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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Cadge(a)r, Cage(a)r, n. Also: cagger (chagger), cageor, caiggear, -eor; kegger, kaigaor; cadgeare, -gyar, -ȝear; cadgeir, -ȝer. [e.m.E. (northern) cadger (1641); prob. f. cadge, ME. cagge, to tie, bind.]

1. An itinerant dealer in fish, etc.; a carrier of goods.The earliest examples, in Henryson's Fables, have the late spelling of 1570.(a) 1491 Dunferm. B. Rec. 29.
John Burne, cagger 1494 Ib. 55.
It was statut … witht consent of all the caggeris … that thai sall oukly fynd the tovne vj ladis of fische 1512 Treas. Acc. IV. 343.
To ane kegger at turst … 1½ leid sture and pellok fische of Edinburgh to Carlile 1521 Dunferm. B. Rec. 208.
That the ald act anens the caggeris suld be approbat … , that is to say, the chaggeris … sall present to the mercat oukly vj ladis of fysche 1542–3 Lanark B. Rec. 20.
That na cageris pas … to the kyrk merkattis 1558 Rentale Dunkeld. 360.
For tua stane and iiij pundis of candill furnest be the caggers 1564 Lanark B. Rec. 32.
That na fleschouris caggeris that bryingis othir fles to the town, or fysche, that thai sell nane thairof(b) 1494 Treas. Acc. I. 252.
To ane cagear, to remane vpone the taking of this stuff 1504 Crim. Trials I. 104.
John Oliuere, called Cageare 1523 Treas. Acc. V. 231.
Ane letter to … charge all the caiggearis and fischearis of Mussilburgh that thai haue ilk day thare fische to the camp 1540 Acts II. 373/1.
That all … cagearis and vtheris within this tyme of the day … be seruit for thare money of fische to the furnessing of the cuntre 1551 Ann. Banff I. 29.
Geve ony kaigaor beis fundin havand ony [fish] in quait maneir, the samyn to be eschiat 1597 Treas. Acc. 117 b.
To Iohn Iohnstoun, caiggeor for bying … ane hors 1656 Misc. B. Rec. Soc. 5.
Salt … which they usually sell to cageors, … who carry the same about in creiles on horseback, or otherwise, up and downe the countrey(c) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2020.
With that ane cadgear, with capill & with creillis, Come carpand furth 1513 Doug. viii. Prof. 42.
The cadgyar [Sm. cadgear] callis furth his capill with crakkis wail cant 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 21.
Forsamekill as it is understand that westland cadgearis and owtland men byis the meill in gret and turses the samyn out of this toune [etc.] 1533 Treas. Acc. VI. 163.
To ane cadgear … for the careage of ane barrell of pulder 1553 Ib. X. 196.
To ane cadȝear that caryit glas to Hammiltoun 1561 Reg. Privy C. I. 173.
The cadgear, herbrearis, and awnaris of schippis and boitis … be quhome the same beis careit 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 34.
Ane kynd of thair thevis … quhilk spoylis trauellaris, cadgearis, and chepmen be the way 1594 Conv. Burghs I. 448.
To bring in ane meir confusioun … be making cadgeares, kairteris of fuilȝie, and all sort of pepill equall. with thame 1602 Crim. Trials III. 385.
Williame Ȝoung and Iames Blak, cadgearis … dryvand sevin paks of merchand-geir, on sevin horsis 1621 Maxwell Mem. I. 334.
To the cadgear that brocht haime the saip, … and sum wthir graith(d) 1581 Elgin Rec. I. 162.
That na cadger salbe licient to sell or karie fysche to the mercat 1582 Waus Corr. I. 252.
As tueiching your woddis, I deliuerit thame to the cadger except thrie pece of gold 1605 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 231.
That na cadgeris, meillmen, fruitmen, barkeris, nor na vtheris … repair towardis ony of the foirsaidis placis 1640 Peebles B. Rec. 421.
Gewin to six cadgeris to cary … sodjouris pickes and muskettis 1679 Stirling Comm. Good MS. 133.
That noe cadgeir nor traveler should buy any vivers befor 11 hours in the day

2. Attrib. with aver, carl, crele, travellour. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2316.
Than will the cadgear carll trow ye be deid c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 229.
Cager aviris castis bayth coillis and creilis 1583 St. A. Test. II. 19 b.
Ane pair of awld cadger crelis 1605 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 231.
That na manir of cadger travellouris be reset out of ony of the saidis places