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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.

Pensel(l, n. Also: -eil; -ale, -all; -il(l, -ile; pansal(l. [ME. and e.m.E. pensile (Layamon B), pencelle (Manning), pensel (c 1400), AF. pencel, reduced form of OF. penoncel, dim. of penon Pen(n)oun n. Cf. also Pinsel(l n.] A small pennon (Pen(n)oun n.). = Pinsel(l n.(a) 1375 Barb. xi. 193 (C).
[The English army,] Vith baneris richt freschly flawmand And pensalis [E. penselys] to the vynd vaffand ?1438 Alex. i. 1983.
That all the pensale of his spere He butlingis in his body can bere Ib. ii. 8096.
Pensallis a1568 Gyre-carling 15.
The King of Fary … sett ane sege and ane salt with grit pensallis of pryd 1535 Stewart 49559.
With baneris braid displeyit vpoun hicht And mony pensall panetit wes full proude Ib. 28775.
Pensillis 1542 Ayr Common Good Acc.
Ane eln of taffaty to be ane pensale at the raid of Lawdar ix s. 1542 Hamilton P. I. 158.
Tuonty [men] that stuyd with ws about our pensell c1550 Lynd. Test. Meldrum 95.
I will that thair pas formest in the front To beir my penseil ane wicht campioun 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 158.
William Kircaldie … raid fra the said palice in dule weid beirand ane pensall quhairin wes contenit ane reid lyoun … ane vther pensell quhairin wes contenit my lord regentis armes and bage 1591 Dundee B. Laws 375.
With the mortcloth, handsenȝie and pensiles of the samen [craft] 1600 Cal. Sc. P. XIII. 735.
[The three knights had their rights given them by his majesty's command and their] pensilles [with their arms] 1602 Reg. Privy C. VI. 360.
[They] pat up the said bludy claith as ane pensell of victorie 1605 Ib. VII. 145.
With … thrie score horsemen … with jakkis, lances etc. and with ane displeyit pensell 1624 Linlithgow B. Rec. 14 May.
Alex^r Milne and William Bel to beir the pensallis at the ryding of the merches 1643 Acts Gen. Assembly 2 Aug. 1643, 12.
Other abuses in hinging of pensils and brods … and such like scandalous monuments in the kirk(b) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 1240.
Syne plantis standartis, pansallis and penonis