Welsh a. and sb.

Forms: α. 1 Wilisc, Wilsc, 1–2 Wylisc, 2 Wylsc. β. 1 Uuelesc, 1–3 Welisc, 4–5 Welische (Welisse); 2–3 Welsc, 4 Welsse, 6 Welshe (7 Welse), 6–9 Welch, 6– Welsh. γ. 1–2 Wælisc, 3 Walisc, 4 Walish, Walysch, 5 Walische, Walysshe, Wallish, Wallych, 6 Walyssh; 2 Wælsc, 3 Wailsc, 3–4 Wals, 4–5 Walsch(e, Walssh, 4–6 Walshe (6 Walche), 5 Walsshe, 6–7 Walsh. [OE. (West Saxon) Wilisc, Wylisc, (Anglian and Kentish) Welisc, Wælisc, f. Wealh, Walh, Celt, Briton, = OHG. Walh, Walah (MHG. Walch, G. Wahle) Celt, Roman, etc., ON. *Valr (pl. Valir, Gauls, Frenchmen): see etym. note to WALNUT, and cf. WALACH and VLACH. To the English adj. correspond OHG. wal(a)hisc, walesc (MHG. walh-, wälhisch, walsch, etc., G. wälsch, welsch), Roman, Italian, French, Du. waalsch Walloon, ON. valskr Gaulish, French (MSw. valskr; Sw. välsk, Da. vælsk Italian, French, southern); cf. the note to WALSHNUT.

  In OE. the final h of the stem normally disappeared before the adjectival ending. The West Saxon type *Wielisc (from Wealh) did not survive beyond the OE. period; the two Anglian and Kentish types (from Walh) existed concurrently till the 16th cent., after which Welsh became the sole form in general use, Walsh remaining only as a surname. (The AF. Waleis, which is rarely employed in ME., also survives in the surname Wallace.)

  The spelling Welch is retained in the titles of the Welch Regiment and the Royal Welch Fasiliers.]

  A.  adj.

  1.  Of persons: a. Originally: belonging to the native British population of England in contrast to the Anglo-Saxons. Obs. exc. Hist. b. In later use: belonging to Wales by birth and descent; forming (part of) the native population of Wales.

  α.  688–95.  Laws Ine, § 32. Be Wilisces monnes londhæfene. Ʒif Wilisc mon hæbbe hide londes [etc.].

c. 1000.  Ags. Laws, Dunsetas, § 3, 2. xii lahmen scylon riht tæcean Wealan & Ænglan: vi Englisce & vi Wylisce.

c. 1100.  O. E. Chron. (MS. D.), an. 1052. Griffin se Wylisca cing. Ibid. (MS. C.), an. 1055. Tremerig se Wylsca biscop. Ibid. (Laud MS.), an. 1097. Ða Wylisce menn syððon hi fram þam cynge ʓebuʓon.

  β.  c. 1100.  O. E. Chron. (MS. C.), an. 1052. Eac man sloh Hris þæs Welscan cynges broþer.

c. 1205.  Lay., 31632. Þa iwærð abolȝen a Welisc king in þe hepe.

1360–1.  Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 562. Cuidam Welsharpour d’ni Will’i de Dalton, 3s. 4d.

1513.  Life Hen. V. (1911), 10. And this sufficeth of the Welsh conspiracies and battailes.

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., II. i. 209. Sir, there is a fray to be fought, betweene Sir Hugh the Welch Priest, and Caius the French Doctor.

1628.  Mad Pranks Robin Goodfellow (Percy Soc.), 9. As infamous as a Welch-harper that playes for cheese and onions.

1647.  Clarendon, Hist. Reb., VI. § 135. Here a Welsh regiment of the King’s … assaulted the works.

1796.  Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 147. About the year 1,112 Henry I. of England, planted a colony of Flemings on the frontiers of Wales, to serve as a barrier to England, none of the Welsh princes being powerful enough to oppose them.

