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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Prot(h)ogoll, -col(l, n. Also: prot(h)e- and -gole, -gal(l, -gale, -goul; -cole, -cal(l, -cale, -coul, -cle; prodigoll, -gall; prothercoll; protingall; (porthogoll, protherell, protholl). [Late ME protogoll (v.rr. protegoll, prothogoll, -gell; Prose Brut in Rylands English MS 105, c 1450) a prologue, e.m.E. prothocoll in sense 1 below (1552), F. protocole (c 1334 in Tobler-Lommatzsch), med. L. protocollum, f. the Gk. = first leaf of a volume, a fly-leaf glued to the case and containing an account of the MS. Cf. 19th c. Eng. protocol a preamble (once, 1897).]

1. A note or minute of the details of a transaction, drawn up at the time by a notary or clerk of court, and forming the basis of an instrument.(1) 1514 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 15.
He … desyrit the samyn wrytingis to be insert in this prothogole: of the quhilk the tenour followis 1534 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 112.
And for the werification heyrof producit in jugment ane transsumpt of ane prothogoll of ane instrument of James Ȝong 1534–5 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 434.
And hes nocht maid ane perfite prothogoll … bot ane mynute alanerlie, howbeit he … in his sekness … requirit ane uthir notar to extend the samin 1540–1 Linlithgow B. Ct. 4 Feb.
Tha sall pay als mekill for chartout instrument & reuersion to the common clerk as is abowne writtin … becaus the common clerkis prothogoll may be knawin be ws c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iv 309. 1550 Cupar B. Rec. 20 June.
Symon … producit ane prothogoll … makand mention that he lauchfully warnit the said Nicol 1557–8 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 152. 1562 Inverness Rec. I 81.
Andro M^cFaill … notar publict is requerit in jugement to produce his prothogoll towart the saising 1563 Glasgow Prot. I xviii. 1566 Lanark B. Rec. 33. 1579 Crail B. Ct. MS 1 Dec.
His said vmquhile fatheris prothogoll buik contenand tua prothogollis off instrumentis of seasing 1582 Misc. Stair Soc. I 109.
The defendaris collectis this upon ane instrument or prothogoll of ane instrument subscrivit be Mr. Johne Spens notare publict 1590 St. A. B. Ct. 12 May.
Protogoll(b) 1463 Wemyss Chart. 82.
I renowns … all clame of rycht of ters, off land, … proces, protegoul, register, appellacione quhatsumeuir(c) 1558 Reg. Privy S. V i 93/2.
The said Marionis instrument of seising thairof is tint and the prothogall of the samyne distroyit 1597 Maxwell Mem. II 187.
Protogall(d) 1501 Acta Conc. III 69.
Prothocoll 1547 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. I 116.
Prothecal c1575 Balfour Pract. 370.
Ane notar beand deceist, in quhais handis ane instrument was tane, the extract of the protocol, or the protocol of the samin instrument, is not sufficient and autentique, except it be first transumit in presence of ane judge ordinar, and the extract or transumpt drawin furth and subscrivit be the clerk of the court a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 257.
It should be verified that the prothocall is the handwreitt of the umquhill notar, and that he wes famous, and legall, and repute ane publict nottar(e) 1501 Acta Conc. III 108.
Ane protherell of infeftment(f) 1535–6 Glasgow Prot. IV 84.
Prodigoll(2) 1554 Carte Northberwic 69.
This to be put formly in prothogoll

