1) A type of sledge used for hauling wood, corn etc.
1616 ashe for a trayle sled, Brandsby. The distinction, which may be one of size, is made in an entry in the Wakefield court rolls in 1433 when tenants were presented by the forester for illegally carting wood: William Burgh’s offence was a sledfull whereas John Poklyngton had 12 traylfull. In 1576, the inventory of Marmaduke Elderkar of Ripon had a section on his debts and one sequence of three entries recorded payments due to Christofer Scote for helping hym iiijs, for a traile to hym xijd … for leading the tythe corne xiijs.
2) Short for trail-net, a kind of drag-net used to catch fish.
1647 Thomas Pearson indicted ... for useing trailes, West Riding.