1836.  Southey, Lett. (1856), IV. 475. Here I have found out who the Welsh attorney was who [etc.].

1862.  Borrow, Wild Wales, xlix. Why, you told me you were of Welsh parents.

1905.  ‘G. Thorne,’ Lost Cause, x. Yet even a petty supremacy awes the petty, and the sly Welsh girl was indubitably awed.

  γ.  c. 1100.  O. E. Chron. (MS. D.), an. 1050. Mid Gryfines fultume þæs Wæliscan cynges.

1338.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1725), 241. Had þei had a spie among þe Walssh oste … þei had bien men lyuand, þat þer to dede went.

a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 320. ‘A! A!’ sais the Walsche kynge ‘wirchipid be Criste!’

c. 1420.  Contin. Brut, 368. Þere was a man þat was clepid ‘þe walsch clerke,’ and apelyd a kniȝt … of treson.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, XVIII. xxiii. 767. And there with al he aspyed a walysshe knyghte where he was to repose him.

  [a. 1577.  Sir T. Smith, Commw. Eng., I. xiii. (1583), 15. To defende themselues yet from them which were walsh and strangers,… [they] agreed … to consult in common.]

  2.  Of things: Of or pertaining to Wales or its inhabitants, † or to the British race in Anglo-Saxon times.

  In OE. the wider sense of ‘foreign’ appears also to have been current, but clear instances are rare.

688–95.  Laws Ine, § 46. 1. Gif hit ðonne bið Wilisc onstal, ne bið se að na ðy mara. Ibid., § 70. xii ambra Wilisc ealað.

805–10.  in Birch, Cartul. Sax., I. 459. Selle mon … xxx. ombra godes uuelesces aloð.

a. 1122.  O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 852. Wulfred scolde ʓifen … twa tunnan fulle hlutres aloð … & ten mittan Wælsces aloð.

c. 1205.  Lay., 13021. Vortiger hafde Walisc [c. 1275 Wals] lond.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), App. G. 146. Fram þe walische see ywis, Fram seint dauid to þe see.

1300–1400.  R. Gloucester’s Chron. (Rolls), App. XX. 591. Edward his sone … þat of þe welische londe clanliche al out I wan þe seignoriȝe.

1532.  Prayer & Compl. Ploweman, F j. They haue enclosed it [God’s leasow] … so hygh, there may no shepe come there within, but yef it be a walyssh lepre [= leaper] of the mountaynes.

1555.  L. Saunders, in Coverdale, Lett. Martyrs (1564), 188. Not in hope of rebellion or fulfillyng vnprofitable, yea pestilent welshe prophecies.

1599.  Shaks., Hen. V., IV. vii. 112. All the water in Wye, cannot wash your Maiesties Welsh plood out of your pody. Ibid., V. i. 83. Henceforth let a Welsh correction, teach you a good English condition.

1612.  Selden, Illustr. Drayton’s Poly-olb., ix. 390. In the Welsh Prouerb Mon mam Cymbry.

1761.  Goldsm., Ess., Taste. The native, genuine, and salutary taste of Welch beef.

1771.  Smollett, Humph. Cl., 26 April (1). At eight … we go … to the Pump-room; which is crowded like a Welsh fair.

1774.  Johnson, in Boswell, Life (1904), II. 538. Yesterday I returned from my Welch journey.

1781.  Gibbon, Decl. & F., xxxviii. (1787), III. 623. Their subjects, of Welsh or Cambrian extraction, assume the respectable station of inferior freemen.

1862.  Borrow, Wild Wales, l. I reached a large village, the name of which, like those of most Welsh villages, began with Llan.

  Proverbial (and allusively).  a. 1661.  Fuller, Worthies, Wales (1662), 7. As long as a Welsh pedigree.

