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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Poting-, Pottingar, -er, n.¹ Also: pottingg-, pot(t)yng- and -are, -air, and pothingar, pothenger, potheing[er]. [Sc. var. of Pothecar, Potegar, with intruded n appar. as in Nichtingale.] An apothecary.Also attrib. and possess. with box, pouder, = of, as of, or as supplied by, an apothecary.(1) 1473–4 Treas. Acc. I 65.
To Stephin potingare 1502–3 Reg. Privy S. I 133/1.
William Fowlare, potyngare 1503 Treas. Acc. II 407.
To Mosman, potingair, for the bigging of ane une 1503–4 Ib. 415. 1504 Ib. 445.
To William Foular, potingair, for … galiga … cannell [etc.] 1505 Ib. III 145.
In Dunbertane, to Mosman, potingair, to byd with Johne de Scotia being seik thare 1550 Ib. IX 436.
To Thomas Thomsoun, potyngar, for medicamentis 1654 Lamont Diary 81.
To be bound prentise to Patricke Hebron, potingar(b) 1489 Treas. Acc. I 129.
To Stene pottingar 1510–1 Ib. IV 354. 1550 Ib. IX 436.
Pottyngair(c) 1658 Greyfriars Interments 326.
Potheing[er] 1659 Ib. 288.
Pothenger(2) 1490 Irland Mir. MS fol. 290.
The personal gudnes … of the medycinare ore his syn ore of the potingare a1500 Bk. Chess 53.
Of aucht popularis … thair bene … Ane notar ane potingare & a merchand [etc.] Ib. 1680, 2113. 1494 Loutfut MS. 129 a.
Sa ar potingaris foullaris fischaris and siclike nocht to be choissin to battell craft 1499 Exch. R. XI 376.
To oure lovit … potingare William Fowlare for his gude … service to be done to ws in his craft and science of pottingary 1507 Treas. Acc. III 380.
Potingair c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxiii 16. 1531–2 Reg. Privy S. II 151/1.
Makand him principale potingar to our soverane lord 1535 Stewart 26019.
Sayand he wes ane potingar richt fyne, And had grit prattik of all medicyne 1538 Exch. R. XVII 167.
Pottingar 1538–9 Treas. Acc. VII 140.
To the Frenche potingar for droggis gevin be him … at the Lord Seytounis handfasting 1542–3 Reg. Privy S. III 6/2.
Ane lettir maid to Francis Aikman … makand him potingar to the quenis grace and hir tutour and governour for all the dais of his lyve 1551–2 Treas. Acc. X 65 (see Chirurgian(e n.). 1560 Rolland Seven S. 106.
I sall send for all … my medicinars, My cirugians and als my potingars Ib. 6381.
The potingair takis lytill cair To cure the man that nathing aillis Ib. 8968, 9897. 1654 Johnston Diary II 226.
The doctor, potingar and chirurgien 1657 Lamont Diary 103.
Mynding to be a potingar 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 69.
The potingers … wickedly made him a poisonable potion stuffed with sulfre, quick silver [etc.](b) a1568 Bann. MS. 243 a/14.
For harmes of body handis and heid The pottingaris will purge the panis 1566–7 Treas. Acc. XII 398.
The quenis majeste … hes direckitt ane pottinggar and schirurgens to caus perfume the kings body a1578 Pitsc. I 354/5.
All kynd of craftismen out of wther countries, … broudinstaris, taillȝouris, cunning surugenaris, pottingaris a1585 Polwart Flyt. 225 (T).
This present from the pottingaris [H. potingares, Hart pothecares; rh. wairis, sairis] I think meit to amend thé Ib. 254 (Harl.).
Iff this preserv thé not from paine, Pas to the pottinggars [T. potticaris, Hart pothingars] againe 1655 R. Baillie Disswasive from the Errors of the Time 57.
Dream not that such papers … will … escape … the chops of pottingars and baser usespossess.(1) a1605 Montg. Flyt. 93 (T).
With pottingeris [v.rr. pottingars, potingars] poulderis except thow ovrsmeir, That scab … will scall thé(2) 1624 Edinb. Test. LII 256.
Tua littill barbour or potingar boxis 16.. Alchem. MSS. V.
Be searceing it in a pottingars box throcht a taffetas sarcinett