

e. transf. In Christian theology: Examination of a soul on the Day of Judgment. 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 42/10.
That … ue maye remember to amende & sa at the daye of oure tryall compeire with neu & quhyte garments uashin in the bloode of the lambe

4. The testing or examination of the quality of (an artifact, an assay); an assay piece produced to allow such testing to take place. 1587 Dundee B. Laws 474.
That he salbe reput … off gude … fame, qualefiit [pr. qualefut] in his airt … and haiff sufficient number off varklumis and tryillis 1676 Dunferm. Hammermen MS 94.
The craft being conveined annent the trayall of John Smith … his assay … they find it sufficient 1693 Glasgow B. Rec. IV 73.
The magistrats … appoint ane honest couper for whom they will be answerable for visiteing and tryall of all barrells made for export

b. The testing or surveillance of persons for signs of infectious disease; (period of) quarantine. 1666 Edinb. B. Rec. X 8.
[In view of the plague in England] such persones who ar abroad [are not to] … offer to bring home any goodis … untill they acquaint the magistratts … from what place they came and abide their tryell for the spaice of fourtie dayis

5. The testing of one's endurance in the face of adversity; affliction, misfortune, suffering. a1570-86 Arbuthnot in Maitl. F. 59/122.
Gude men tholis tribulatioun Bot sic tryale is lyk ane clengeing fyre Thame to prepair to thair saluatioun 1640 Maister George Blacke His Masterlesse Men 6.
Of whom and of whose eldest son, I have great missing at this time of my tryall and distresse

6. The examination of a cause by a court of law; the determination by a court of the guilt or innocence of an accused person. Also, an instance of this. Also attrib. 1558-66 Knox I 199.
As the theaf abydis the tryall of the inqueist and tharby is condempned to be hanged, evin so may your ceremonies abyd the tryall of Goddis word 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Æn. vi 432.
Quaesitor Minos, iudex praefectus quaestionibus (tryell of courtis) 1586 Jurid. Rev. IV 293.
The pannel asks instruments of their compearance and that they offer themselves to ane tryall 1595 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 369.
The said Alexander denyit the haill poyntis of dittey forsaid and referrit himself to the tryell of ane assyis 1603 Inverness Rec. II 21.
Quhilk was referit be the judges to the tryel of ane inqueist summond to that effect to this day 1610 Misc. Hist. Soc. II 178.
To bring him to tryel of that his wicked fact & cruel murther 1627 Old Ross-shire II 35.
William Roy his sone refussis the saids haill poyntis and referris thame to the tryel of the assyse 1640 Anal. Scot. I 391.
The awthoris and counsalloris of theme may be brought to such legallit tryell and condigne punischment as the nature of their severall offences shall require 1649 Cupar Presb. 145.
That the Assembly would presse the meitting of that committy of lawiers, physitians, and divynes, for the tryall of witches 1663 Carstairs Lett. 100.
It's lyke He sees me unmeet to yoke me with the tryall, and it may be will not honour me so far as to let me bear a part of His sweet cross with His servants 1682 Lauder Observes App. iv 304.
That his client should have a fair tryal before competent judgesattrib. 1668-9 Fraser Lawfulness Separ. 38.
Some will say … tho' an usurped title be not a good tryal-title in genere juris & moris, yet it is a real tho' not a good right in genere entis

7. Evidence, proof; indication, knowledge. Also, to get (any) trial, to obtain information, find out about (something). 1572 Sat. P. xxxvi 86.
Baith hir and him thow tratourouslie abusit, And gave gud tryell of thy lytill treuth a1578 Pitsc. (1814) 56.
Or evir James Stewart had tryell [STS knawledge] that onie man vnbesett his gaitt, ane companie of armed men rasched round about him 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 91.
The haill wort was takin away and the haill lwmes fundin dry 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 192/7.
The casting of lotte uas used for tryall of the treuth in any obscure thing that otheruayes coulde not be gottin cleired 1603 Dundonald Par. Rec. 34.
Bessie Dickie … with ane Carrik wyif to haif turnit ane riddill for tryall of ane peice of gold stolin fra hir be hir oy 1626 Fraserburgh Kirk S. II 5 July.
Scho hade gottin tryall that Robert Reid cuttit doun hir seat c1650 Spalding II 33.
Thir newis turned to nothing, for there wes no tryell found that sic materis were trew 1691 Arbuthnott Kirk S. 11 Feb.
William Tod reported he had been in Aberdeen and searched for Christian Molyson but could not find nor get any tryall of her

8. A tentative or provisional attempt, an experiment. 1685 Dunlop P. III 11.
We being the onlie two persons … undertakers for the plantations who were personally upon the place … We could do nothing less than make a trayell of setling neire