A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Ves(c)hel(l, Ves(s)el(l, n. Also: veschele, -all, -ale, -iale, -aill, weschel(l)(e, -a(i)l(l, -al(l)e, -iale, -ael, -eall(e, vesschell, -al, -iall, -iale, -eall, wesschel(l, -aelle, veshall(e, -el(l)e, -il(l, weshall, -ell, -ill, vesshell, wesshel(e, wechell, veischeill, veishell, veychell, vas(c)hel(l, waschell, -ael, wischeall, wychell, vessall, -ale, -aile, -iall, wessell, -il(l, -al(e, -ayle, vecsell, vyscele. [ME and e.m.E. vessel, wessel(e (all Cursor M.), vesseal (Chaucer), vessell (Gower), vessayle (1420), vaissel (Caxton), OF vesse(a)l, vaissel, ves(s)el(l)e, vasselle, wasselle, etc., L. vascellum.]
I. 1. coll. and uninfl. pl. Household vessels, kitchen, etc. utensils, tableware, etc. Also, made of precious metals, = Plate n.1 8. b. Thir vessaile, ? erron. or misapplied to household goods more generally. c. comb. Veschell almery, bink, burd, hous, pres. Veschell stuff, ? equipment or utensils of some sort. Veschell gaderar, man, a servant concerned with or in charge of tableware, etc.See Fire-veschell n., Ladinar n.1 3, Pewder n.1 2 (3), Pewter n. (e), Pewther n. b (1)(c) and Pleuder for further examples.coll. 1375 Barb. xi 123.
All thai … that chargyt war With pailȝownys and weschall [C. veschall, 1571 weschel, H. vessell] with-all And aparaile of chambyr & hall c1420 Wynt. iv 1899.
That metalle, mad sa pure and fyne, Off Corynt had the tytill … And all the weschall [C. waschael] off it made The name thare-efft off Corynt hade 1478–9 Acta Aud. 82/1.
Small veschell, coppis dischijs & dublaris 1488–91 Treas. Acc. I 168.
The cunȝeing of fifty tua trois pundis and ane halue vnce of brokin siluer vesschell 1541 Treas. Acc. VII 476.
William Bell, grume in the lardnar, Kellis, grume for the veschell 1541 Treas. Acc. VII 478.
Williame Methven, keper of the silver veschell 1544 Treas. Acc. VIII 292.
To ane pure man of Edinburght quhilkis savit fifty pece of weschell of my lord governoris the tyme of the Inglische menis being thair 1549 Compl. 145/30.
Coppir, bras, and yrn and vthir mettellis var meltit to mak vtensel veschel necessair to serue ane houshald 1597 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 31 March.
Extraordinar oncoistis … for hyirit veschell in Dundie 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 76.
For intaking of the kitschene weschell 1626 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 204.
For four boittit stancheris for the hous in the abbay that keipes the kingis veschell weyand tua stane ellevin pund and sex unce at liii s. iiii d. the stane 1694 Inchmahome Pr. 161.
Account of the peuther veschell(b) c1420 Wynt. viii 1492.
All the cowrssys … In to sylver brycht weschelle [C. weschael] Browcht fra the kychyn 1483 Acta Aud. 119*/2.
Veschele c1498 Fam. Rose 166.
Vittalis, clething, veschale and uthir insicht gudis 1501–2 Treas. Acc. II 133.
For bering of the kingis silver weschale fra the abbay to the castell in Edinburgh 1504 Treas. Acc. II 260.
For xv stopes, xv coggis, and xv platis … xx s. … for carying of the stopes and weschale abone writin [fra] Strivelin to Edinburgh iiij s. 1506–7 Treas. Acc. III 275.
For ij elne cammes to dicht silver weschale, ij s. iiij d.(c) c1420 Wynt. ix 343.
Wessayle, and apparyle off halle And off chamowre, thare tane war all 1513 Treas. Acc. IV 530.
