a. Forms: 5–6 birkin, byrchen, -in, 6–7 birchin, 7 burchin, 5– birchen, (north.) birken. [f. BIRCH sb. + -EN1.] Of, pertaining to, or composed of birch; of or pertaining to the birch used in flogging.
c. 1440. Gaw. & Gologras, I. 3 (Mätz.). Birkin bewis about boggis and wellis.
1481. Caxton, Reynard (Arb.), 41. Two birchen trees.
1536. Tindale, Wks. (1573), 166. We say of a wanton child … he must be annoynted with byrchin salve.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & F., iii. 19. Our maide with hir birchin broome.
1611. Beaum. & Fl., Knt. Burn. Pestle, IV. 64. And now the Burchin Tree doth bud that makes the Schoolboy cry.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, V. xi. Unless you had the same birchen argument to convince me.
1808. J. Mayne, Siller Gun, 28 (Jam.). Birken chaplets not a few And yellow broom.
1833. Fraser’s Mag., VII. 137. Boyhood sheds its flood of birchen tears.
1865. Parkman, Champlain, ix. (1875), 300. Canoe-men, in their birchen vessels.
