A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1456-1537, 1593-1681
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Hede-stele, Heid-staill, n. Also: heid-stall, -stal(e, head(e)steale, -staill, -stell, and Hoodstaill. [ME. hedstalle (1480).] The part of the bridle or halter which fits round the horse's head; a head stall. 1456 Hay II. 49/32.
The horse-hede is bundyn with ane hede stele of the bridill c1500 Rowll Cursing 230.
But heltaris, heid[s]tailis, sonkis or sadillis 1537 Treasurer's Accounts VI. 356.
Heid stalis 1593 Edinburgh Testaments XXVI. 57.
Tua blak heid staillis [for horses], price v s. 1594 Ib. XXVII. 352.
Four heidstallis for hors 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Frontale, the heade-steale of a horse 1600 Treasurer's Accounts MS. 71.
Furnissing of fyve horsis, … dowbill heid staillis, passing girdis, [etc.] 1616 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) II. 60.
Headstellis 1637 Rep. Elphinstone Mun. 26.
Ane blak welvat brydill, heid staill and tie 1681 Foulis Acc. Bk. 95.
To Malcolme to pay for a sniffle bit, … head-staill and reinȝies to it
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"Hede-stele n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 16 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/hede_stele>
