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

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Tynklar, -er, Tinklar, -er, Tinker, n. Also: tynklare, tynclare, tynekler, tinklair, tinclar(e, -er, -air, -ear, tincklar, -er, tinchler, tinglar, tincker; (tynkellar, tenklar); trincler. [e.m.E., chiefly north., tynkeler (1484), tinkler (1570), ME and e.m.E. tynekere (c1265), tinkere (Piers Plowman), tynkare (Prompt. Parv.), tinker (1565); ? Tyn n.]

1. A worker in metal, a craftsman who makes or repairs metal artefacts, a tinker. Also attrib.Also as a personal name. See G. F. Black Surnames of Scotland s.v. Tinkler for further examples.The 1439 example (see attrib.) may be a personal name.11… Liber Scon 30.
Et terram Jacobi Tinkler 1494 Acts Lords Auditors 200/2.
Johne Tynklare 1530 Lennox Mun. 233-4.
The maling that Rob Tenklar duelt in … the landis of the Comon of Inchinnan callit … Tynkellaris Maling [etc.](a) a1500 Tale of the Colkelbie Sow i 68.
Tinklar 1532 Dumfries B. Ct. 120a.
Tynklar 1533–4 Treasurer's Accounts VI 188.
To ane tynclare for making of certane buklis, thyrsillis and pendes to be put upoun the foirsaid harnessing 1535–6 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 163.
Ane tenement of David Mynto, tynklar, lyand one Volgait 1536–7 Ayr B. Acc. 25.
To the tynklar for making of v score of lyddin taknyngis 1543 Edinb. Hammermen 163a.
Ressaiuet fra the tynkleris that ar staulyngeris of thair awin fre will 1559–60 Glasgow Protocols Abstracts II 79.
George Cwnygham, fusor, viz. tynclare c1550–60 Black Friars Edinb. 74.
Item, of Robesoun the tinclers land 1572 Treasurer's Accounts MS 242.
To ane tinklar for mendind of … ane bras yrne 1572 Satirical Poems xxxii 49.
We tinklaris, tailȝeouris, we craftismen out of number That be our craft had ay ane honest lyfe 1591–2 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I 259.
Incace the said Thomas … will obiect that his saidis straingearis will permit na qualifeit officeris of the cunyiehous to se and controill thair said wark, it is ansuerit we desyre not to see thair craft … seing thair is na grit craft in demolesching for euerie tinklair can do the samin 1595 Glasgow Protocols Abstracts XI 21.
George Conynghame, fabrum lie tinclear 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Faber ærarius, a tinkler 1603 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 446.
Concerning ladill … commodetie of the same … is set for ane yeir to Johne Andersone tincklar 1608 Aberd. Council Lett. I 400.
Tynekler 1611 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 88.
Tinclar 1613 Archaeologia Scotica I 173.
[Thomas Duncan,] tinkler [admitted; his essay] an heckell with a pair of clatting wool cammis 1621 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 122.
Tinckler 1655 Perth Hammermen 104.
Ilk tinkler, a hekle and a laidle 1658 Elgin Rec. I 307.
The counsell hes condiscended to mak John Cowie, tincler, burges and freeman … for keeping of the toune clock in good order dureing his lyftyme 1663 Dundee B. Laws 485.
That no brassier sall midle to chang pewter or mend pewter, or any petter, or tinkler, or any other member of owr tred 1673 Argyll Justic. Rec. I 30.
Tinclair 1675 Edinb. B. Rec. X 240.
Selling all maner of hamermen work as lykewayes be seaverall persones who calls themselves tinclares(b) 1565–6 Protocol Book of Thomas Johnsoun 150.
[Witnesses, Robert Johnsoun, burgess, John Schaw,] tinglar(c) 1643 Glasgow Hammermen in Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 223.
[Thomas Clerk … admitted to the Incorporation of Hammermen as a] cuitler [when his father is described as a] trincler(d) 1658 Elgin Rec. I 305.
It is agreed that matellers of all sortes such as pewterars, brasiers, tinckers or vthers workers of mattell may buy … all sortes of mattell … to be wrought be them 1662 Bk. Old Edinb. C. V 104.
John Ridpeth tinker 1674 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 9 Dec.
John Miller tinker 1678 Lauder Notices Affairs I 188.
Robert Faw being convict of having killed one Young, a caird or tinker in Aberdene 1684 Lauder Notices Affairs II 541.
Forbidding any tinkers to goe throw the toune, but only one to serve the wholle toune, … and not to stir out of his chop but whoever had to doe with him ware to bring ther work to him 16… Edinb. City Archives Moses Bundle 254 No. 7756.
The impression [on the coins] so scurvie that any tinker is able to counterfeit it c1650-1700 Descr. Zetland 75.
There is a great hollow rock … having a hole in the bottom … that all the tinkers in this countrey cannot helpattrib. 1439 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 49.
Tva oxgang of land … quhilk is callit the tynklare landis 1618 Edinburgh Testaments I 62b.
Fyve hankis tinkler wyre at xxvj s. viij d. the hank

2. transf. Chiefly or only in derogatory use. Also proverb. and attrib. a. A dishonest, contemptible person; a wastrel; a vagrant. b. A gypsy.a., b. 1560 Rolland Seven Sages Schort Schawing 39.
To tryit tinklaris tell thy taill … For honest folk few will set by thé a1585 Polwart Flyt. 689 (T).
Thy tratling, tinklar, wald gar ane taid spew 1641 Kirkcaldy Presb. 196.
Anent Mr. William Bell his proces with Halyairds … that the laird of Halyairds called him ane tinchler—not proven 1641 Kirkcaldy Presb. 197.
Who calles the minister in ane letter to the Presbytrie ane tinkler 1642 Aberd. Council Lett. II 346.
Outlawes sic as pypers, violars, tinclars, brousters, millnars, and contemptious persones 1689 Peebles B. Rec. II 130.
They doe discharge any of the burgessis … to … harbour any of the saids idle and sturdy beggars, tinklers, or horners(b) 16… Sharpe Selkirk 115.
[Two of his parishioners] had abused him in his awin house by calling him a false tinker and a landloupin loun 1649 Scottish Notes and Queries III 123.
Her … husband did upon his death-bed say, Take away that tinker from me (whenever Betie Watsone came in to see him) 1674 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II 209.
Divers tinkers, rands, sorners 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xvii 4 (1678) 174.
That absurd custome amongst tinkers, of living promiscuously, and using one anothers wives as concubines 1690 R. Brown Paisley I 289.
Tinkers, beggars, or vagrant personsproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1569.
Ye ar sib to tinklars a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1802.
Ye bred of the tinclers tyke ye are leath to be out of gude companieattrib. a1689 Cleland 21.
For a pack of tinkler fellows