Now rare. [f. TOLL sb.1 + GATHERER.] One who collects tolls or dues; a tax-gatherer: PUBLICAN sb.1 1.
1382. Wyclif, Matt., Prol. Fro the office of a tol gaderer he was clepid to God.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, III. vii. (1883), 138. Kepars of townes customers and tolle gaderers.
1555. Act 2 & 3 Phil. & Mary, c. 7 § 2. Every Toll-gatherer … shall … take their due and lawful Tolls.
a. 1610. Healey, Theophrastus (1636), 25. Fit to keep an Alehouse or an Inne: to be a Pandar or a Tole-gatherer.
1766. Blackstone, Comm., II. xxx. 451. The horse shall be brought by both the vendor and vendee to the tollgatherer or bookkeeper of such fair or market.
1820. W. Tooke, trans. Lucian, I. 365. The toll-gatherer Æacus would take it very ill, if for days and years not a penny came into his till.
So Toll-gathering, collection of tolls or dues.
1577. trans. Bullinger’s Decades (1592), 277. Hee bad not these Publicanes to leaue off their toll-gathering, but willed them to bee content with their appointed duty.
