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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Epistil(l, Epistle, n. Also: epystil, epistel. [ME. epistle (a 1225), epistelle, epistil, etc., OF. epistle. Cf. Epistole.]

1. An epistle, a letter. a1400 Leg. S. xi. 120.
Thane Iudas has the epystil tane, That Criste to Agabarus wrat 1456 Hay II. 75/3.
He send him … lettris and epistelis how he suld governe him in all his dedis c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxx. 27.
My brethir oft hes maid thé supplicationis, Be epistillis, sermonis, and relationis 1540 Glencarne in Knox I. 72.
Ane epistle direct fra the Holye Armite of Allerit to his bretheren the Gray Freires 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 9.
Thys clase sal reid … the epistles of Cicerotransf. a1540 Freiris Berw. 188.
Scho rowndis than ane epistill in till eyre

2. One of the epistles of the New Testament or that read in the church service. 1456 Hay I. 11/17.
Sanct Peter … with his epistlis that he send our all the warld of the faith 1490 Irland Mir. I. 19/7.
Sanct James sais in the first cheptur of his epistill 1491 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. 256.
The epistill of the mes 1533 Gau 20/24.
As sanct Paul writis in … his first epistil to Thimothe 1562-3 Winȝet II. 30/17.
In the places follouing of the samin epistil [to the Galatians] 1567 G. Ball. 72.
Ane carrell of the epistill on ȝule euin a1578 Pitsc. II. 69/22.
I haue red into the epistillis of Sanct Paull [etc.]