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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hous-male, -mail(l, -mayll, -meal(l, n. Also: houss, house, howse and maile, meill. [Male n.]

1. House-rent …(a) 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 110.
Giffin … to Jame Jaclen to pay his hous male. xviij s. 1502 Ib. 148. 1581 Edinb. Test. X. 128 b.
Thair wes awand to the said vmquhile Johne Melros … for his hous male … xx merkis(b) 1500 Dunferm. B. Rec. 115.
The vrangvis with thalding of his hovsmaill 1541 Treas. Acc. VII. 478.
Schir Alexander Boyd, chaiplane, ... for ane hous mayll ... pertenyng to his chapelanrie 1551–2 Ib. X. 49.
To Thebald Roquino … to pay his hous maill with, becaus he was … furtht of his hous 1577–8 Misc. Spald. C. V. 114.
For the ministeres hous maill of the saids twa termes, 20 lib. 1601 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 293.
To gif to the clayth makers the sowme of ten pund to help to pay the hous maill of thair plotters and walkers 1640 Baillie I. 272.
Our house maills everie week [are] above eleven pound sterling 1685 Decis. Lords F. 73.
The Lords … allowed her retention, as to the priviledged debts, such as house-maills, servants fees … [etc.]comb. 1589 Conv. Burghs I. 301.
Provyding all … liegis bringing wictuall … be seruitt hous maill frie thairof, with canves and siffis 1615 Edinb. Test. XLVIII. 258.
I leiue [the house] … housmaill frie for thespace of sex yeiris(c) 1587 Perth Kirk S. 256.
For the furnishing of his wife … to give her … forty shillings yearly for her house-meal, at two terms 1595 Brechin Test. I. 131.
To Robert Builtie … for howsmeill and buith meill xx lib. 1645 Kirkcaldy Presb. 347.
Anent payment of his bygone houss mealls since he removed from the mans 1652 Fam. Burnet 282.
I ordeens my said air and successour to pay her house meall yeerly and tearmly

2. Charge for storage. 1499 Halyb. 225.
For hous male of the ij sekis that stud in Brugis 1546 Treas. Acc. IX. 100.
For hous maill of this said tar be the space of xvj oulkes