A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Monte-, Mounteban(c)k(e, Muntebank, n. [e.m.E. mounterbanck (1577), mounti- (a 1586), mounte- (1589), mountaban(c)k(e, mount-bank (1603), It. montambanco, montimbanco.] A mountebank. Also comb. with phisitiane. —1662 Lamont Diary 159.
Ponteus, the mountebancke … had his publicke stage erected, and sold theron his droggs to the peopell: … Each time he had his peopell that played on the scaffold, ane ay playing the foole, and ane other by leaping and dancing on the rope, etc. 1662 Edinb. B. Rec. IX. 299. 1665 Lauder Jrnl. 68.
Their came a charlatan or mountebanck to Poictiers the Septembre we was their, whose foolies we went whiles to sie 1672 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 136.
Joannes Michael Philo montebank 1676 Edinb. Surgeons II. 159.
One John Baptista Quarantine, a mountebank, … to oppose the said John Baptista his setting up his stage & selling his drugs & medicaments 1683 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 330.
Montebank 1684 Lauder Notices Affairs II. 531. 1687 Ib. 774. —comb. 1687 Brown Diary 42.
The said day Mr Ritchard Reidman. a muntebank phisitiane, came to Kirkwall from Walls
