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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.

Warkman, Werkman, n. Also: vark-, verk-, work(e)-, vork-, woorkeman, workmaun. Pl. warkmen(e, warke-, varkmen, varkemene, (warmen), werk-, verkmen, work(e)men. [ME and e.m.E. weorc-man (Layamon), werc-men (a1225), werk men (Piers Plowman), workman (Caxton), warkman (1496), woorkman (1562).] One who does work, esp. for pay; a labourer or craftsman. Chiefly pl. Also attrib. and comb.(1) sing. a1400 Leg. S. xxxix 236.
A werkman sa wery wes Fore trawale, that [etc.] 1477 Exch. R. IX 94 n.
Oure familiar servitur and werkman [Chapel Royal workman] for oure persoun James Hommyll c1475 Wall. vi 436.
Betwix Cultir and Bygar … quhar a werk man come … Dryfande a mere, and pychars had he to sell 1539 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 209.
That the vorkman of the knok be servit with hors and expens 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. II 367.
To ane warkman to red the kepill feit, and uther labour, iij oulks, xxvij s. 1556–7 Edinb. Old Acc. II 73 (see Gogillis n. pl.). 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7010.
This same masoun he killit … For his rewaird this warkman this gat he 1583 Aberd. Pynours 66.
Na laborar nor warkman or womann at the schoir suld tak or ressave mair nor [etc.] 1596 Edinb. B. Rec. V 355.
To ane warkman … in helping up the catchpul 1608–9 Misc. Spald. C. V 83.
To Patrik Robertson, varkman, for careing down ane dur … to the blok hous 1641 Aberd. B. Rec. III 264.
Christane Watsone, spous to Johne Touch, warkman, was convict [etc.] 1642 Dumfries Kirk S. 22 Jan.
Thomas Rae workeman gave vp his name to be proclamed upon Marione Byres 1654 Edinb. Marr. 18.
John Symson, workmaun 1658 Cramond Kirk S. I 1 Aug.
The session … agreed with a workman for building … the sole of the said loft(b) 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 32/21.
That knauish and cunning woorkeman [sc. the Devil]attrib. 1549 Compl. 69/15.
Mony politic verkmanlumis for mecanyc craftiscomb. 1580–1 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 201.
To … repair the calsay … and to produce the workman calsaymakeris thairtopl. a1400 Leg. S. xv 38.
Thare wes corne … Bot few war to set it in sekil; ‘Pray … the lord of corne To send wark-mene, ore it be lorne!' a1400 Leg. S. xxii 594.
It [sc. the bread] mycht nocht suffice … to warmen thre. Than the martyris mycht sik was That wald nocht the wark suld cese [etc.] a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 789.
Warkmen 1513 Doug. xi vii 79.
The irne graith, the wark men, and the wrychtis, And all that to the schippis langis 1549 Treas. Acc. IX 318.
To the bell man … for convenyng of all maner of warkmen with spaid and schule to the fort of Inneresk 1549–50 Treas. Acc. IX 364.
To xvj warkmen quhilk wroucht … rys to be gabyounes 1553 Treas. Acc. X 206.
Fynnarres of leid in Crawfurd Mure, and otherris warkmen wirkand thair 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7002.
The knicht … feit wark men, & promeist thame gude hire 1581 Sat. P. xliv 68.
The varkmen of that monstreous intent [sc. the Tower of Babel] 1578 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 75.
[A] sufficient nomber of warkmen, hewerris, layerris and barromen 1589–1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 54b.
Varkemene 1592 Acts III 557/2.
The saidis myneris and warkmen is dalie in the hasart of thair lyves 1595 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 6b.
To our wark mene that vroycht the schepe abone the water efter scho com of the stokis 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 148 (see Wark n. 6 b). 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 32.
Compt of James Murray … maister of wark … for all soirtis of craftismen and warkmenis waiges 1625 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 163.
Warkmen at the stankis casting 1628 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 217.
For ringing the bell to lous and enter the warkmen at thair houres(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 550.
Werkmen 1427 Acts II 13/1.
That the dekyn of ilk craft sal … se at the werkmen be cunnande & the werk sufficiande 1457 Aberd. B. Rec. MS V i 319 (19 Nov.).
Ane assis of leil sworn werk men 1477 Edinb. Chart. 141.
Cutleris, smethys, lorymaris, lokmakaris, and all sick werkmen 1478 Acta Conc. I 4/2.
The lordis … causit the chenȝe to be weyt and prisit be werkmen quhilkis prisit it to v li. Scottis 1489 Treas. Acc. I 123.
To werkmen at maid wp the wallis of Dunglas 1497 Treas. Acc. I 359.
To the werkmen to bring hame Mons and the othir artailȝerj 1513 Treas. Acc. IV 517.
To x werkmen with pik, schule and spaid 1513 Treas. Acc. IV 525.
To ij werkmen that clenȝet ii closettis vi s. 1529 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 2.
To ten werkmen viz. barrowmen servand the masonis 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 21.
To vi other verkmen … makand red in the quarel Salisberry 1532–3 Treas. Acc. VI 161.
To iii werkmen quhilkis werkis with Peris at the funding of the artailȝerie 1591 Acts III 526/2.
Retenyng … the twelft part thairof for … satisfactioun of his officiaris and werkmennis lauboris(c) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2464 (B).
Mony wicht workmen [Ch. warkman] ȝe haif brocht to mischeif 1641 Acts V 503/1.
That trade [sc. hatmakers] … hes … growne to ane greater nomber of workemen nor hes bene in preseeding aiges 1671 Dunferm. Coal Acc. lb.
For the workmens denner when the coill wes first fund 1677 Cunningham Diary 103.
To Ro: Cuningham's workmen, 6 s.(2) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. x 10.
For a werkman [W. workman, P. werkman] is worthi his mete 1560 Bk. Disc. 196.
That the warkman is worthy of his reward 1642 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 118.
The workeman is worthie of his hyre