1725.  Young, Love of Fame, III. 121. Till I surpass in length … A Welch descent.

a. 1764.  Churchill, Serm., Ded. 60 (1771), p. iii. When thou art to thyself, thy Sire unknown, A whole Welsh genealogy alone?

  b.  In the names of various products of, and commodities obtained from, Wales, as † Welsh cloth (see Welsh cotton); Welsh coal, coal obtained from the South Wales coal-fields; anthracite; † Welsh cotton, a kind of woollen cloth with a nap; Welsh dresser (see quot. and DRESSER¹ 2); Welsh flannel (see quot. 1858); † Welsh frieze = Welsh cotton; Welsh glaive (see quot.); Welsh lay, a class of roofing-slates; † Welsh lining, a woollen cloth without a nap (cf. COTTON sb.² and FRIEZE sb.¹ 1); Welsh lump, a kind of fire-brick made in large pieces; Welsh mutton, mutton obtained from a small breed of sheep pastured on the Welsh mountains, highly esteemed for the delicacy of its flavor; Welsh oilstone (see quot.); † Welsh plain = Welsh flannel; Welsh = RAG sb.² 1 b; † Welsh scarlet (see SCARLET sb.¹); Welsh snuff (see quot.); † Welsh stone-coal = Welsh coal. Also WELSH BILL, WELSH HOOK.

1566.  Act 8 Eliz., c. 7 § 1. *Welsh Clothe and Linyng, commonly called Cottons Fryzes and Playnes.

a. 1618.  Ralegh, Invent. Shipping, 41. Our Newcastle, or our *Welsh Coales.

1743.  Lond. & Country Brew., III. (ed. 2), 177. At a famous Town in the West for brewing Beer, they burn this Welch Coal in a moveable Iron Grate.

1842.  Loudon, Suburban Hort., 211. Welsh coal … is a very durable fuel, peculiarly well suited to these boilers.

1546–7.  in Feuillerat, Revels Edw. VI. (1914), 5. iij yardes d. *wellshe Cotton at vj^d yard.

1551–2.  Act 5 & 6 Edw. VI., c. 6 § 1. And that … Walshe Cottonne … shall not be streched on the Tentor … above a nayle of a yarde in bredith.

1580.  Welsh cotton [see MANCHESTER 1].

1910.  Encycl. Brit., VIII. 578/1. A peculiarly effective combination of oak and mahogany is found in the dressers … made on the borders of Staffordshire and Shropshire…. The expression *‘Welsh dresser’ … is now no more than a trade term,… applied to all dressers of this type.

[1598.  *Welsh flannel; used allusively in referring to a Welshman: see FLANNEL 1 d.]

1858.  Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Welsh-flannel, the finest kind of flannel, made from the fleeces of the flocks of the Welsh mountains.

1860.  Hunt, Ure’s Dict. Arts, etc., s.v. Flannel, Wales is the country in which flannel was originally made, and the Welsh flannel is still held in much estimation.

1551–2.  Act 5 & 6 Edw. VI., c. 6 § 1. All *Walshe Frices … made and wrought within the Shires of Cardigan and Pembroke … or elsewhere of lyke makinge.

1786.  Grose, Anc. Armour, 56. The *Welch glaive is a kind of bill, sometimes reckoned among the pole axes.

1891.  Century Dict., s.v. Lay¹ n. 8 *Welsh lay, a slate measuring 3 by 2 feet.

1557–8.  Act 4 & 5 Phil. & Mar., c. 5 § 5. Everie Gode of *Welche lyning shall … be three quarters of a yarde in Breadthe.

1833.  Loudon, Encycl. Archit., § 599. The most convenient fire bricks are what are called *Welsh or Stourbridge lumps.

1842.  Gwilt, Archit., § 1826. Fire bricks…. This sort of brick is made also in various parts of Wales, whence they are called Welsh lumps.

1892.  Dict. Arch. (Arch. Publ. Soc.), Welsh lump.… It can be had up to 3 ft. long, 10 ins. by 5 ins. thick.

1830.  Le Keux, Illustr. Nat. Hist., I. 141. The genuine *Welsh mutton is highly esteemed.

1910.  Encycl. Brit., XIII. 653/1. Idwal or *Welsh oilstone, used for small articles.

1584.  in Feuillerat, Revels Q. Eliz. (1908), 370. For ix yardes of *welshe playne.

1725.  [see PLAIN sb.¹ 9].

