A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1560
[1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Saul(l)-hele, n. Also: saule-, sawle-, sauill- and -heil(l, -heile, -heyle, -hell, -hail(l. [ME and e.m.E. saul-hele (Cursor M.), sawle-heale (c1440), soule-hele (Piers Plowman), sowle-heele (1418), soule-heale (c1550), OE (fore uncerra) sáula héla. Saul(l n. and Hele n.2 2.] The health of the soul; spiritual well-being; salvation. Freq. with possess. adj. —(1) 1375 Barb. xx 356.
That his trawaill Mycht till his saule hele awaill a1400 Legends of the Saints xii 226.
He … askyt … Quhow he suld do for his sawle-hele a1400 Ib. xxx 153.
‘Ȝet,' quod scho, ‘be myn saule-heile!’ c1420 Wynt. vi 924 (W).
He … said he wald … For his saull heill that viage Tak 14.. Acts I 11/2.
Thai men that … for thar saule hele visitis in haly steddis 1456 Hay I 203/13. c1460 Vertewis of the Mess (STS) 10.
It is mar spedfull … to the manis saul-heill to her mes with clen hart 1486 Bk. Carlaverock II 447.
For the saule heil of the said maister Jhone 1526 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. I 154.
The said Jhone movit of devocioun and for his sauill haill has infeft ws … in all and haill his tenement a1538 Abell 10b.
Prosperite causis oft tymis a man to forȝet God and his saull heill a1538 Ib. 87a.
Put nocht thi saul heill in perell for wnsewir redusin of othiris 1551 Hamilton Catechism 225.
Saule hail 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 2430.
Saull heill(2) a1400 Legends of the Saints xiii 94.
That he … fore saule-heile come in that land a1400 Ib. xxi 565.
Saul-heyle a1400 Ib. xxvii 706, etc.
Sawle hele 1456 Hay I 149/15.
For athe aganis saule hele is nocht tobe kepit 1464 Peebles B. Rec. I 151.
A hous of almus for tyl harbry in it pur foulk for saull heile 1475 Ib. 175.
Anvellis … gewyn be ald Willyam of Bothwell … to Sant James awter for saul hell a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 108 (Asl.).
Men of suffisans … Seikand saull hele without dissimilans
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Saul-hele n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/saull_hele>
