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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Paill, Pale, n.¹ Also: paile, payl(e, paell, peill, peall, peale. [OF. paile, paille, palie (mod. F. poêle), L. palli-um. Only Sc. (Cf. Pal(l n. of the same ultimate origin.).]

1. A canopy.An overhanging covering over a bed or seat; a covering of state held or carried over the head of a royal personage or other dignitary.(a) c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxvii. 13.
They cheset four men … To beir the paill of veluet cramase Abone hir heid 1538 Treas. Acc. VI. 410.
For … blew purpour velvet … to be ane paill abone hir [the Queen's] heid 1538 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II. 91. 1540 Treas. Acc. VII. 304.
For … making of ane paill abone the princes bed of stait Ib. 409.
To be ane paill abone his credill … gray teffites 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 67. a1578 Pitsc. I. 359/24. Ib. 368/9.
Ane paill [1728 peal] of gould sett witht pratious stouns sett abone the Kingis heid quhene he sat at meit 1589 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 4.
To caus … mak ane payl of velvott with all necessaris belanging thairto [for the royal marriage] a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 178.
At the wast port of Edinburgh he was ressavit be the magistrats of the toun under a pompous payle of purple velvet a1651 Calderwood V. 343.
Paile 16.. Balfour Her. Tracts 36, 37.
Vpone the Kings graunt to accept, the bishopes … caussed the pall to be halfe opened … Then does the King come fourth of hes closse paill with the croune [etc.](b) 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 148.
Under ane pale [Pitsc. peill] of gold scho suld haue past Be burgeis borne, clothit in silkis fyne 1561 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 121.
Thir tuelf to beyre the pale abone the Quenys grace heid c1590 Fowler II. 181/14, 16, 19.
A fair high pale made four-square of crimson ueluote attending … This pale was sustained by four worshipful barons, … under the which pale were the ambassadors of England [etc.](c) 1628–9 Mill Mediæv. Plays 208.
The staige of the west port … for towes and skeniȝe to the paell

2. A canopy (of black cloth) carried over the hearse in a funeral; a funeral canopy. Appar. also b. a cloth laid over the corpse in a funeral, a funeral pall or mortcloth (cf. Mort-clath(e n.). 1542 Treas. Acc. VIII. 141.
Expensis … fra the tyme of the Kingis grace deces … Deliverit to the tapischer to be ane claytht of stait xxx elnis blak velvet … Deliverit to him to be ane paill xxiij elnis … blak velvet 1542 Inv. Wardrobe 103.
Foure doule palis of blak clayth garnist with bukrem a1578 Pitsc. (1728) 232.
Which pale of velvet embroidered was by him solemnly carried and laid upon and over the corps of the said late Queen [Mary] 1635 Balfour Her. Tracts 116.
Peale 1637 Ib. 129.
Pale c1650 Spalding I. 90.
Haueing hir corpis careit vpone the berares of ane coache be six barronis and led be horssis wnder ane murning pale 1661 Funeral Acc. i. 3.
Ane peall furnished … for the wse of my lord Marques Montroes 1671 Reg. Panmure I. xlv.
For making and guilding of an croune for the payle … more for painting of two morte heads for the lozen armes 1681 Acts VIII. 350/2.
Except only the eight branches to be upon the pale or upon the coffin wher there is no pale 1682 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. II. 26.
The bodie being in the hearce covered with the pale or canobie 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII. 350.
Paill 1697 Wemyss Corr. 157.
If I had not promised … a lend of my pale herce and other things 1699 Wemyss of Bogie MSS.
For the scuitshine pale and coffine

3. Appar., a cloth screen or covering (before an altar); ? an altar frontal. 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 365.
For mending of the paill that hingis befoir the hye altar

4. Some ecclesiastical vestment. (Cf. Pal(l n. 2 and Pallium.) 1559 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 43.
The vestiamentis of the kirk … ane paill of reid saten