1823.  Nicholson, Pract. Builder, 396. Patent slating was originally composed of slates called the *Welsh Rags.

1887.  Dict. Arch. (Arch. Publ. Soc.), Rag slate, or Welsh rag.

14[?].  Langland’s P. Pl., A. V. 113 (MS. T.). I may hit not leue He scholde wandre on þat *walsshe scarlet, so was it þred-bare.

1845.  G. Dodd, Brit. Manuf., v. 148. There are many kinds of snuff called ‘high-dried,’ such as *‘Welsh’ and ‘Lundyfoot.’

1833.  N. Arnott, Physics (ed. 5), II. 143. *Welch stone-coal.

  c.  in the names of plants, beasts, insects, etc., indigenous to or found chiefly in Wales, as Welsh cattle, pony; runt (see RUNT sb. 2); Welsh clear-wing, club-moss (see quots.); Welsh poppy, a perennial poppy of the genus Meconopsis (see POPPY sb. 3); Welsh sorrel, speedwell, wave (see quots.).

1834.  Youatt, Cattle, 47. Howell Dha … describes some of the *Welsh cattle in the tenth century, as being ‘white with red ears.’

1796.  Withering, Brit. Plants (ed. 3), III. 759. Pilularia annotinum.… *Welsh Clubmoss. On the mountains of Caernarvonshire.

1869.  E. Newman, Brit. Moths, 15. The *Welsh Clearwing (Sesia Scoliæformis).

1771.  Smollett, Humph. Cl., 26 April (3). Patience is like a stout *Welsh poney; it bears a great deal, and trots a great way; but it will tire at the long run.

1831.  Youatt, Horse, 58. The Welsh pony … has a small head, high withers, deep yet round barrel, short joints, flat legs, and good round feet.

1741.  Compl. Family-Piece, II. iii. 374. *Welsh-poppy.

1829.  Loudon, Encycl. Plants (1836), 462. Meconopsis cambrica Vig. Welsh Poppy.

1882.  Garden, 20 May, 353/1. A broad blue china bowl is brilliant with … Welsh Poppy.

1659.  Howell, Lex. Tetragl., New Sayings, v. 8/1. He thrives as well as a *Welch Runt in Rumney Marsh.

1727.  E. Laurence, Duty of Steward, 76. The Steward should be advis’d to stock the Ground with Scotch Keylys or Welch Runts at Midsummer half-fat.

1768, 1886.  [see RUNT sb. 2].

1910.  Encycl. Brit., V. 540/2. Welsh cattle are well known in the Midland counties … where, under the name of ‘Welsh runts,’ large herds of bullocks are fattened on the pastures.

1640.  Parkinson, Theat. Bot., VI. x. 745. Acetosa Cambro-Britanica Montana. Mountaine *Welsh Sorrell.

c. 1710.  Petiver, Cat. Ray’s Eng. Herbal, Tab. iii. Welsh Sorrel.

1731.  Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Veronica, *Welsh spiked Speedwell, with a hairy Bugle Leaf.

