Obs. Forms: 4 quystron, qwistron, 4–6 quystroun(e, 5 quisteroun, quysteroun, (?) qwistoune, custrun, 6 coystrowne; Sc. custron, 6–7 -oun, 7 -one. [a. OF. coistron, coestron, quistron, coitron, in nom. case questres, quaistre, scullion:—late L. cocistrōnem, nom. cocistro ‘tabernarius’ (Papias).]
1. A scullion, a kitchen-knave; hence a boy or lad of low birth, base-born fellow, ‘cad,’ vagabond.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 2511. Ther n’as knave, no quystron, That he no hadde god waryson.
a. 1400. Octouian, 154. Sche seyth a boy lothly of face, A quysteroun … And seyde: ‘Hark, thou cokes knaue.’
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 3303. Lo! so þe quele of qwistrunnes [printed qwistrumnes] my qualite has changid!
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 886. This God of Love of his fasoun Was lyke no knave, ne quystroun.
c. 1529. Skelton (title), Agaynste a comely coystrowne, that curyowsly chawntyd, and curryshly cowntred. Ibid., Howe douty D. Albany, 171. Suche a foule coystrowne.
1530. Lyndesay, Test. Papyngo, 390. Pandaris, pykthankis, custronis, and clatteraris Loupis vp frome laddis, sine lychtis amang lardis.
a. 1605. Polwart, in Montgomerie, Flyting, 128. Vile vagabound … Custroun!
2. = CUSTREL 1.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VII. 503. The sperys to haue for them and theyr custrun euery day halfe a floreyn.