To mak vessiall to the schippis to the quenis grace agane Yeule and Pache 1531 Armstrong Hist. Liddesdale xxxiii.
The inhabitantis with Cannonby … dothe paye yerelie, as for amerciament, unto the capitain of the castell of Carlill for the tyme being, all the tree vessale that is occupyed within the said castell 1595 Skene in Misc. Stair Soc. I 146.
To eschew the exorbitant expenses maid upoun the cariage of thair maiesties houshald stuff, it war very necessair to buy spetis, raxis, fyre vessell and tin vessell … sa mony as micht convenientlie furneis and staik thair maiesties keichingis(d) 1478–9 Acta Aud. 78/2.
For the wrangwis occupatioun & lauboring of hir thrid part of the landis of the manys of Thorntoun … And als for the wrangwis withhalding of a gret dusain of pewder weschiale price iiij li. 1478–9 Acta Aud. 78/2.
Veschiale 1478–9 Acta Aud. 82/1.
For … hir mylk kyrne; with vther small vesschiale coppis dischijs dublaris iiij s. 1490 Treas. Acc. I 132.
Vesscheall(e) 1506 Treas. Acc. III 208.
To Jok Wallas for carying of the silvir weschail to Strivelin the tyme the embassait of Gildir wes resavit thair iiij s.(f) 1656 Brechin Test. VI 12b.
The wholl kists and coffers … and wther timber worke veishell and fyrevorkeuninfl. pl. 1460 Swintons App. xlii.
Als mony siluer veschale as war worth fyff hundreth markis of Scottis mone 1540 Maxwell Mem. I 408.
The kytching … Ane dosan dissis … ane dosan sawsaris; ane dosan trwnsouris; summa v dosan wesschell 1542 Inv. Wardrobe 73.
Thir veschell underwrittin … ane bowy ourgilt … twa flacconis ungilt [etc.]b. 14.. Burgh Laws c. 109a (B).
The ayre sal hafe of the hows thir vessaile [Acts I 44/2, thir necessare thyngis, A. insicht] that is to say the bettyr burde the bordclath the towale the bassyne & the lavour … the masfat the barel the ladegalone [etc.] … And of thir said thyngys vesschal and howshald [Acts I 44/2, of all thir forsaid thyngis and all uthiris of houshald] al ways the best pertenys to the ayrec. (1) 1457 Peebles B. Rec. I 119.
A met amri and wessal ammari 1478–9 Peebles B. Rec. I 184.
Wechell almery 15[31] Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 113.
Veychell almory 1554 Prot. Bk. J. Robeson 22.
Ane weschell almorie, with twa caveis 1567 Edinb. Test. I 39b.
Veshele almerie 1569 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 165.
Vessall amre —1535–6 Prot. Bk. J. Brydin No. 287.
Ane burd, ane veschelbonk [pr. veschelbouk] [etc.] 1552 Dundee B. Ct. II 171b (13 July).
Ane wesschell binck 1564 Perth B. Ct. 143b.
Waschell bink 1586 St. A. Test. II 68.
Ane veschell bink of fir price x s. 1624 Edinb. Test. LII 198.
Ane plenischit weschell benke with pottis & panis 1641 Kirkcaldy Presb. 205.
For windoe bands to the laigh hall, and weshellbink 40 sh. —1515 Prot. Bk. Gavin Ros 19.
Veschell burd 1569–70 Inverness Rec. I 183.
Ane meit buyrd, ane weschell buyrd 1583 Elgin Rec. I 172.
Ane … baiking stooll, ane girdill, ane weschell buird 1595 Misc. Spald. C. II 130.
The officiar … fand behind ane bemer of ane veschell buird ane quarter of the said scheipe 1674 Rothesay B. Rec. 321.
Ane ambrie and ane vessell boord estimate to twelve punds —1530 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 30.
For mending of kingis weschelhous lok viii d. 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 195.
For the biging … of … ane silver weschellhous 1590–1 Exch. R. XXII 121.