1796.  Withering, Brit. Plants (ed. 3), II. 12. Veronica hybrida.… Welsh Speedwell. Bugle-leaved Speedwell.

1869.  E. Newman, Brit. Moths, 76. The *Welsh Wave (Venusia cambricaria).

  d.  in other collocations: Welsh acre (see quot.); Welsh ambassador, a name for (a) the cuckoo; † (b) the owl (cf. Welsh falconer); Welsh aunt (see quot.); Welsh bait, a rest, without other refreshment, given to a horse on reaching the top of a hill (see BAIT sb. 5); also fig.; † Welsh brief (meaning obscure); Welsh carpet, † comb, cornice (see quots.); † Welsh cricket, a louse; Welsh diamond (see quot.); Welsh drake, the gadwall or gray duck, Chaulelasmus streperus; † Welshdraper, a maker of, or dealer in, ‘Welsh cotton’; a woollen draper; Welsh ejectmont (see quot.); † Welsh falconor = Welsh ambassador (b); † Welsh fiddle (see quot.); Welsh groin, groining Arch. (see quots.); Welsh ham (see quot.); Welsh main Cockfighting (see MAIN sb.³ 3); Welsh mile, a distance of a mile and more; a long and tedious mile (chiefly proverbial); Welsh mortgage (see quot.); Welsh niece, a first cousin (cf. Welsh aunt, W. uncle); Welsh onion = CHIBOL 1; † Welsh parsley (see quots.); † Welsh pearl, ? an inferior or counterfeit pearl; † Welsh-pot shell (see quot.); Welsh road (see quot.); Welsh springer, a kind of spaniel (see SPRINGER¹ 8 b); Welsh uncle (see UNCLE 1 d); Welsh vault, vaulting Arch. = Welsh groin, groining; Welsh wig, a worsted cap. Also WELSH BEAN, WELSH HARP, WELSH RABBIT.

1704.  Dict. Rust., *Welch-acre; it’s usually two English Acres.

1608.  Middleton, Trick to catch Old One, IV. H 1. Thy Sound is like the cuckowe, the *welch Embassador.

c. 1620.  Welsh Embass., IV. 1501 (Malone Soc.). Pray m^r Reese … what is the reason that wee english men when the Cuckoe is vppon entrance saie the welsh embassador is Cominge.

1637.  in Retrosp. Rev. (1853), I. 312. Two dozen of Welsh ambassodars.

1683–4.  in Macray, Rep. Magd. Coll., N. S. IV. (1904), 135. Mr. Clerke, commoner, complain’d of Sir Chernock, demy, for abusing him…, calling him foole, Welsh ambassadour (an expression for an owle).

1894.  G. F. Northall, Folk-phr. Four Counties, 25. The Welsh ambassador = The cuckoo.

1878.  N. & Q., 10 Aug., 105/1. Some Radnorshire Words…. *Welsh Aunt, first cousin of father or mother.

1603.  T. Powell (title), *Welch Bayte to spare Prouender. Or, A looking backe vpon the Times past.

1658.  Harrington, Prerog. Pop. Govt., I. vi. 32. In this place he takes a Welsh bait, and looking back makes a Muster of his Victories.

a. 1661.  Fuller, Worthies, Wales (1662), 7. The Proverbs…. Give your horse a Welch-bait.

1626.  B. Jonson, Staple of N., V. i. It is a thing of greater consequence, Then to be borne about in a blacke boxe, Like a Low-country vorloffe or *Welsh-briefe.

1854.  Household Words, 2 Sept., 53/1. This *Welsh carpet is a pattern produced on the brick floor by staining the brick squares in figures with dockleaf juice.

1796.  Grose’s Dict. Vulgar T. (ed. 3), *Welch Comb, the thumb and four fingers.

1833.  Loudon, Encycl. Archit., § 459. These walls … should have what is called a *Welsh cornice (two or three oversailing (protruding) courses of brickwork, one of which has dentils formed by the ends of bricks projecting at equal and regular distances) to finish with at top.

1592.  Greene, Upst. Courtier, D 2, A … Gentleman Marchant Tailor, giuing armes and the holye Lambe in his creast, where before he had no other cognisance, but a plaine Spanish needle with a *welsh cricket on the toppe.

1884.  F. J. Britten, Watch & Clockm., 215. Rock crystal … also known as ‘Bristol,’ *‘Welsh’ … or ‘Irish’ diamond, is also used by watch jewellers.

1844.  J. P. Giraud, Birds of Long Island, 306. At Egg Harbor a few [gadwalls] are seen … and are there known by the name of *‘Welsh Drake’ or ‘German Duck.’

1481.  Coventry Leet Bk., 480. Hugh Walker … *welchdraper.

1811.  Lex. Balatron., *Welsh Ejectment, to unroof the house, a method practised by landlords in Wales to eject a bad tenant.

a. 1647.  Fletcher, etc., Lovers Progr., III. I hear by th’ Owls, There are many of your *Welch falkoners about it [sc. a house].

a. 1700.  B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, *Welsh-fiddle, the Itch.

