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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Cautele, Cawtele, n. Also: cauteil, cawteile, -eill; cautel(l. [ME. cautele (a 1400), cautel, OF. cautele, L. cautēla.]

1. Cunning or craftiness; a cunning or crafty device or stratagem; a trick or wile. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 114.
A, what to the wysman … It geynes to haue the cautele [v.r. cawteile] That he be not the forspekare Ib. 1359.
Vlixes … Procured with richt gret cauteles Tham for to kepe 1456 Hay I. 28/36.
Thai have contrufit sa mony lesingis, cautelis and fals instrumentis with counterfette selis Ib. 172/35; etc.
To brek prisoun and escape, gif he may be cautele or subtilitee c1450-2 Howlat 771.
In com japand the ja, as a juglour, With castis and with cawtelis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4180 (B).
I knaw fals schiphirdis fifty fuder, War all thair cawteills kend 1549 Compl. 118/9.
Be ane subtile cauteil thai gart Pausanias seruitur pas to the tempil to tak gyrtht c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5771.
That day sall pas be peremptoris, Without cawteill or dilatoris 1572 Acts III. *75/1.
That the saidis inhabitantis … be na wys frustrait of the … reparatioun of thair saidis dampnagis be onye ingyne or cautele 1587-99 Hume iv. 152.
The iudge maist iust with iustice sall proceid, Quhair na defence, nor cautele, sall availl 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. Pref. A 3.
The subtill cautellis, and gredie ambition of them, quha were called kirkmen

2. A caution or direction. 1585 James VI Ess. 53.
Some revlis and cautelis to be obseruit and eschewit in Scottis Poesie Ib. 57.
Ȝe sall keip iust cullouris, quhairof the cautelis are thir 1622 Crim. Trials III. 519.
The secund cautell is, non fidem, etc.