William Murra, aid in the vessel hous 1597 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 28 Feb.
For ane lock to the veschelhous —1621 Edinb. Test. LI 65b.
Ane veschell bink with ane veschell pres of fir pryce thairof xx s.(2) 1627 Reg. Decreets Sc. Admiralty Ct. I 93.
Clapeburde, pype stalves, veschell and veschell stuff, pitche, tar, rosin, etc.(3) 1531 Treas. Acc. V 435.
To Rowe Paul, veschell gaderare, v li. vj s. viij d. —1503 Treas. Acc. II 312.
[The same to … Stevin Nesbit, vessel man] 1531–2 Treas. Acc. VI 39.
To the court weschellmen … xl s. 1576 Treas. Acc. XIII 142.
To Andro Charlis, his grace veschelman 1580 Exch. R. XXI 132.
Johanni Stobo et Gulielmo Murray custodibus vasorum lie weschell men 1588 Argyll Fam. Lett. 86.
Robert the weschell man, for his ȝeiris fie, the sowme of x lib. money
2. A receptacle or container of any sort, freq. of a domestic sort, a dish, pot, etc.sing. a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 486.
Salamon That wyse[s]t king … Of feyndis that na nowmir was In a weschale stekit of gles c1420 Wynt. iii 829.
He his sone Had slayne, and syne gert hym be set Before his fadyre … In quartarys lyand on a weschelle, Wytht precyous spycys farsyd welle c1420 Wynt. v 1472.
His blude In tyll a weschall tycht and gude Sulde be put 1424–55 Acts II 12/2.
At na fyre be fechit fra a hous til ane vther … bot within coverit weschell or lantren vndir the payn of ane vnlaw c1460 Consail Vys Man 381.
As lekand weschell haldis no-thinge, Sa opin tung has na traistinge 1478 Acts II 119/1, 2.
The mynising of vesschiall and barellis that the salmond is pakit in it is statut … that … all salmonde be pakit in barellis of the mesur of Hamburgh … and na smallar barell nor veschell 1513 Doug. vii vii 130.
Lyke as quhen that the ingill … is layd to … About the sydis of the pot … The licour sparklis for the heyt … So swellis vp the skum … The veschell may na mar the broth contene 1522 Stirling B. Rec. I 17.
It is … ordinit that na persoun … woucht ony maner of clais at the toune bouirn … for fyling of the bourn, undir the pain of viij s. vnforgevin and brekin of the weschal that tha wous with 1531 Bell. Boece I 195.
Ane veschell of merbill, full of uncouth money 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 214.
Sindry penneis wer fundin in ane brasin weschell 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 214.
Wescheall 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Ansa, the lug of ony weschell [1617 vessell] 16… Sel. Biog. I 355.
This hart is like a gysnit weshill, all rins out(b) 1664 Pitcairn Spiritual Sacrifice 614.
A key when not used gathereth rust and a vessel will leck and not hold what is put in itpl. c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xxv 4.
The v prudent [virgins] tuke oile in thare veschels with thare lampis 1562 Inv. Q. Mary 54.
Ane uther inuentar of the vesshellis of glasse 1596 Dalr. I 94/29, 30.
In tyme of weir … to the feildes to karie pottis, panis, and vthir kitchine veshels, thay thocht hauie and molestful, in place of potis and sik seithing vesselis, the painches of ane ox or ane kow thay vset cheiflie 1596 Dalr. II 120/29.
The wedding banket … in dischis of daintie, in veschelis of al sortis 1622-6 Bisset II 258/28.
All harnest barrellis, full of salt fysche and uthir sic veschellis [unheided] quherein the maryneris, fyschearis brocht furth there cleithing for there caraige 1641 Edinb. Test. LIX 269.
Certane lame veshellis, viz., chafferis … frying pigis … blak and browne cannis(b) 1562 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 647/2.
Thre litle vaschellis for fructage(c) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Mark vii 4.
