Now rare. [f. TOLL v.3 + -ING1.] The action of TOLL v.3; the taking or levying of toll; also payment to hop-pickers at so many bushels a shilling. Also attrib.
a. 1350. St. Matthew, 416, in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1881), 136. Saint Mathew … A toller was … With tolling mikell gude he gat.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 496/1. Tollynge, of myllarys, multura.
1509. Barclay, Shyp of Folys (1874), I. 64. Brybours and Baylyes that lyue upon towlynge.
1546. in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford (1880), 179. The untrewe and excessyve tollinge of certayne quarters of wheate meale.
1562. Pilkington, Expos. Abdyas, 129. As though he were set to gather up Christs tolling money.
1886. J. Craig, Tollman’s Lament, in R. Ford, Harp Perthshire (1893), 346. Whan first my tollin’ days began.
1888. Pall Mall G., 5. Oct., 5/1. If hops are pretty good, however, and the ‘tolling’ not too low—say, six bushels a shilling—an average hopper can live like a lord. Ibid., 5/2. When the hops are large and plentiful the farmer may commence his ‘tolling’ at twelve a shilling.
