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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
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Testan(e, Testo(u)n(e, n. Also: testain(e, -en, -in, -orn(e, tastane. [e.m.E. teston (1543), testorne (a1546), testyon (1549), testone (1577), testoone (1617), F. teston.] A silver coin.Orig. the French name for a Milanese, then a French coin bearing a portrait head, later, a similar coin minted in Scotland (see b below), and, in England, the shilling of Henry VII, VIII and Edward VI.Also specified as of four or five shillings value.Sometimes, contextually, apparently of little value.(1) 1494 Halyb. 51.
Thir ar the steykkis of gold at John of Carkatill … hed in his purs … xxxi ducatis … gudlins … half a testoun … Flemis ridaris [etc.] 1546–7 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 561.
Tua irnis … certane testons of tyne … pertening to umquhile Walter Gardnar, quha wes justifyit for fals cunȝe 1558 Treas. Acc. X 345.
To the quenis grace to play witht the bischope of Galloway in testonis, xx li. 1562 Laing MSS 20.
And payis thairfor a testoune in the month 1563 Linlithgow Sheriff Ct. 17 July.
To pay and deliuer to Robert Alexander v s. for ane testoun lent to him 1567 Acts III 29/1.
Seing the gude siluer as testonis, and vther auld siluer, vtterlie meltit and distroyit 1589–1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 52b.
xi s. the testone 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 120.
What ware the oaths that Piter swoore … the 2, Devil ding me in testons(b) 1545 Reg. Privy C. I 2.
All smaller peces sik as halff testanys and halff soussis be takin efter the quantite of the prices forsaidis 1550 Treas. Acc. IX 407.
xiiij unce wecht grottis and testanis to be ane sey pece 1559–60 Reg. Privy S. V i 162/1.
Twa stane wecht of silver for to be cunyeit in testanis 1560 Stirling B. Rec. I 75. 1564 Perth B. Ct. 207a (19 Dec.).
Five pundis in testanes 1566 Reg. Privy C. I 441.
He sall … pay for his absence ane testane quhilk the clerk sall collect 1566 St. A. Kirk S. 284.
Ane ald dayf prest … quhai baptist the barne for ane testan … wythowtyn ony prayer redyng or other cerimone 1571–2 Reg. Privy S. VI 276/1.
Sex hundreth and threscoir ten markis in silver testanes for v s. the peace 1578 Conv. Burghs I 560.
Testaine 1580 Glasgow B. Rec. (MC) 130.
Ilk ane of thame receavit erlis, viz., the said Robert, half ane testane 1580 Reg. Privy S. VII 426/1.
All unstampit twentie, threttie and ten schilling peces and unstampit testanis 1662 Crim. Trials III 617.
[He] gaw me ane piece of money, lyk a testain(c) 1565 Inverness Rec. I 130.
Four crownes of the son quhilk he put in plege of xxxv testens(d) 1682 Royall Oake Title.
The Royall Oake, or A Croune's Worth of Loyalty for a Testin(e) 1561 Buccleuch MSS I 223.
Knowledge of the better testornes from the worse(2) 1558 Treas. Acc. X 359.
To the quenis grace of foure schilling testonis 1558 Old Dundee II 315.
Ane five shillings testane 1577 Inverness Rec. I 253.
Fyff schilling testounis 1583–4 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 322 (see b below).

b. The coin, identifiable as of French, Scottish or English origin.(1) 1563–4 Perth B. Ct. 33a (24 Feb.).
xxxij Frensche testanes 1565 Prot. Bk. James Foulis 71b.
Fyftie pundis in Scottis testanis xi d. fyne and fyve of tham in the vnce 1569 Digest Justiciary Proc. G. 37.
Tua Inglis tastanes 1569 Canongate Ct. Bk. 7. 1577 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 1 March.
George Aytoun … presentit the said bell … togidder with sevin Inglis testanis viz. ane unce of silver 1583–4 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 322.
The payment of ane thowsand pund in Scottis fyve schilling testanes 1588 Burntisland B. Ct. 24 June.
xii s. money Scottis as pryce off the French testan 1591–2 Reg. Privy C. IV 715.
The English and Scots testanes to be current hereafter at 8 s. each piece 1598 Crim. Trials II 75.
Fals adulterat money, sic as Scottis testanis with the croce 1612 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I c.
The Frenche testane, fyiftene s. The Inglis testane, ten s.(2) 1558 Treas. Acc. X 405.
Deliverit to the quenis grace in new cunȝeit testonis, be Johnne Aitkinsone, maister cunȝeour 1577 Reg. Privy C. II 616.
His Hienes awin silver money of testanis and xxx, xx, and ten schilling pecis 1587 Edinb. Test. XVIII 6b.
Philipe & Mary testanis