1) With grey or silvery hair but used particularly of horses, especially when the grey hair was mixed with black.
1348 unum equum nigrum griseum, Emley
1351 et unum pullanum nigrum grisill ambulantem, Kirby Misperton
1458 To John of Holme a lytill grecelled nage, Whenby
1497 To my broder Leonard a griselde stag of iij yere old, Terrington
1546 oyn ambling horse that was of a gresseld meare, Westerdale
1552 I bequeath to Roberte Turner ... one girsell stage vnlybbede, Hardwick
1655 j grisled coulte, Whitley. In the late Middle Ages the names of horses often included a reference to their colour, as in bayard, liard and sorrel: in 1434 Peter Santon bequeathed to John Feriby of North Cave unum equum vocatum Gresill cum sella et freno and in 1617 Richard Cholmeley’s mare was called Gresseld Evers, Brandsby. Later, the word was used occasionally of cows: 1824 Recd W Bates for a Cow sent to St. Ho., Meltham
1842 Abram Sharp, Gresill , South Crosland.