And mony vthere thingis ar that ar betakin to thame to kepe, wesching of coppis, and of watir vessellis, and of vessellis of bras, and of beddis 1551 Hamilton Cat. 266.
The fyire preiffis and shawis the layme vessellis maid be ane pottar 1591 Innes Sketches 526.
To John Gillianis wyfe … for aquavytie … and also for the wessellis that the aquavytie was intill xviij lib. xv s. 1635 Dickson Wr. 92 (see 7 a (2) below).
3. Vessels used for religious purposes. a. In the administration of Christian sacraments. Also coll. b. In use in temples of the ancient world. Also coll.a. sing. a1400 Leg. S. xviii 1094.
Weschale a1400 Leg. S. xviii 1155.
The sacrament of oure saweoure, In clene weschel he tuk in hy 1605 Ellon Presb. 16.
Ane veschell for baptismepl. 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 136/19.
S. Augustine vrittis that ve haue monie veschellis, and instrumentis quhilk ve vse in the administratione of the sacramentis, the quhilkis ar consecrat and halie, becaus of the halie ministerie to the quhilk thay serue 1619 Elgin Rec. II 159.
Ane hundredthe pundis from the toun for ther pairt to furneis weschellis to the kirk for celebratting the sacramentiscoll. 1624 Moray Synod 7.
Mr. Patrik Dunbar is … exhorted to … provyd books and weshall for holie ministratiounb. pl. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 102.
The hallowit veschellis quhilk his father … brocht as a spulye out of the tempil of Jerusalemcoll. c1420 Wynt. ii 1077.
Golde, sylvyr and wessale [C. wesschaelle] Clenly maide off gud metalle, He [sc. Joshua] gert halow wytht honoure Tyll Goddys oys and hys tresoure c1420 Wynt. v 836.
Off the tempill he tuk hale Ornamentys, vestymentys and weschalle [C. weschealle, W. weschaill] 1513 Doug. ii xii 10.
Of tempillis brynt Of massy gold the veschel war furth hynt From the goddis, and goldyn tabillis all 1549 Compl. 76/2.
He spulȝeit the tempil, ande reft the goldin alter, the chandelaris of lycht, ande al the goldin veschel
4. A vessel used for the storage or preservation of human remains or relics.c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1401 (C).
He gert in o goldyne wesshele Thyr asshes wele enclosed be c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2809.
Scho … has tone Kyng Menonis bones … And in one weschell of gold fyne Thame put 1533 Boece 209b.
He was admonist be the angell [to take the relics of St. Andrew] … and caissing thame reuerendlie in ane veschel … seik the ile of Albioun
5. a. Vessels or utensils used in brewing. Also coll. b. Standard measuring vessels. Also coll.a. sing. 1499 Dunferm. Ann. 180.
That nane brew aill derer nor viii d. the galoun, under the pain of takyn furth of thair caldronis and veschalls and dingin out of the bodumis 1524 Wigtown B. Ct. 154a.
It is ordanit that nan aill be sauld der na iiij d. the quart wnder pane of viij s. & breking of thar wychell 1532 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 127.
Ve deliver that all the aill to be sauld for xii d. the gallon fra this be sauld that is in to the veischeill contenitpl. 1707 Old Ross-shire II 70.
Brewing vessels [among them] two wort leaglinscoll. 1566 Treas. Acc. XI 517.
To Williame Barbour, cowper … for furnesing of certain lumes as wirt standis, cumyngis, laidgallonis and uthir weschell concernyng brewing 1597 Edinb. Test. XXX 344b.
I leive to my wyf … ane kist in the buitlar with the haill brewing weschellb. pl. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6191.
Tak ane crowat, one pynte stope and one quart One galloun pitschair one puntioun & one twn … all those vesschellis, in one qualitie, May hald no more, without thay be ouir rwn, Ȝitt haif thay nocht alyke in quantitie 1589 Glasgow B. Rec. I 137.
