A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1488-1683
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Ȝonke(i)r, Ȝo(u)ngke(i)r, n. Also: ȝonk(her, ȝonkere, -ear, -ier, yonke(i)r, ȝounke(i)r, -our, ȝounkȝeour, younke(i)r, -eour, ȝo(u)ngkere, ȝunke(i)r, ȝyngke(i)r, ȝynker. Pl. also ȝungkerris. [e.m.E. yonker (1505), iunker (1554), younker (1578), youngcur(r (1617), MDu. jonckher, Germ. Junker.] A young man of rank, esp. a young knight or warrior; a youth of the burgess class; a young man or youth more generally. Also attrib. with Pouder n. 3, ? gunpowder suitable for use in celebrations.(a) 1507 Aberd. B. Rec. in Mill Mediæval Plays 136.
That ale manere of ȝonkheris burges & burges sonis … salbe redy euere haly day to pas with the abbat & prior of Bonacord in thare array conuenient thairto vnder the pane of xxti s. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 490.
Accompanyit lustie ȝonkeirs [L. ȝonkers] with all. Fresche ladyis sang 1513 Doug. i xi 108.
Syne the rerd followit of the ȝonkeris of Troy 1513 Doug. vi xiii 11.
Seys thou ȝon lusty springald or ȝonkeir [Ruddim. ȝonkere] That lenys hym apon his hedles sper 1513 Doug. vii xiii 31.
Ane ost of fut men thik as the hail schour Followys this Turnus … With scheildis … mony huge rowt Thik forgaderis the large feildis about: Thai ȝonkeris quhilk of Grekis war discend 1513 Doug. viii iii 21.
Pallas, hys son, was thydder alsso draw Togiddir with the principalis of ȝonkeris, The sobir senatouris, and puyr officeris 1576 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 50.
The companyes baith of merchantis yonkeris and craftismen to be … rankit at the commandiment of the saidis baillies 1582 Glasgow B. Rec. I 96.
Thair is grantit and permittit ane wther burges fynes to the yonkeiris and wther yung men of thair rank c1590 Fowler II 180/20.
A hundreth hagbutters (being onely the yonkers of Edinburgh, brauely apparrelled) 1603 Philotus 18.
Deme na ill of my age, my dow, Ise play the ȝonkeris part to ȝow 1603 Philotus 432.
Heir followis the oratioun of the ȝonker Flavius to the madyn a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxiii 43.
If that perchance some ȝonkiers cum athort With facund words [etc.](b) 1533 Bell. Livy I 296/26.
The patricians and nobil ȝounkeris [L. juvenes] of the ciete c1550 Rolland Court of Venus i 51.
Twa ȝoung ȝounkeirs … In riche array and honest ornament a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS 437/8.
The haill pepill of Ruglingtoun Burges merchantis & indwellaris Craftismen officiaris … Ȝoung men & ȝounkeris [v.r. ȝounkouris] that sindill stryffis Magistratis and men of degrie Servandis [etc.] a1585 Maitland in Maitland Quarto MS 2/38.
With veluot hattis … Coirdit with gold lyik ane ȝounkeir 1583 Glasgow Burgesses 12.
Fines given to the ȝounkeris for certain powder spent by them in the town's affairs c1590 Fowler I 340/52.
Saint Vallentyne! all haile to thé! These louers loud they shout; Nowe bagpypes blawes to warme on he These younkers rownde about. The wenches … primrose garlandes plett [etc.] a1651 Calderwood V 343.
Younkeirs c1615 Chron. Kings 156.
Ȝounkȝeouris 1610 Irvine Mun. II 250.
Quhen the younkeiris of the toun went out to thair May play(c) 1513 Doug. i vi 29.
Say me, ȝongkeris [Ruddim. ȝoungkeris], saw ȝe walkand heir … ony of my sisteris deyr? 1513 Doug. i ix 19.
Vp stude Enee … Lyke till ane god in body and in face … Hys favour gudly full of fresch bewte Lyke till ane ȝongker [Sm. ȝonkeir] with twa lauchand eyn 1513 Doug. iv x 71.
In visioun the sam god dyd appeir … Onto Mercuryus lyke … In form of a ȝongker [Sm. ȝonkeir, Ruddim. ȝoungkere] with membris fair 1513 Doug. ix v 56.
Sa bald reddy breistis gevin haue ȝhe To thir ȝongkeris … O manly knyghtis [etc.] 1513 Doug. xiii iv 3.
This ded corps [sc. Turnus] … The gentill body of this stowt ȝongkeir 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 79.
Ewyne … to caus his subdittis incres in vertew commandit all the ȝoungkeris of his realme to be nureist in thair ȝowith with scharpnes and to sleip on herd burdis erar than on plumes or coddis quhilkis mycht effeminatt thame c1550 Rolland Court of Venus i 441.
Ȝoungkeir(d) 15.. Christis Kirk 173 (B).
The millar … Twa that wes heidmen of the heird … Than followit feymen [etc.] … The wyvis kest vp ane hiddous ȝell Quhen all thir ȝunkeris [M. ȝoungkeiris, L. younkeours] ȝokkit Als fers as any fyrflawcht fell Freikis to the feild thay flokkit Tha cairlis with clubbis [etc.] a1568 Scott ii 41.
To se the stryfe come ȝunkeirs stowt And mony galȝart man a1568 Scott ii 171.
Ȝungkerris(e) 1513 Doug. i viii 7.
Dido … To tempill cumis with a fair menȝe Of lusty ȝyngkeris [Ruddim. ȝoungkeris] walkyng hir about 1513 Doug. xii i 47.
Ȝyngkeir 1513 Doug. xiii i 114.
The pissans haill and ȝynkeris of Tewcranysattrib. 1595 Edinburgh Testaments XXVIII 296b.
Ten small barrellis of ȝoungkeir pulder at xxx s. the barrell 1683 Smout Sc. Trade 297.
Ane hunder weight of ȝonkear pouther
b. Used in reference to the Danish nobleman, Gerhard, uncle of John I, King of Denmark. See Treas. Acc. I lxxvi, lxxvii.1496–7 Treasurer's Accounts I 310.
To the skippar of the schip callit the Ros for Ȝonk Gherardis mennis fraucht 1488 Treasurer's Accounts I 97.
To ȝong kere Garde
