Obs. Forms: 5 Tyti-, Tyty-, Titi-, Tityuillus, -villus, 5–6 Tutiuillus, -villus, Tytyuyllus; 6 titiuil, -ille, -ylle, (Tom Titiuile), titti-, tytyuell(e, tittifill, tyttyfylle, titifyl, 7 -fill. Also 5 Tytyuylly, Tytiuilly. [ad. med.L. Tuti-, Titivillus, in OF. also Tutiville: of unknown origin. Connection has been suggested with L. tītivillitium used once by Plautus, and inferred to mean ‘a mere trifle, a bagatelle.’
But in some of the earliest continental instances of the name, it is written Titinillus, or Tutinillus, and in many it is impossible to say whether the middle consonant is n or u (v). At an early date English usage settled on u (later v. and f). Titivillus was evidently in origin a creation of monastic wit, but in its English form the name passed from the Mystery Plays into popular speech as a term of the vernacular, still in use after 1600.]
1. Name for a devil said to collect fragments of words dropped, skipped, or mumbled in the recitation of divine service, and to carry them to hell, to be registered against the offender; hence, a name for a demon or devil in the mystery plays. Also found in France and Germany, 13–15th c.
What generally passes as the earliest mention of the name and function of Titinillus or Titiuillus, occurs in a Latin sermon (Wackernagel, Gesch. der Deut. Litt., II. 466, note) conjecturally attributed to the Dominican Petrus de Palude, a native of Burgundy and student of Paris, who became Patriarch of Jerusalem, and died in 1342. A very similar and app. equally early account is printed in T. Wright’s Latin Stories (Percy Soc., 1842), from a Brit. Mus. MS. (Arundel 506, lf. 46) of German origin, of first half of 14th c. Both these stories cite the verse, so often quoted by later writers, ‘Fragmina psalmorum Titiuillus colligit horum,’ the former adding ‘Quaque die mille vicibus sarcinat ille’ (Every day he fill his bag a thousand times). Titiuillus is also mentioned, 1382–85, by Gower, Vox Clamantis, IV. 864; and in the 15th c., esp. c. 1450, references become frequent. The earliest Eng. form is app. Lydgate’s Tytyuylly, or ? Tytyuyll, c. 1420 (sense 2).
c. 1450. Mankind, 468, in Macro Plays, 18. Titivillus [enters, drest like a devil, and with a net in his hand]. Ego sum dominancium dominus, and my name ys Titivillus. Ibid., 869. Tytiuilly, þat goth invisibele, hynge hys nette before my eye.
c. 1460. Lansd. MS. 763, lf. 60 b. Janglers cum japers, nappers, galpers, quoque drawers, Momlers [etc.] Fragmina verborum Tutivillus colligit horum.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xxx. 249. Mi name is tutiuillus, my horne is blawen; Fragmnina verborum tutiullus colligit horum, Belzabub algorum, belial belium doliorum.
c. 1475. Douce MS. 104, lf. 112 b. Tutiuillus þa deuyl of hell He wryteþ har names soþe to tel.
c. 1475–1530. Myrr. our Ladye, I. xx. 54. I am a poure dyuel, and my name ys Tytyuyllus…. I muste eche day … brynge my master a thousande pokes full of faylynges, and of neglygences in syllables and wordes.
2. Hence, a term of reprobation: A bad or vile character, scoundrel, knave, villain-knave, villain. b. esp. A tattling tell-tale, mischievous tale-bearer.
c. 1420. Lydg., Assembly of Gods, 694. What pepyll they were that came to that dysport…. Ther were … Tytyuyllys, tyrauntes, with turmentoures.
1508. Kennedie, Flyting w. Dunbar, 513. Cankrit Caym, tryit trowane, Tutiuillus.
c. 1537. Thersytes (1820), 67. All the courte of conscience in cockoldshyres Tynckers and tabberers, typplers, tauerners: Tyttyfylles, tryfullers, turners and trumpers.
1546. J. Heywood, Prov. (1867), 19. There is no mo such titifyls in England’s ground, To holde with the hare, and run with the hounde.
a. 1553. Udall, Royster D., I. i. (Arb.), 11. Somewhyles Watkin Waster maketh vs good cheere … Sometime Tom Titiuile maketh vs a feast.
b. 1523. Skelton, Garl. Laurel, 642. Theis titiuyllis with taumpinnis wer towchid and tappid. Ibid. (a. 1529), Col. Cloute, 418. Thus the people telles … And talkys lyke tytyuelles, Howe ye brake the dedes wylles.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 125 b. The deuill … did apparell certain catchepoules, and Parasites, commonly called titiuils and tale tellers, to sowe discord and dissencion. Ibid., Edw. IV., 220. Mistrustyng lest her counsayl should by some titiuille, bee published and opened to her aduersaries.
1561. Awdelay, Frat. Vacab., 15. This tittiuell knaue commonly maketh the worst of the best betwene hys Maister and his friende.
1611. Cotgr., Coquette, a pratling, or proud gossip;… a cocket, or tatling houswife; a titifill, a flebergebit.
