sb. Obs. Forms: 4–5 Sc. suppowale, -aill, -all, 5 suppowaile, -aylle, -elle, supowaill, supowel, suppouel(l, suppowle, sow(b)powaylle, -aille, suppoayle, -aille, Sc. suppouaill, -ele, (sowpowayle, sowpewaille, 6 suppoyle), 5–6 suppowell. Also SUBPOUELLE. [a. AF. *suppouail, *suppoial, suppuail, var. souspoial, f. sor(s)poier, -puier:—pop. L. *sub(tus)podiāre, f. sub(tus) under + podium prop, stay: cf. APPUI.
The word has been often misunderstood and altered in early MSS. or prints, and some modern editors have misread suppouail as supponail.]
Support, assistance, succor.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XVI. 139. Weyn ȝle ȝon rebaldis durst assale Vs … Bot gif thai had suppowale neir?
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 4300. Na supowell vndire son seke we vs neuire.
1400. in Lett. Hen. IV. (Rolls), 23. I, as ane of yhour poer kyn … requere yhow of holp and suppowall.
1407[?]. Hoccleve, Min. Poems (1892), 59. Ye wole vs helpe and been our suppoaille.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 24312. For mor suer sowpewaille To the bordoun spiritual A star is nedful.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VIII. iii. 176. Wyth succours and suppowell, blythly I Sall ȝow fra hyne hame to your army send.
b. A prop, support.
c. 1400. Love, Bonavent. Mirr., vi. (1908), 47. A kusshyne oure lady to sitte on and a suppoayle [W. de W. (1520), suppoyle] to lene to.
Hence † Suppowell v. trans., to support, succor; † Suppoweller, a supporter; † Suppowelling vbl. sb.; † Suppowelment = SUPPOWELL sb.
1391. in Fraser, Lennox (1874), II. 44. The said Erle … and … his sone salbe lele helparis, conselleris, suppouailairis, promotouris and furtheraris to the said Erle of the Leuenax.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 2818. Walde þow suffire me … With a soppe of thi mene suppowelle theym ones?
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xviii. 83. Þai hing so þikk þat, bot if þai ware suppoweld by oþer treesse, þai myght noȝt bere þaire fruyt.
1409. in Exch. Rolls Scot., IV. p. ccix. He sal be til him … lele helper and suppouellour.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 3740. Yovr werkys alle I sowbpowaylle, And hem supporte. Ibid. (1430–40), Bochas, IV. Prol. (MS. Bodl. 263), 207/2. Eek of memorye upholdere and norice And Registreer to suppowaile trouthe.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxxiv. 11. I comaunde you … þat noman appere To suppowle þis traytoure.
c. 1470. Harding, Chron., LXII. ii. (MS. Arch. Seld. B. 10), lf. 41. Wher nede was he made suppowialment [ed. 1543 suppowelment]. Ibid., CLXXVIII. xviii. 141 b. And alle were slayne withoute suppowalment.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IV. x. 32. I hoip it sall proffit, na litill thing, My gret help … and suppowelling.
