osel and osele - Middle English Compendium

Middle English Dictionary Entry

ọ̄sel(e n.

Forms	ọ̄sel(e n. Also osle, hosel, usel, ousil, nosil, nosul, wesel & (in names only) os(e-, osol-, oles-, hoheles-, wosel-.
Etymology	OE ōsle

(a) The European blackbird (Turdus merula); ~ brid; (b) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.56].

a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)711 : En branche set le menue merle [glossed:] osel [vrr. hoselbrit, ooselbrid, oslebird, usel].
c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)800 : Pardys, plouer, et merle: Partrik, plouer, and osele [glossed: blacbrid].
(a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.187 : Þe wesels [vrr. osels, oseles] be blak among vs; þere þey beeþ white.
(a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.237 : In toune as it longes Þe osul [L merulus; vr. morulis] twytereþ mery songes.
a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking in Studia Neoph.16 (Hrl 2340)8 : Sperhaukes..moste haue tendere mete as Sparrous, eysoges, owsilles, and þresches, and oþer smale briddes.
a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)438 : Of..swalow, thrusche, osulle ye not forgete, þe legges to ley to your souereyne ye ne lett.
?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)86b : A Nosyll: quedam Auis, merulus, merula.
?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)89b : An Osyll: quedam auis, Marpa [Monson: micippa], merula.
?a1500 Trin-C.LEDict.Suppl.(Trin-C O.5.4)597/48 : Nodosa: a nosul, avis est.