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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pinour, n.¹ Also pyn- and -owr, -or(e, -er, -ar, -ewr; pinn-, pynnour; pen(n)our; peynor; payner; Pinourar. [MDu. piner, pijner labourer, porter, f. pinen, pijnen to labour, toil, e.m.E. piner a pioneer (1587). Cf. Pioner n.]

1. A labourer or porter, (freq., or ? chiefly, one approved by a burghal or other authority).In certain centres, e.g. Aberdeen, the ‘pynours’ were organised into a craft: see Bulloch Hist. Notes on an Ancient Aberdeen Craft — ‘The Pynours’ in Trans. Aberd. Phil. Soc. II. 60–100.See also Pinourschip n.Also, possess. and attrib. with -fe, and attrib. with fellow.Also, ? pl. without inflection.(1) c1420 Wynt. ii. 557.
The Egyptys … in thaire werk thayme [Israelites] pynowrys [C. pynore] made 1489 Treas. Acc. I. 117.
To pynouris to bring furth the siluer vesschall and odir stuf to cum to Lythqow 1496 Ib. 283.
To pynouris for bering of the kingis treis that the flude hed away 1501 Ib. II. 25.
To pynouris for lifting of Messingeir and Talbart [sc. cannons] of the erd and laying of thaim on treis 1506–7 Rentale Dunkeld. MS. 31 b.
In lie vncostis lie pinouris deplentibus … calcem e cimbis 1532 Treas. Acc. VI. 157.
To pynouris that past with hir [the cannon] and peanaris 1558-66 Knox II. 160.
[The body] by pynouris wes caryed to a schip 1613 Conv. Burghs II. 387.
The merchandis arryving at the port salbe weel servit by pynores, laboreris, warkmen, sellers and loftis, at ane ressonabill pryce(2) 1467 Misc. Spald. C. V. 23.
Johne Henrysoun the pynour 1556 Perth Guildry 300 (17 April).
Walter Piper allegit pynour of the samyn burght(b) 1552 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 168.
Comperit Thomas Cv[n]ynghame [etc.] … warkmen and penouris of the schoir of Leyth and become in the townis will for the … refusing to tak doun James Culanis turnpik vpoun the schore of Leyth(c) 1695 Murray Kilmacolm 112.
Peynor(d) 1695 Murray Kilmacolm 112.
David Morsoune, payner(3) 1497 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 62.
That al pynouris stebillaris and carteris hevand horses be thar with thar horsis and cartis 1498 Aberd. Pynours 85.
That al pynouris and cartaris of gudis within this burghe sal haue for ilk ane barrell borne fra the key or frae the schipburd at the key to ony part of this burghe ane penny Scottis money 1511 Aberd. B. Rec. in Dunbar (S.T.S.) III. 338.
All pynouris haffand hors … to … cleing the towune of all myddingis 1512 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 138.
Or that ony pynouris tak vpoun hand to flitt or remouve the samyn [suspect gear] 1543 Aberd. B. Rec. XVIII. (J).
The pynouris to help to dycht & cleynge the calsais, euery pynour his day abowtt 1546 Aberd. Pynours 88.
That euery pynour baytht man and voman … sall serue the tovnn and beir the nychtbouris gudis thairof of this prices folloving 1549 Ib. 65.
[That] na maner of pynour within this burght … tak mair for the bering of ane last of salmond or ane tounn of vyne but ii s. … vnder the pane of expelling of thame the craft that failȝeis thairintill 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I. 539.
She causit [his dead body] … be brocht … be certane soldiours pynouris and vtheris vile personis(4) 1496 Halyb. 25.
To the vargeris and pynoris 1503 Treas. Acc. II. 284.
To the pynouris in Deip for schipping of the plankis 1505 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 105.
For clengeing the calsay … thai … discharges the pynouris that had the occupatioun thairof of before 1520 (c 1580) Ib. 197.
The … counsall … ordanis that the commoun pynouris of this toun haif for thair labouris, for ilk pak of woll lattin out of the loft, cairtyng and weying of the samyn, iiij d. … and gif [etc.] 1524 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 109.
