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

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

Ȝule evin, n. Also: Ȝhule-, Yule-, Ȝwle-, Yhwle-, Ȝoil(l)-, Yoill-, Yuile-, Ȝoull-, Yooll-, Yeull- and -evin, -yn, -en, -ewin, -yn(e, Yole eyn. Possess. Yooles evin. [Ȝule n. and Evin n.¹, Eyn n. Cf. ON jólaaptann.] Christmas eve. Also proverb. and possess.(a) 1375 Barb. ix 205.
Thar with thar men logit thai Befoir Ȝhule ewyn [C. Ȝoill-evyn] a nycht but mar c1420 Wynt. vii 1560.
On Yhwle ewyn [C. Ȝoil ewyn, W. Ȝule evin] nest thare-efft 1473 Treas. Acc. I 67.
Gevin to Rob Purvas, ȝeman of the kingis stable on Ȝule evin at the kingis commande xxiiij s. 1491 Treas. Acc. I 184.
Ȝwle evin c1515 Asl. MS I 219/6.
Thar decessit … Master Jhon Cameron … apon Ȝule ewyne 1537 Mylne Master Masons 63.
Ȝule even 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 41.
Sittand on Ȝule evin in ane fresch grene schaw c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 372.
Bot Ȝule is ȝoung, thay say upon Ȝule euin 1567 G. Ball. 72.
Ane carrell of the epistill on Ȝule euin 1567–8 Glasgow Prot. V 108.
Upone Yule evyn callit the nativite of our Lord in the Hie Kirk of Glasgw 1570–1 Inverness Rec. I 198.
Donald Vrquhart for the wrangus drawing of ane knyff … vpon the xxiiij day of December last being Yule ewin and thairin brak Yule gertht 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii 301.
Pryde and Inuy … socht ludgeing all the towne about … Lang time thay lay thairout, Till ane Ȝule euin [etc.] 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 55.
Vpoun the xiiij [xxiiij] [sic in pr.] day of December … quhilk wes Ȝule evin 1653 Binning Wks. 452.
Then iniquities and sin … hath accomplished the judgment, put fire among us, made us as the birk in Yule even(b) 1498–9 Acta Conc. II 293.
Yuile evin(c) 1536–7 Ayr B. Acc. 20.
Item for bearing of the maistis out of the kirk on Yole eyn 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 89.
On Yoill ewin, in anno nyntie four yeiris(d) 1497 Halyb. 132.
On Ȝoull ewin for a pair of hois, 3 s. a1578 Pitsc. I 67/9.
Ȝoull evin(e) c1650 Spalding I 127.
The Marques of Hammiltoun … vpone Yooll evin [I (BC) 86, Yeull evin] takis journey touardis Londonproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 439.
He is as bair as the birk at Ȝule evinpossess. 1671 Salmon Borrowstounness 98.
Yooles evin