or teston, subs. (old).—1. A silver coin: orig. (a) the silver currency of Louis XII. of France (bearing the head of that prince, and worth (COTGRAVE) 18d. sterling); (b) the brass silvered shilling of Henry VIII. (worth, temp. Ed. VI., 9d.); and (c) the Elizabeth sixpence. Hence (2) a sixpence (GROSE): see TIZZY. As verb = to fee.
1577. HOLINSHED, Description of England, II. xxv. [Elizabeth] restored sundrie coines of fine siluer, as péeces of halfepenie farding, of a penie, of three halfe pence, péeces of two pence, of thrée pence, of foure pence (called the groat), of six pence, vsuallie named the TESTONE.
1594. R. WILSON, The Cobler’s Prophecy, Sc. 3. It makes thy companie borne withall, where otherwise thou wert no fit guest, for tales at some tables are as good as TESTERNS.
1595. SHAKESPEARE, Two Gentlemen of Verona, i. 1. 153. You have TESTERNED me; in requital, whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourself. Ibid. (1598), 2 Henry IV., iii. 2. Hold, there’s a TESTER for thee.
1599. JOSEPH HALL, Satires, II. i.
| Lo! what it is that makes white rags so deare, | |
| That men must give a TESTON for a queare. |
1599. JONSON, Every Man out of his Humour, ‘Characters.’ Takes up single TESTONS upon oaths till dooms-day, falls under executions of three shillings, and enters into five-groat bonds.
1602. DEKKER, The Honest Whore, i. 6 [DODSLEY, Old Plays (REED), iii. 283]. Fluello. Ipocras! there then, here’s a TESTON for you, you snake.
1605. CHAPMAN, Eastward Ho, i. 1. Wipe thy bum with TESTONES, and make ducks and drakes with shillings.
1608. JOHN DAY, Law Trickes, iii. Em. Win, prethee giue the Fidler a TESTAR and send him packing.
1611. R. TARLTON, Jests. Tarlton, seeing himself so over-reacht, greatly commended the beggers wit, and withall, in recompence thereof, gave him a TEASTER.
1613. FLETCHER, The Honest Man’s Fortune, iii. 3. There’s a TESTER … now I am a wooer, I must be bounteful.
1633. HEYWOOD, The English Traveller, iv. 5, p. 226 (Mermaid).
| Nay, drown it all, let not a TESTER scape | |
| To be consumed in rot-gut. |
1636. DAVENANT, The Wits, i. 1. Together with his wife’s bracelet of mill-TESTERS.
1698. FARQUHAR, Love and a Bottle, i. Who throws away a TESTER and a mistress loses sixpence.
1709. SWIFT, Polite Conversation, i. They say he that has lost his wife and sixpence has lost a TESTER.
1822. LAMB, The Essays of Elia, ‘The Praise of Chimney-Sweepers.’ If it be starving weather,… the demand on thy humanity will surely rise to a TESTER.
1822. SCOTT, The Fortunes of Nigel, xxvii. Dr Rigmarole’s at Redriffe, who buckles beggars for a TESTER and a dram of Geneva.
