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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.

(Wersilling,) Warsilling, Werselling, Wreslyng, vbl. n. Also: warsling, wersling, -yng(e, wersslyng(e, werstling, -yng, worsling, wirsling, wrasling, urasling, wrast(e)ling, wresslyne, wrestling, wrisselling. [ME and e.m.E. wrastlinge (Layamon), wraslinge (a1250), wrestelyng (Cursor M.), wrastelynge (1400), wrestling (1596).]

1. The act of wrestling with an opponent, the sport of wrestling; a bout of wrestling. Also pl. (Wersil(l v. 1.)(a) ?1438 Alex. ii 9022.
This warsling was sa fers and fell 1531 Bell. Boece I 247.
He gaif his ingine to tornamentis, warsling, and othir knichtly exercitioun 1558-66 Knox I 468.
To feght with God, and to ovircum Him, as Jacob did in warsling with His angell a1578 Pitsc. I 340/6.
All kynd of games and pastymes as schotting, lepping, ryding and warsling 1600 Misc. Bann. C. I 146.
Every ane of them greips to vtheris gorgetis quhill in warsling the king ouercoms, and getis him under him 1631 Justiciary Cases I 165.
Gif ony hurt was gottin be the persewer it proceidit of ane strugilling or warsilling and of ane fall gottin be the persewer in that warsilling quhairof he mycht be the caus himselff … of his awin hurt(b) c1420 Wynt. i 340.
Off Cornwalle fyrst had grete lykyng To cast thai carlys in werslyng [E. werstling, W. werselling] c1420 Wynt. i 356.
To se how that this Coryne Walde dele wyth hym in to werslyng [E. wresslyne] c1420 Wynt. iii 974.
He that mycht [the gre] thare wyn Off towrneamentys, or justyng, Menstralsy, or wersslyng [C. wersslynge, W. wersling] c1420 Wynt. iv 80.
All plais, As dansing, pyping and singing, Werstlyng, springing or iusting 1513 Doug. vi x 36.
Into palestral plays thame betweyn Thar membris gan exers, and hand for hand Thai fal to werslyng on the goldyn sand 1531 Bell. Boece I 60.
[He] commandit the young children of his realme … to be ithandly exercit in swift rinning and wersling 1531 Bell. Boece II 355.
[He] had sic craft in wersling that he kest all men that assailyeit him 1533 Boece 220b.
Maximus … quhen he wakit fra bissy curis, he gaif him to wersling 1596 Dalr. I 92/7.
Only tyme thay had frie frome the weiris … to spend that tyme in rinning, fenceng … and in werstling 1622-6 Bisset I 46/14.
Ȝoung men salbe exerciced in swift rynning, wersling, with corsbow … to hald thame fra sic thingis as makis thame effeminate(c) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6966.
Casting of stane, and als the leidin mell, Worsling, lowping, he did excerce him sell 1629 Boyd Last B. 117.
Jacob got not his blessing at the first sute … at last it came to worsling, and weeping, and wresting(d) 1531 Bell. Boece I lvi.
Wirsling(e) 1513 Doug. iii iv 138.
Our falloschip exers palestral play … Nakyt wreslyng [Sm. worsling] and struglyng at nyce punte 1600 Crim. Trials II 216.
His maiestie with his right hand seazed vpon both his hand and his sworde, and with his left hand clasped him by the throat, like as he with his left hand claspt the king by the throat, with two or three of his fingers in his maiesties mouth … In this maner of wrestling, his maiestie [etc.](f) 1600 Crim. Trials II 216.
His maiestie, with struggling and wrastling with the said Maister Alexander c1615 Breve Cron. Earlis Ross 1.
He had sic craft in wrasling, that he cuist all men that assilȝeit him(g) 1600 Crim. Trials II 245.
In the meine tyme, that hes M. and the twa brether are at the wrisselling

b. The action of struggling, striving, floundering or wriggling. (Wersil(l v. 2.) 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 488.
Within ane whyle he recoverit, with siching and sobbing, wrasling with handis, feit and bodie 1632 Lithgow Trav. vi 294.
With sore wrestling agaynst the parching sun 1659 Blairs P. 161.
My uerie reins ar sor yet uith urasling out my bodie out amongs the snoupl. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 99/22.
He hes att werslingis [STS warslingis] bein ane hunder

2. fig.The action of striving or contending; arguing; an instance of this. Also attrib. 1571 Sempill in Sat. P. xxviii 43.
With John of Cliddisdail thai [ro]usit me to striue, Be worsling first in faith the feild was myne 1596 Melvill 365.
Wha is the God of ordour that hes apointed a tyme of feghting and a tyme of triumphing, a tyme of sojourning and wandring … and, finalie, a tyme of warsling and suffering heir to mak us conform to Chryst 1629 Boyd Last B. 4.
I cannot expresse what a worsling I finde within mee; there is such a working feare about mine heart 1635 Dickson Wr. 134.
Before sense get the victory, there will be a strange warsling, sweating and breathing, and such a weariness in the conflict, that there must needs be a drink of consolation(b) 1587-99 Hume 8/8.
I haue heere set downe … a few spirituall songs … prosecuted in my wraslings with the world, and the flesh a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxiv 53.
My wrasling with the wind 1638 Johnston Diary I 313.
After long wrasteling in privat, I fand the Lord with me a1652 Dickson Psalms III 17.
The cause of his sorrow … and his wrastling against it 1660-7 Naphtali Title.
Naphtali, or the Wrestlings of the Church of Scotland for the Kingdom of Christattrib. 1604-9 Grahame Anat. Hum. 27.
It is such poore soules who hath their ever-warsling mindes intrecated in a laborinth of woes 1632 Lithgow Trav. x 465.
The thundring noyse of my wrestling voyce