1778.  W. Pain, Carpenter’s Repos., Pl. 58. Make a semi-circular Arch … that is commonly called a *Welch Groin.

1875.  Encycl. Brit., II. 465/2. Groins, Welsh, or Underpitch…. The system of vaulting is called underpitch groining, or, as termed by the workmen, *Welsh groining.

a. 1878.  Sir G. Scott, Lect. Archit., II. 173. Vaulting … in which the side vaults … cut the higher and main vault at a level lower than its crown … is vulgarly known as ‘Welsh’ *groining.

1877.  Cassell’s Dict. Cookery, 1107. A *Welsh ham is simply the name given to a fat leg of mutton which has been cured and smoked like an ordinary ham.

c. 1450.  Merlin, xv. 247. All the contrey was of hem covered the length of a *walshe myle.

1652.  J. Taylor (Water P.), Journ. Wales (1859), 21. I hired a guide who brought me to Swansey (sixteen well stretch’d Welch mountainous miles).

1796.  Grose’s Dict. Vulgar T. (ed. 3), Welch Mile. Like a Welch mile, long and narrow. His story is like a Welch mile, long and tedious.

1818.  Cruise, Digest, II. xv. i. § 19. There is another kind of mortgage … called a *Welsh mortgage, in which there is a perpetual right of redemption.

1911.  Encycl. Brit., XVIII. 878/1. A Welsh mortgage is one in which … a creditor … takes the rents and profits in lieu of interest…, the estate being redeemable at any time on payment of the principal.

1886.  Sir F. H. Doyle, Remin., viii. 156. A young cousin, or rather … *Welsh niece of mine.

1731.  Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Cepa M m/1 The *Welch Onions are only propagated for Spring Use also: These never make any Bulb, and are therefore only fit to be us’d green for Sallads, &c.

1824.  Loudon, Encycl. Gard. (ed. 2), § 3813. Welsh onion, or ciboule (Allium fistulosum, L).

1778, 1832.  [see CIBOL].

a. 1625.  Fletcher, Elder Brother, I. ii. In tough *Welsh Parsly, which, in our vulgar Tongue, is strong Hempen Halters.

1638.  Randolph, Hey for Honesty, IV. i. (1651), 30. This is a Rascal deserves … To dance in Hemp Derricks Caranto: Lets choke himn with Welch Parsley.

1681.  Grew, Musæum, I. § vi. ii. 146. *Welsh-Pearl…. They are most of them flatish, and of a shining blackish colour.

c. 1711.  Petiver, Gazophyl., VII. Tab. 69. Fig. 5 Carolina Lattice furrowed, *Welsh-pot Shell,… Like our Garden Snail, but Lattice-furrowed and waved with yellow, like our Welsh Pot-ware.

1890.  O. Crawfurd, Round Calend. in Portugal, 212. The scent of those deep, damp lanes, green with ferns, which in this county [Monmouthshire] we call *‘Welsh roads.’

1910.  Encycl. Brit., VIII. 375/2. [Dogs.] Sporting.… spaniel … *Welsh springer.

1848.  Rickman, Styles Archit. Eng., p. liii. This [roof] is distinguished from the previous examples by having what are called *Welsh vaults over the clerestory windows.

1835.  R. Willis, Archit. Mid. Ages, vii. 78, note. Such cells are termed *Welsh vaulting cells.

1858.  Ecclesiologist, XIX. 165. North transept, Welsh vaulting from circular shafts.

1842.  J. Wilson, Chr. North (1857), I. 2. Uncle Ben … is seen galloping, in a *Welsh wig and strange apparel, in the rear of a pack of Lilliputian beagles.

1848.  Dickens, Dombey, iv. His Welsh wig … was as plain and stubborn a Welsh wig as ever was worn.

1859.  Sala, Gaslight & D., xi. 129. Disguised in lamp-black, pomatum, Welsh wigs dyed black.

  3.  As the designation of the language of the Welsh people; hence, written or spoken in the Welsh language; of or belonging to the language or literature of Wales.

