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

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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.

Tweill, Tue(i)ll, n. Also: tweyl, twyll(e, twaill, tueile, tuel, tuil(l, tyill, tuyl. [North. ME and north. e.m.E. twyle (c1330), twyll (1335-6), twel (1371), twill (1465), twile (1511).] Twill, the fabric. Also attrib. and pl.Some examples may belong in Toilȝe n. with which there is some formal ambiguity and overlap in sense.(a) 1329 Exch. R. I 250.
Sexaginta et sexdecim vlnarum canubii et de tweyl, xix s. vj d. 1496–7 Halyb. 110.
Send hym in John Schaw pip a stak tvell [pr. trell] cost 16 s. 6 grottis 1566 Treas. Acc. XI 517.
For thre pulder pokkis of tweill, xiij s. iiij d. 1594 Treas. Acc. MS 129b.
Sex elnis small tweill at viij s. the eln 1600 Tailor's Acc. Bk. A 4b, 5a.
Tueill to lyne thir … breikis with … tueill to be pouchis 1644 Glasgow Trades House 237.
30 ells of norlane tweill to lyne the saids clothes at vij s. the ell 1647 Edinb. Test. LXIII 244b.
xxxv elnes round tweill … lxxxxj elnes middell tueill … xxxix elnes of the best sort of tueill 1659 Craven Ch. in Orkney II 197.
4 ell a quarter cutted tweill 1671 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct.) 13 Nov.
Eight ells of red tweill 1694 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. 3 Ser. XXXIII 137.
For elevin ells of tweill for tar pulliones att 2 penie pr. ell … 7 s. 4 d.(b) 1330 Exch. R. I 290.
Twyll 1330 Dalr. Annals of Scotland (1797) III 356.
Twylle 1595–6 Sc. Hist. Rev. X 301.
Tua pair auld scheitts of tuill(c) 1632 Monteith Stewartry Ct. 19 July.
Aucht ellis twaill(d) 1611 Reg. Privy C. IX 149.
His majestie's missive letters anent the making of linning cloathe and tyill wes presented and red in audience of the counsaillattrib. 1546–7 Reg. Great S. 20/2 n.
24 ellis of tweill hardin for sekkis 1561 Treas. Acc. XI 117.
xvij elne of tweill hardin to be ane croce of ane saill 1575 Dumfries B. Ct. 25 Oct.
Ane pair of tweill blankats 1608 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I 13a.
Four elnis of tweill hardin maid in ane cover to saue Thomas burd that weschis with the seiff fra the iniurie of the wedder 1612Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 293.
Busteanis or woven tweill stuffe 1646 Edinb. Test. LXII 128b.
Tueill cloath 1658 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 185.
[He also detains from her a] tueile bolster [worth 20 s.]pl. 1549 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) (J. de Complude v. Robertson).
Schippis … ladit [with] … ballis and packettis of canves and tuillis 1550–52 Acta Conc. & Sess. MS XXVII 55.
Ane ferdell of tuylis blainches and ane ferdell of sambroques

b. absol. A sack made of twill. Cf. attrib. and pl. above. 1615 Inverness Rec. II 138.
For the thifteous steling of ane lang tuel of twelf eln that wald contein fyff bolls beir … tournit the said tuel being ful of beir, and tuik and sta the sam with ȝe