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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.

Poplesie, -lesy(e, n. Also: -lecy; -lisie; -licie; -lasie; -losie; -lexie; popplecie, -lessie; popolacie. [ME and e.m.E. poplexie (Chaucer), -lesie (Caxton), thereafter appar. only Sc., aphetic form of ME (Chaucer) and e.m.E. apoplexie, -y, Apoplesie n.Cf. also MDu. pop(p)elcie, poppel-, popelecie, -zie, MLG poppel-, puppelsie.]Apoplexy; also, a stroke of apoplexy.(1) c1500 Rowll Cursing 43.
Poplisie [B. poplecy] 1531 Bell. Boece I lxi.
Utheris … ar sa swollin, … that thay ar strikin haistely deid in the poplesy c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5117.
Sum ar dissoluit suddantlye Be cattarue or be poplesye 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1474.
Popplecie 1562 Crim. Trials I 422.
[His father] of the aige of thre scoir ane ȝeiris labouris in … continewall seiknes of the poplicie … quhairthrow he is not abill to travell to [etc.] a1605 Montg. Flyt. 316 (T).
The panefull poplasie [H. poplisie] the pest 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 146/641.
The caros poplesie and the lethargie sleeping ay 1612 Brechin Test. II 232.
The said George being agit efter he tuick the popolacie left af handling 1616 Haddington Corr. 132.
Ane vther as miserabill body, the ane halfe of him takin away by popplessie 1642 Rec. Old Aberd. II 140.
Mr George Innes striken in poplasie 1650 Stirling Ant. IV 159.
Interrogate if ever she was subject to the disease vertigo, poplexie, or falling secknes(2) 1622-6 Bisset II 439/15.
[Pope Paul] quha deceissed of ane poplosie [28 Jan., 1621]