1547.  Salesbury, Dict. Engl.-Welsh, Ded. Seyng ther is many of your graces subiectes in Wales that readethe parfytlye the welshe tonge … I haue written a lytle englyshe dyctionary with the welshe interpretation.

1587.  Penry, Æquity Supplic., 48. Vngodly welsh bookes are fraught with these Idolatries.

c. 1643.  Ld. Herbert, Autobiog. (1824), 32. Where I might learn the Welch tongue.

1682.  W. Richards, Wallogr., 121. One in our Company … having got a Welch Polysyllable into his Throat, was almost choak’d with Consonants.

1729.  T. Innes, Crit. Ess. (1879), 257. Mr. Edward Lhuyd, in his Welsh preface to his Archæologia.

1756–9.  A. Butler, Lives Fathers, Beuno (1821), IV. 226. Vawr, as the Welsh adjective Mawr great, is writ in several parts of Wales. Ibid., Wenefride, XI. 75. Lluydh, in his catalogue of Welch manuscripts.

1840.  W. J. Rees (title-p.), The Liber Landavensis…. Published for The Welsh MSS. Society.

1877.  Rhys (title), Lectures on Welsh Philology.

1888.  Jacobi, Printers’ Vocab., Welsh cases, cases of special lay for composing works in that language.

  B.  sb. (Elliptical uses of the adj.)

  1.  a. pl. The Britons as distinguished from the Anglo-Saxons. Obs. exc. Hist.

c. 1100.  O. E. Chron. (MS. D.), an. 1050. On þam ilcan ʓeare comon upp on Wylisce Axa of Yrlande. Ibid. (a. 1122), (Laud MS.), an. 1121. Þa Wyliscean him onʓean coman.

c. 1205.  Lay., 5574. Bruttes & Wailsce [c. 1275 Walse].

c. 1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 9392. Of the welsse þat mid him beþ ne dorre ȝe noȝt drede.

1729.  T. Innes, Crit. Ess. (1879), 40. The old Midland Britains … known … by the name of Walenses (Welch, a common name to all that spoke the British language).

1839.  Keightley, Hist. Eng., I. 14. The Britons or Welsh, as they were named by the conquerors, were thus driven back to the western side of the island.

  b.  The inhabitants or natives of Wales.

1338.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1725), 237. Þe Walssh wer alle day slayn.

1530.  Tindale, Answ. More, II. xi. Wks. (1573), 299. Then he bringeth in how the wilde Irish and the Welch pray, when they go to steale.

1596.  Spenser, State Irel. (Globe), 635/2. The same was also common amongest the Brittons, and is not yet altogither left of by the Welsh which are theyr posteritye.

1610.  Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 652. These are distinctly knowen still from the Welsh, both by their speech and manners.

1612.  Selden, Illustr. Drayton’s Poly-olb., ix. 320. So that the Welsh may challenge priority, of finding that new world, before the Spaniard.

1797.  Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3), XVIII. 699/1. The Welsh, in their own language, call their country Cymry, and their language Cymraeg.

1825.  Scott, Betrothed, viii. Two very strong bodies of Welsh attempted to carry the outer defences of the castle by storm.

1862.  Borrow, Wild Wales, lviii. Amongst the proverbial sayings of the Welsh, which are chiefly preserved in the shape of triads, is [etc.].

1882.  Rhys, Celtic Britain, 130. The more legendary traditions of the Welsh speak of him [Cadwallon] as living many years afterwards.

  † c.  sing. A Welshman. Obs.

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. V. 167. Godfrei of Garlesschire and Griffin þe walsche.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden, VIII. 265. Þe false Walsche David roos aȝenst kyng Edward in Palme Sonday.

[1601.  F. Tate, Househ. Ord. Edw. II., § 91 (1876), 55. Annote the walsh.]

1646.  R. Baillie, Anabaptism (1647), Epist. *4. At Naisby … to beat nine thousand … soldiers, the most part raw and new levied Welshes.

