Obs. Forms: 1, 3 wencel, (1 wincel), 3 wenchel, (Orm. wennchell), wancel. [OE. wencel n.:—*wankil-, prob. related to wancol WANKLE a. The form wincel may represent a variant *winkil-.] A child (of either sex); also, a servant or slave; also, a common woman.
c. 890. Wærferth, trans. Gregory’s Dial. 11/20. & þa arn an wencel [L. mancipium] mid treowenum æscene … to þære wyllan.
c. 1000. St. Basil’s Admonitio, ii. (1849), 34. And he for his wife ne for his wenclum ne dearr hine sylfne beladian.
c. 1200. Ormin, 3356. Forr ȝuw iss borenn nu to daȝȝ Hælennde off ȝure sinness, An wennchell þatt iss Jesu Crist.
c. 1205. Lay., 31834. Quelæn þa wifmen, quelen þa wanclen.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 334. And hu [he] biseinte Sodome & Gomorre, men & wummen & children [MSS. T, C, were & wif & wenchel].
c. 1300. 11,000 Virg., 98, in E. E. P., 68. His Cardynals were þeraȝen þat he his dignete gan reue Wiþ wenclen [S. Eng. Leg., 89/96 fole wummen] forto go.