It is … ordanit that all mesouris sic as firlottis and siclyk, and all sortis of stopis bath tyn and treyn, be brocht to the tolbuith and thair to be mesurit and markit be the maister of werk … vnder the pane of sextene schillingis and the breking of thair weschellis that contravenis and refusis to do the samecoll. 1428 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXXI 143.
To the bailȝeis for the selyng of the vesel xij d.
6. A vesselful, the quantity contained in a vessel of some sort. a. In the expression of the proportion of grain paid as multure (Multur(e n. 1 a). b. A quantity of something. Only in Nisbet after Purvey.a. 1494 Acta Aud. 199/2.
Pay the multer tharof to the said Dauid Lile to the xxx weschale lik as the saidis ij oxingang wer thirlit to the said mylne 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 3.
Ane free man … sall gif for multure at the milne the sextene veshell, or the tuentie or threttie, according to his infeftment a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 214.
Ane free haulder should pey for multur at the milne the sextint weshell … accordeing to his infeftment … Ane fermer should pey the thirteint weshell for multurb. c1520-c1535 Nisbet Luke xxii 10.
Quhen ye sal entir into the citee, a man berand a veschel of watire [W. a vessel with watir, P. a vessel of watir] sal meet you
7. fig. a. A person viewed as a receptacle of good or evil, chiefly in a religious context or with religious overtones. Also uninfl. pl. Also const. of the contents of the vessel. b. Applied to a thing.a. (1) a1400 Leg. S. ii 590.
Quod God … he weschele is to me Chosine, for to bere myn name … Before kingis [etc.] a1400 Leg. S. ii 959.
Wischeall 1528 Lynd. Dreme 254.
The cursit Empriour Nero, Off euerilk vice the horrabyll weschell 1551 Hamilton Cat. 278.
Sanct Paule that chosin veschel of God 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3510.
Gluttoun of glew all we may cry Thow art ane veschell vyle 1563 Ferg. Tracts 42.
Paule wes the elect and moste worthy veshell to bear the name of Christe a1568 Scott xxx 4.
Fra raige of ȝowth the rynk hes rune, And ressone tane the man to tune, The brukle body than is wvne, And maid ane veschell new 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 140.
Vntil sic tyme as it pleasit God to … make me ane of his chossen vashelis [Bann. Trans. 182, wesshelis] c1590 J. Stewart 256 § 221.
I vas ane veschell netifeit and cleine 1584 Melvill 178.
He hes put in his hand a schepter of yron, to bruse in pouder these erthen veshalles 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 353.
Are we not God's leem vessels?(2) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts vii 51 marg.
The pouer and strenthe of Gode is sic that it can nocht be withstandin … al thocht wikkit and ewill, hard harttit pepill seme to resist it, as the natur [of] the weschellis off wraith is to do a1599 Rollock Wks. I 392, 393.
Thou art ane veschell of perditioun, … suppois thou were ane king, than art ane vesschell ordained for schame and ignominie 1600-1610 Melvill 136.
That Assemblie was frequentlie keipit be the nobilitie … wha requeisted the Assemblie to approve thair proceidings in repearing to his majestie at Ruthven, &c. The breithring's judgment was that God haid glorified His nam and wrought thairby to the … comfort of His Kirk … as for the instruments, they could nather approve nor disprove, bot wissit … they might be fund sanctified veshalles of mercie to the Lord 1635 Dickson Wr. 92.
As in a great man's house there are some vessels … made of gold and silver, for honourable uses, and some vessels of wood and earth, to carry out the refuse and jugs of the house, so in the … bosom of the kirk as there are vessels of honourable elect souls, so are there filthy vessels, that are filled with the devil's refuseuninfl. pl. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 209.
We ar weschele, bot wele is He, That fillis all of His plente 1492 Myll Spect. 276/10.
Secundus sayes that wemen ar the veschell of adultreb. c1490 Irland Asl. MS 8/14.
