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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Ȝemsel(l, -sall, n. Also: ȝemsele, -schele, -seil(l, -sale, -sail, yemsele, ȝhemsell, -sall, -sayl, yhemsel, -sale, yemesale, ȝeymseill, ȝeemsell. [ME ȝemsle (Orm), ON geymsla, f. geyma Ȝem(e v.] a. Of a person, animal or thing: Care, protection, keeping. Chiefly const. in (one's) ȝemsell. b. Of lands, a ship, etc.: Rule, governance, charge, custody, command. Also const. in, to (the, one's) ȝemsell. c. Of a prisoner: Custody. Only const. in.a. (1) 1375 Barb. xi 336.
Till him betaucht wes he For he wes ȝoung, bot nocht-forthi I trow he sall sa manlily Do his dewour & wirk sa weill That him sall nede ne mar ȝemseill [C. ȝeymseill] a1400 Leg. S. xvi 198.
A byschape callit Maximyne … To quham … Sancte Petyre … Had recommendit the Magdalayne, That of hyre ȝemsel wald [? erron. for word (became)] fulfane Quhene the dyscipilis scalit war In that tempeste a1400 Leg. S. xxxvii 357.
Be angelis ȝemsel that na beste Mycht tuth lay on hyme(2) 1375 Barb. ii 136.
Bot he that him [sc. Ferrand, the horse] in ȝhemsell had Than warnyt hym dispitously 1375 Barb. xx 241.
[Douglas to King Robert] I thank ȝow gretly lord … That ȝe sa dyng and worthy thing As ȝour hart … Will that [I] in my ȝemsall [C. ȝeemsell] tak a1400 Leg. S. i 20.
Alswa Crist thaucht hym [sc. Peter] his schepe In his ȝemschele for to kepe a1400 Leg. S. i 601.
Thame deliuerit Paulyne In the handis of Mamertyne The quhilk gaff thame ine ȝemsale Of twa knychttis a1400 Leg. S. xii 245.
He mad hyme His procuratore … For quhat thing euir gyffyne was To Criste … Cryste gef it hyme [sc. Judas] ay in ȝemsele, Tho he wes thefe & ay wald steyle a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 71.
Fra he had this madyn lacht In ȝemsel, he gert hyre be tacht In Cristis lacht c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1221 (C).
Pollydorus … That in hys yhemsale [D. ȝemsall] had & cure Wnnowmerabile fayr tresoure 1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
The Haly Gast ȝow haff in His ȝhemsall euermarb. a1400 Leg. S. vii 360.
Waspaciane The ȝemsale [L. monarchiam] of Galyse had tane Of Tybry, the emprioure c1420 Wynt. viii 6041.
[The king] Than till Jhon the Berklay The yhemsale [C. ȝemsail, W. keping] gave off the castelle Off Roxburch; and he it keipyt welle 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Ȝemsel.
Ȝemsel … the custodie, and keeping of ane castell(2) 1375 Barb. xvii 222.
Walter … Berwik to ȝemsell tuk … And resawit of the king the toun And the castell and the dongeoun
Al my landys … to be in the kepyng and the yemsele [ Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 33 a, yhemsel] of a nobil man 1397 Douglas Chart. 39. c1420 Wynt. viii 4354.
The Stwart … can hym speyd Till his castelle, and thare-in made Keparis that it in yhemsale [C. ȝhemsayl, W. ȝemsall] hade 14.. Acts I 40/2.
Gif a burges dee and lefe ony ayre that ayre and his catall sal be in ȝemsell of his frendis on the mudyrhalf 1453 Reg. Great S. 131/2.
All strenthis, housis, castellis … pertenande … to me … To be fully and haly in … my derrast brotheris keping, yemesale and governance 1460–1 Aberd. B. Rec. MS V i 414 (17 March).
Wet & selpt as thai saide in the said schipe within the hawyn of the said burgh in faut and ȝemseil of the said maisterc. a1400 Leg. S. xliii 409.
& put thame in til pressone rath, In ȝemsale of Maxymy