E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Irspilles Felles.
Skins having bristly hair like that of goats. (Hircipilus—i.e. “goat’s hair.” (Festus.) A fell is Anglo-Saxon for “skin,” like the Latin pell-is, English peel. Thus we say still a “wool-fell.” Shakespeare speaks of “a fell of hair” (Macbeth, v. 5). Fellmonger, a dealer in skins.
