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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Males(e, Malice, Male-, Mail(l)-e(i)s, n. Also: maleis, malis, mail(l)-eys. [ME. male(e)s(e (Cursor M.), malisce (Cursor M.), male eese (14th c.), male ease (Malory), OF. malaise. From the 15th c. appar. chiefly Sc.]

1. Physical or mental unease or distress; discomfort, irritation, displeasure, misery.(a) 1456 Hay I. 60/35.
[He] wald … nocht geve him entree. Of quhilk he was at grete males Ib. II. 25/28.
For thai drede mare the distroublaunce and malese of thair corssage na the honoure and worschip of thair curage 1549 Compl. 115/34.
He beand depriuit, he of ane profond maleis departit fra Lacedemonia(b) 1375 Barb. xx. 493 (E).
At swa gret malice wes he That he come nocht to the journé For hys arme brokyn wes in twa c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxix. 34
And all men sayis, my lord, that ȝe Can best remeid for this malice [: place, cace] That with sic panis prickillis me(c) c1460 Thewis Wysmen 452.
Thai … wareis God of thar mail-es [: disples] 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 606.
The fewerous hew intill my face did myith All my male eis, for swa the horribill dreid Haill me ouirset 1533 Boece iv. xi. 142 b.
For his maill eis

2. A disease or sickness. Also fig. 1375 Barb. xx. 73.
Ane male es [E. malice] tuk hym so sare Ib. 75.
His mail eis [E. malice] of ane fundying Begouth a1500 Henr. Pract. Med. 26 (Bann.).
With dias and dreggis of malis to mend ȝow a1497, 15.. Gray MS. iv. 83.
I [Christ] am thi leich to thi males 1513 Doug. xii. i. 114.
Hys mail eys [: meys]