  2.  The Welsh language.

O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), Pref. Her sind on his iʓlande fif ʓeþeode: Englisc, & Brittisc, & Wilsc [MS. D. Bryt-wylsc], & Scyttisc [etc.].

a. 1400[?].  Arthur, 7. Pendragon ys in walysch ‘Dragones heed’ on Englysch.

1470–85.  Caxton, Malory’s Arthur, Pref. (Sommer), 3. Many noble volumes be made of hym … which been not had in our maternal tongue, but in walsshe ben many & also in frensshe, & somme in englysshe.

1547.  W. Salesbury (title), A Dictionary in Englyshe and Welshe.

a. 1500.  Leland, Itin., V. (1908), II. 82. It [Shrewsbury] is comonly caullyd now in Walche Moythik. Writers in Walsche caul it Penguern, id est, caput Alneti.

1596.  Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., III. i. 193. My Wife can speake no English; I no Welsh.

1656.  J. Lewis, in Baxter’s Certainty Worlds Spirits (1691), 130. He could perceive the whisper of a Voice in Welch, bidding him hold his peace.

1668.  Shadwell, Sullen Lovers, IV. 74. If I don’t … speak Spanish, Italian,… Welch and Irish.

1788.  Priestley, Lect. Hist., IV. xxv. 191. The next remains of the Britons, are Hoel Dha’s Laws…. Of these there are several copies, both in Welch and Latin.

1820.  Scott, Lett. to C. Scott, 19 Dec., in Lockhart. You hear the Welsh spoken much about you.

1862.  Borrow, Wild Wales, lix. I learned to read Welsh and to write it at the same time.

1882.  Rhys, Celtic Britain, 145. The latter [sc. Clyde], being Clôta in Roman times, and Clût in old Welsh, could only yield Clûd in later Welsh.

  b.  transf. A strange language; speech that one does not understand.

1648.  Winyard, Midsummer-Moon, 5. Hebrew to them is Welch.

a. 1661.  Fuller, Worthies, Wales (1662), 33. Amelcorne. This English Word (which I find in the English Cambden) is Welsh to me.

1888.  Sheffield Gloss., Suppl. s.v. Welsh, ‘He’s talking Welsh!’ ‘That’s Welsh!’ means ‘I don’t understand you.’

  3.  Short for: Welsh coal.

1898.  Kipling, Fleet in Being, iv. 44. We’re supposed to be burning No. 2 Welsh.

1905.  [Lionel James], in Blackw. Mag., Jan., 26/2. Have you got that ‘Welsh’ trimmed?

  C.  Comb.: Welsh-begotten, -born, -English, -like, -rooted, -speaking, -wrought adjs.; Welsh-Briton = WELSHMAN 1 a; Welsh-Keltic a., Cymric.

1615.  J. Stephens, Satyr. Ess., 291. He is the onely friend of Lawyers (if they be *Welch begotten).

1898.  Watts-Dunton, Aylwin, XV. xii. I wonder whether any one who is not *Welsh-born can understand my delight.

1670.  Milton, Hist. Brit., IV. 165. Kentwin the other West-Saxon King … chac’d the Welch-Britans … to the very Seashoar.

1759.  T. Richards (title), Antiquæ Linguæ Britannicæ Thesaurus: being a British, or *Welsh-English Dictionary.

1883.  D. H. Wheeler, By-Ways of Lit., 100. It is believed that the Welsh-Keltic manuscripts are unusually vicious in the texts.

1844.  Brereton’s Trav. (Chetham Soc.), 96, note. Of this *Welch-like name [Apthomas] I am unable to offer any explanation.

1863.  W. Barnes, Dorset Gloss., 8. Their cadwyn … is a *Welsh-rooted word.

1893.  T. P. O’Connor, in Harper’s Mag., Dec., 43/1. The Welshman is indignant that a *Welsh-speaking rebel against the tithes has been tried in a language he does not understand.

1876.  Morris, Sigurd, III. 202. And they see the sheathed Wrath shimmer mid the restless *Welsh-wrought [= foreign] swords.