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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.

Quhit(e)-irn(e, n. Also: quhyt(e)-, quyt-, whit(e)-, whyt(e)-, whyit-; quhet-, quheit-; wheat- and -iyrne; -erne, -yerne, -airn; -iron(e, -yron. [Quhite adj. 1 c. Cf. med. L. ferrum album tin-plate (1464), F. fer blanc id., mod. Eng. (1745) white-iron tin-plate, also, a variety of cast-iron.]

1. Tin-plated iron. 1496 Treas. Acc. I 293.
For ij dowbil platis of quhit irne to be gun chargeouris 1499–1500 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 77.
A littill quhyte wand … with a hupe of quhyte irne at the end 1506 Treas. Acc. III 331.
For ane lantern of quhit irn 1513 Ib. IV 515.
For xx plaitis of quhyte irne 1516 Edinb. B. Rec. I 161.
Ane greit round coffyr bandit with quhit irne 1532 Treas. Acc. VI 50, etc. 1566 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 100.
Thre treyne chandlaris … with flouris of quhyt irne 1571 Misc. Bann. C. III 140.
Testimonialis in a box of whyit yerne 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 91.
Wheat irone 1622 Breadalbane Doc. No. 428.
Ane gouis pane of quhyt iyrne 1625 Orkney & Shetl. Test. I 138.
Ane buird of whyt irne pryce iiij s. 1661 Acts VII 47/2.
Whiteyron

2. a. attrib. Made of tin-plate or tin. Cf. Irne n. 4 a. b. comb. With worker, smith, man.a. 1512 Treas. Acc. IV 298.
Quhet irne platis for lanternis and bowettis to the said schip 1562 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 649/1.
Quhyt irne plaittis … quheit irne plaittis 1575 Edinb. Test. III 319.
Ipothecar … In his buith … ane quhite erne bottell 1594 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 531.
For baking the same [sc. chair] with ane schairp quhit irne band 1606 Edinb. Test. XLI 341.
Tuelf quhyt irne pannis for dropyns 1643 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 534.
A mekle whit yron filler 1643 Edinb. Test. LX 280b.
Ane quyt irone pane with ane hand 1648 Ib. LXIII 292b.
Ane stoving pan with ane quhyt irne hand 1683–4 Stirling B. Rec. II 326. 1698 Funeral Acc. ii 6 Capt. J. Bailȝie.
4 whitiron plats on the hearse 1702 Moncreiffs 371.
For eight dozen of brass and whyte iron pyps and primers for quick shoutingb. 1651 Glasgow Hammermen 12.
[A white iron worker] 1672 Ib. 57.
[White-iron men should not be entered as pewterers] 1673 Greyfriars Interments 192.
Whyt airnman 1694 Aberd. Trades 206.
To be incorporate as ane white iron worker 1695 Ib. 20.
Andrew Anderson whiteironsmith