All the pynouris that vsis till leid fulȝe to pas and clenge the kingis get 1536 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 194.
And to the pynouris of the trone cartand and discartand the samyn [lead] 1537–8 Ib. 220.
To the pynouris of Leith for breking of the remanent twa flottis [etc.] 1551 Reg. Privy S. IV. 213/2.
To Henry Charteris … burges of Edinburgh … gevand him the office of tronarschip of the said burgh … with power … to cheis, impute and output the pynaris and uthiris servandis of the trone of the said burgh 1560 Old Dundee I. 108.
And the pynour that bears the geir sall stand twenty-four hours in the branks 1676 Inverness Rec. II. 267.
That all the pyners also be charged to goe along with ther kairts, horssis and wther furniture for serwice that day 1683 Lauder Notices Affairs I. 447.
Oppression of the liedges in not suffering ther oune men to ship ther corne etc., but forcing them to imploy the common piners in ther toune [Dunbar] and exacting money for it(b) 1536 Treas. Acc. VI. 455.
To the pinnouris that botit the cofferis, v s. 1538 Ib. VII. 88.
To the pynnouris for tursing of the tapessery 1601 Melvill 493.
I ley down at your feit my commissioun as the pynnour does his burding when he is owerleyed(5) 1515 Treas. Acc. V. 29.
To … ane hundreth and xxj pynowris and ix gadmen, being careand thair artalȝery fra Edinburgh to Striveling 1517 Ib. 121.
To xxj pinoris … drawand, hesand and upputtand the ij gret jestis in the myd chamir 1531 Aberd. Pynours 88.
And at four or five forsaid principall pynouris sall ansuer for the haill craft 1539–40 Treas. Acc. VII. 347.
To twa pynouris for dountaking of xxx chalmeris of the heid of Davidis towris 1541 Ib. VIII. 120.
To viij pinouris wirkand four dayis upone the lossing and housing of the foresaid munitioune 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 308. 1560 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 94.
To twenty pyners quha bure the gret schipe maist 1616 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II. 57.
To four pynouris that helped to wey the laid and carye it out? uninfl. pl. 1498 Edinb. Hammermen 24 b.
To the pinour to bring the weddis fra the blak freris 1542 Treas. Acc. VIII. 154.
Gevin … for custume veying, pynour for palking, and all uther uncostis 1590 Conv. Burghs I. 319.
For obtening of redres of the spoliatioun of thair wynis this last yeir be the pennour of Neuhevinepossess. 1512 Treas. Acc. IV. 306.
And pynouris feis for laying of the cordage 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 23. 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 355.
For … pynors feis and utheris expensisattrib. 1495 Halyb. 89.
For pynor fee, hous hir [etc.] 1532 Treas. Acc. VI. 156.
For pynour fee and schipping of the wyne, aill and gunnis, xij d. 1534–5 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 124. 1586–7 Dundee B. Acc. MS.
For pynorfe of the stone to be the heid of the cors 1661–3 Inverness Kirk S. 207.
Disbursments for … pynerfies [ed. pynerfries] — 1575 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 657/2.
To ane pynour fallow that broucht eist ane snoge of venisoun

b. As a place name element. — 1583 Aberd. Pynours 99.
Croftam vocatam pynournuke … lie pynour croft

2. A pioneer. = Pioner n. 1. 1539 Treas. Acc. VII. 183.
To xij pynouris that kest the dok to hir [the ‘Salamander’] 1553–4 Ayr Common Good Acc.
To four pinewris for delfing doun the brayis of the hillis 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 122.
The Laird of Grange is becum a grit man now, whan sic men are pynouris to him 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 329.
The saids pyonaris begouth to cast thair fowsies about the castell … The saids pynoris havand affixit ane braid saill betuix thame and the castell [etc.]