To bring ws fra all syn to joye and glore perpetuale He has ordanit the vij sacramentis … The quhilkis ar callit the weschell of grace and werray medicyne of the saull
8. a. A tear duct. b. A blood vessel.a. c1620 Boyd Fl. Zion Exc. xxix/1.
Of dryest eyes, the vessells sure shall leck, Yea powre out teares, when men of this shall speakb. 1692 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes.
Agnes Hanay … cutt the poor aged and infirm woman upon the foirhead and gave her ane wound both long and deep quhich occasioned hir to effuse so much blood out of hir decayed and emptie vecsells that now … she is become that quhich she was not
II. 9. A ship or boat, any water-borne, esp. sea-going, craft. Also coll.sing. a1400 Leg. S. xvii 106.
Na vyscele wes thane nere, He enterit in riuere faste, & swemand ay 1460 Hay Alex. 3301.
The king ordand … that na veschall Suld to the toun be sey bring na victuall c1475 Wall. xi 326.
He a weschell gat, and maid him to the se c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 700.
At Deip he maid him for the saill, Quhair he furnischit ane gay veschaill … With artailȝie 1648 Misc. Maitl. C. II 461.
A vessel of warre 1659 Lamont Diary 117.
Ane other vessell, comeing south with victuall was forced to cast some of hir loadnen in the sea, by reason of the vehemency of the tempest 1661 S. Ronaldshay 36.
Ane poore Zetland man whom God had wonderfully preservad into a storme at sea into his litill boate, and taken in by ane vessell finding him upon the seas 1670 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 205.
Commodities … lodinid in the good sheip calid the Ebenezer of Whytheven which veshall [etc.] 1685 Dunlop P. III 10.
Ther wer in our veshell 148 persons whereof none dide at sea 1692 Misc. B. Rec. 79.
Ane other small veshell with suggar from the West Indiespl. 1494 Loutfut MS 5b.
Schippis & veschallis pertenyng to the were as bargis galais houllris ballingeris and othiris 1552–3 Reg. Privy C. I 137.
Diverse schippis, crayaris, and veschellis that ar laidin with quheit, beir, and utheris cornis 1558-66 Knox I 120.
The great schippis discharged thare souldiouris in the smallare veschellis 1598 Bk. Islay 106.
His sone … wes chased with the rest of his men to their boats and weshells 1598 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 51.
The … owners of the … veshills … sall present … the inventar of the goods … befor they liver any pairt therof 1608 Highland P. III 112.
Vashellis 1612 Conv. Burghs II 356.
All boats, crears, and uther wesschels cumming within thair harberie 1614 Crim. Trials III 284.
Veshelles 1628 Fugitive Poetry II vii 6/21.
Their scattered ships … And all the richest veshells made our prize 1664 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 211.
That ye seise upon all … Dutch veshellis lyand within your ports … and that yow take thair ruthers and saills from them 1666 Glasgow Chart. II 72.
To transport thair goods thence to … Glasgow, … the river not being portative at the said citie … for veshells of great burden 1670 Aberd. Council Lett. V 19.
As for our traid to Norroway the most is bot on or two litle veshills in the yeircoll. c1420 Wynt. ix 745.
For defawte off smalle weschele, Thai mycht noucht till the land cum well c1475 Wall. ix 749.
Sum fled to Tay, and in small weschell ȝeid 1531 Treas. Acc. V 444.
To Duncane Riche to pas with lettrez to Carale and Anstruthir for warnyng of veschell, ix s. 1533 Boece 118b.
Vtheris finding botis and veschell fled to the Ile of Mon 1533 Boece 119b.
Certane new schippis war made and vthir veschel fra the coistis sone war contractit to cary the armye to the ile
III. 10. Some sort of decoration on a helmet.1460 Hay Alex. 1339.
Thay saw … thair proud pinonz, With timbris and wessillis of go[l]d and perry, On helmis and basnetis
