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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.

Purale, -all, -ell n. Also: pureall; puirral, puir-, pwirell; purrell; poor(e)all. [e.m.E. and ME poraille (Manning), -ail(l, -ayl(l)e (14th c.), -al(l (Wyclif), e.m.E. poorall (1561), syncopated var. of pouerail Poveraill n.]

1. coll. Poor people collectively; the poor as a class; the paupers (of a burgh etc.). Also attrib.(a) a1500 Colk. Sow ii 224.
Dispys nevir wyis vertewis in purall 1549 Aberd. B. Rec. I 270.
To … daill the same [bread] to the purale Ib. 274.
That he lat na maner of purale enter in the kirk, bot to remane at the kirk dur and seik thair almous 1562 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 4.
To be wptakin be the ressawaris of the purellis almows Ib. 8.
Sic gryte confluence of purell resortis … to this toune Ib. 9.
All wder decayt purell, natywe born, within this toun 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 491.
Alsweill amonge the pureall as amonges the richest 1584 Anal. Scot. I 284.
Ane of the purall of the ospittell of Aberdeen 1595 Aberd. B. Rec. II 124.(b) a1595 Cullen Chron. Aberd. 42.
Gilbert Gray, ane of the pwirell of Aberden 1604 Cramond Ch. Aberdour 3.
The paroch is found as yet destitute of a common man for outhalding of stranger puirell and beggars 1606 Ib. 3.attrib. 1629 Ellon Par. 74.
All gotten in of common good and puirell silver was given out(c) 1579 Aberd. B. Rec. II 33.
For euerie bairne … (the purrell being exceptit)(d) 1591 Misc. Spald. C. III 163.
In name of the pooreall and hospitall 1621 Rec. Old Aberd. II 1.
The names of the poorall

2. pl. Poor persons. 1538 Aberd. B. Rec. MS XV (J).
That na strangearis, nor gangralis puirralis be ressate nor haldyn in this tovnne c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3821.
Wes no man left … Bot purellis lauborand with thare handis, Tyll mychtie Cyrus