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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.

Houshald, Housald, n. Also: houshalde, -hauld(e, -hold, hous(e)hold, howshald(e, hous(s)ehald(e; houswauld; houssald, hows(s)ald(e, howsald,  howseld; housell, howsell; hus(h)ald, huishald. See also Housit. [Northern ME. houshald (c 1400), midl. and s. houshold, -holde (c 1382). Cf. MDu. huushoud, huysholt, and corresponding forms in the modern related languages.]

1. Without article: The maintaining and managing of a house and those residing in it. a. In the phrase of houshald, frequently used to denote the supplies or furnishing used or required in a house. c1420 Wynt. ii. 1506.
Twa gret ladyis … wes That … tuk the cure Off houshalde c1475 Wall. ii. 18.
With stuff off houshald strestely he thaim bett 1473 Acta Aud. 24/2.
The insicht of houshald that was takin be the said Johne 1478 Ib. 79/1.
The som … aucht to him for mett and drink … and x merkis for esement of houshalde 1492 Myll Spect. 297/12.
I mycht nocht mak the seruice that I had bene accustomit to do, quharfor I was put out of hir byll of hushald 1513 Doug. i. xi. 18.
Damysellis … Quhilkis bair the cure … On purvyance of howshald and vittaill 1529 Reg. Privy S. I. 593/2.
George Scott, abbreviatour of our soverane lordis comptis of househald

b. Maister (of) houshald, an official having charge of the royal household.(1) 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 46.
To a man … passande to my Lord the Chancellar and the Maister of Houshald 1490 Acta Conc. 153/1.
William Lord of Sanct Johnes, gret maister of houshalde to our souerane lord 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 150.
The greit Master of houshold. … With him in ordour all the kingis tryne 1569 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 25.
Our familiar servitour Johnne Betoune, ane of our maisteris of houshald 1590 Misc. Spald. C. II. 114.
To … deliuer the same at the auld cuinȝehouse to our master of househald(2) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 509.
Cheritie … Is maister houshald in ȝone cristall towr a1578 Pitsc. II. 116/5.
The thesawrar, controllar, secretar, and maister houshold

c. In the phrase in houshald. 1487 Buccleuch Mun. II. 89.
I sall be in howssalde or ratenew at the will of my saide lorde 1515 Reg. Privy S. I. 401/1.
To come to the governouris presence … , and to pas and repas with xl or fifty men in houshald, for the space of sex monethis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8713.
Ane command he gaue, That in houshald Alexander he suld ressaue 1568 St. A. Kirk S. 309.
Alane sould say that he wald haif hir in howseld that he mycht be fulfillit of hir bluid and flesche 1575 Ib. 413.
Johne Ȝwil … is ordenied that … he resate not in howsald Johne Robertson 1591 Edinb. Test. XXII. 271.
His moder being present in houshald & famelie with him 1627 Bamff Chart. 217.
Give it sal happine the saidis James … and Helene nocht to agrie cheritablie togidder in houshald

d. 1608 Paisley Mag. (1828) 386 n.
The saidis vmquhile Jeane and Johne being ... new mariet, vntain vp houshold, bot being in houshold with the said Thomas his fathir

2. The persons living together in a house. Freq. with my, his, thair, etc., indicating the head of the house.(a) 1439 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 6.
That thai sall nocht bye mair [victuall] than may suffice to the dispenssis of thair househald 1456 Hay I. 294/19.
He suld be lord and syre of all the houshalde Ib. II. 99/3.
Quhen a king fyndis ony mysgouernaunce … in his houshalde 1466 Reg. Great S. 215/1.
Hisself and his aieris haffand the use of it [sc. fuel] for thare houshald allenarly a1500 Henr. Fab. 2724.
Suppois he and his houshald baith suld de 1527 Reg. Privy S. I. 558/1.
Ane lettre to Paule Kinloch, makand him court stewart to the Kingis grace of his houshald 1533 Boece v. iv. 170.
He schewe mony thingis concernyng the splendoure … and multitude of the kingis houshald c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5718.
I traist thay and thare pure houshauld May tell of hunger and of cauld 1581 Acts III. 222/2.
Sum noblemen [etc.] … passing to burrowis townis, clauchannis, and ailhousis with thair houshaldis 1603 Moysie 38.
The King returnit … , accumpanied with the erles … theare hovshaldis and freindis 1606 Foulis Acc. Bk. p. xlviii.
Efter ane clengc na forder truble come to our huishald 1625 Clanranald P. (Reg. H.).
Ane nichtis meit … to me, my houshauld and servandis(b) 1461 Liber Plusc. 394.
Thai ger thé trow thou may nocht mak dispence On thin housald a1500 Bernardus 30.
The … negligens Of hym that sulde his howsald and expens Gowerne with grace 1511 Treas. Acc. IV. 259.
To [the clerk] at writis the comptis of the houssald c1590 Fowler II. 37/12.
They … behouit to be in the fameil & housald of the mother 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. Pray. 8.
Jesus repose with me and al this housald(c) 1526 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 82.
That na vnfreman ... by na wyttalis ... bot to sustene thaim and thair houswauld for viii dayis(d) 1629 Maxwell Mem. II. 202.
My haill and gretest part of my howsell hes tane the pokis

3. Attrib. with garderob, gere, graith, guidis, hall, man, plait, servant, veschell.(1) 1500 Acta Conc. II. 364.
Dalzell was and is houshald man to the sade Robert, Lord Creichtone 1517 Fife Sheriff Ct. 84.
Ane callyt Symme. houshald man to the lard 1551 Digest Justiciary Proc. B. 54.
Thair wes diuers of his houshauld men, auld tennentes, acquit of diuers dittayes 1581 Treas. Acc. MS. 86² b.
Medycinare and houshald man to the kingis maiestie ?1549 Monro W. Isles 29.
Ane gentleman … quhilk … is halding as ane of thair maisters houshald men(2) 1504 Rec. Earld. Orkney 76.
With viij s. of sylver pament for houshald gere 1535 Stewart 49789.
[Tha] brocht with thame bayth guiss, and gryce, and hen, And houshald geir 1560 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 115.
To Thomas Watsoun … to by howsald geire 1596 Dalr. I. 315/20.
Wilȝeam of Normandie … leiues in testament … his haill thesaur … and his houshald geir(3) 1507 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 140.
An of hir houshold seruantis or mail tennentis 1577 Digest Justiciary Proc. I. 49.
The said Neill … beand domesticall and houshauld seruand to the said erle 1580 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 162.
That the nychthouris serue thame selffis with the watter … be thair feyit and houshald seruandis(4) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 1352.
With thair houshald veschell and jewellis gay 1517 Grant Chart. 63.
For the ... awaytaking ... of his vittuellis and houshald guidis ... sic as pottis, pannis [etc.] ... and vyther stuf of houshald a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xxvi. 9.
Off houshald graythe sum rycht skant war 1589 Exch. R. XXII. 73.
To Andro Mor, copper in the houshald hall 1598 Black Bk. Taymouth 323.
Off droggat courtingis in the houshald garderob … blew and quhyte 1663 Kirkcudbr. Min. Bk. 187.
In the kitchen, fourteen housell plaits