arch. Forms: α. 6 testourn, teastern, 6–7 testern, -erne, -orn, -orne; β. 6–7 testor, 7 -ar, teaster, 6– tester. [app. the result of a series of corruptions or perversions of TESTON.] A name for the TESTON of Henry VIII., esp. as debased and depreciated; subsequently a colloquial or slang term for a sixpence.
α. 1546. Wriothesley, Chron. (Camden), I. 176. Condemned for treason for counterfeiting testornes.
1560. in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 223. Knowledge of the better testornes from the worse.
1579. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 72. Eloquence … were more worth then a crackd testerne in his purse.
1614. J. Cooke, Greene’s Tu Quoque, D iij b. A testerne or a shilling to a seruant that brings you a glasse of beere, bindes his hands to his lippes.
β. 1567–8. in 11th Rep. Dep. Kpr. Irel., 180. With not more than two testors a day each.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., III. ii. 296. Hold, there is a Tester for thee.
1608. Day, Law Trickes, III. i. Prethee giue the Fidler a testar and send him packing.
1613. Tapp, Pathw. Knowledge, 53. There is also the Tester or halfe shilling which is 6d.
1765. Foote, Commissary, I. Wks. 1799, II. 8. I hope you’ll tip me the tester to drink.
1822. Lamb, Elia, Ser. I. Praise Chimneysweepers. If it be starving weather … the demand on thy humanity will surely rise to a tester.
a. 1839. Praed, Poems (1864), I. 94. Well! it was worth a silver tester, To see how she frowned when the Abbess blessed her.