b. Applied, also, to a book or register kept by a notary, and containing records of transactions or other legal proceedings attested by him in his official capacity. = 2 below.See also Prothogoll v.The notary ‘had frequently to take down verbatim the words uttered by parties in the proceedings before him … He did most of the conveyancing work of mediaeval times, and drew up and authenticated all kinds of non-notarial deeds such as contracts, indentures, testaments, bonds, tacks, etc., which were entered ad longum or by note in his Protocol Book.’ W. Angus in The Sources and Literature of Scots Law (St. S.) pp. 294–5, Edinburgh, 1936. 1555 Acts II 496/1.
Chargeing all notaris … to compeir befoir thame … bringand with thaim thair creatiounis and haill protocollis 1555–6 Irons Leith II App. 604.
Protocoul 1556 Dundee B. Ct. III fol. 71 (28 Sept.).
Producit ane instrument copiet furth of Jhone Strathachinis protingall, notar public, of the quhilk the tenor folois 1579–80 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 549.
Alexander Guthre, commoun clark, … sall delyuer all vther wrytis or buikis … to be vsit at thair plesouris, his awin porthogollis, quhilkis of rycht pertenis to him, onlie exceptit. And … obleissis him … to mak patent all his saidis prothogollis for outdrawing of all sic instrumentis or vther writis contenit thairin as salbe to the furtherance of the commoun weill of this burgh 1581 Yester Wr. 228.
Certified transumpt … from the skrowis and prothogall of um. David Kingorne, N.P. 1587 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 12.
Protocle 1591 Ib. 25.
Protocale 1617 Acts IV 549/1.
In so far as a gryit pairt of the prothogollis ar vitiat … by ryveing out of the levis furth of the saidis prothogollis, inserting and writting of fals instrumentis vpoun the blank peper contenit in the saidis prothogollis, … all persounes … havearis in thair handis … of anye prothogoll buik of whatsoeuir notare … sall efter [the] deceis of the notare inbring the saidis prothogollis to Edinburgh and delyuer the same to the Clerk of Register 1631 Peebles B. Rec. I 416. a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 258.
That ane instrument quherof the orriginall is not extant in the nottar's prothocall … should make nae fayth 1647 Stirling B. Rec. I 193.
To inventar … the tounes haill bookis, writtis and prothogollis — 1671 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 21 Jan.
Recommends … to send for letters of horneing aganest such persones as have any of the tounes prothercolls 1686 Mackenzie Observ. 240.
These prothecals are the book wherein notars set down the breviats of what instruments they take

c. transf. or fig. A written source (of information) or authority. — 1580 Cath. Tr. 37/10.
Hawing for all learning ane onlie protocole of thair preachings, some Inglishe buikes, quhilks skairslie thay wnderstude thame selwes

2. attrib. with -buke. = 1 b above.(a) 1495 Acta Conc. I 411/2.
Ane vther instrument … efter the forme of his prothogoll buk 1534 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 144.
His prothogoll buk and uther divers bukis 1562 Dumfries B. Ct. fol. 138 b.
Eftir the tenor of ane contract insert in the prothogoll buyk of Herbert Cunnyngham notar 1574 Treas. Acc. XIII 25.
Harbart Andersoun, notar in Drumfreis, to compeir … befoir … [the] lordis of secreit counsale … bringand with him his prothogoll buke 1582 Perth B. Ct. 27 Nov.
To heir and se ane prothogoll of ane instrument be extractit drawne furth and transsumt furth of the prothogoll buke 1586 Milne-Home MSS 55.
The prothogoll book of the deceased James Craig, sheriff depute of Berwick 1611 Scrymgeour Invent. (S.R.S.) 8.
The constabillis buik of redemptionis and utheris bandis, obligationis and contractis quhilkis ar insert in the prothogoll buik of Robert Wedderburne, notar 1612 Brechin Test. III 256b.
He leiffis to Mr. James Vedderburne … his haill prothogoll & instrument buikis 1616 Crim. Trials III 417.
His prothogoll buik was viciat be him … scoiring out primo and putting in tertio ? 1605–19 Paisley B. Rec. 129. 1620–1 Dumbarton Common Gd. Acc. 24.(b) 1512 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 17.
Protogal 1541 Elgin Rec. I 64.
William Douglas tuik to impreve ane transump and instrument transsumit out of Master Androu Cheves prothogall buik 1592 Banff Ann. II 409.
The prothogall buik … quhairin the instrument of seasing vnderwritten is ingrossit 1596 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 141.
Prothegall 1599 Aberd. B. Rec. II 182.
Prothogale 1635 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 514 (see Prothogoll v.).
Prothogall 1673 Aberd. Council Lett. V 287.
The deceist … did leave ane of his prothogall books of seasines unsubscryved [etc.](c) 1541 Treas. Acc. VIII 47.
To Schir Johnne Kene chapellane for … cuming … to produce his prothocoll buk before the lordis 1563 Acts II 541/2.
The saidis protocoll buikis … to be markit in presence of the notar 1563–4 Glasgow Prot. V ix.
His prothocoll buik contenand ane hundreth and nyne leifis 1687 Fountainhall Decis. I 483.
Deposed … for not bringing in the nottar's prothocal books(d) 1596 Bk. Dunvegan I 73.
That same notaris prodigall buek(e) 1539–40 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 214 (see Prothogoll v.).
Protholl