earth-tillern.

a1325 (c1280) Southern Passion (Pepys 2344) (1927) l. 239 (MED) He..sende to þo eorþ-tylyers þat ffrut to vnderffonge.

c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Matt. xxi. 34 He sente his seruauntis to the erthe tiliers [L. agricolas], that thei token fruytis of it.

?c1450 (?a1400) J. Wyclif Eng. Wks. (1880) 374 (MED) Caym þe erþe-tyllere..caym, þat is an erþe-tilyere þat kan welle tille þe londe.

c1475 (?c1451) Bk. Noblesse (Royal) (1860) 69 (MED) That prince that cherisshith and favourithe erthe tiliers.

1521 tr. C. de Pisan Body of Polycye iii. lvi. sig. pii Our other faders as auncyente Patryarkes whiche were erthe tyllers, and kepers of beestes.

1537 State P. Hen. VIII II. 449 The pore Englishe erth tillers in the English pale cannot skyll upon penury nor wredchidnes, as the Irishe tenantes doo sustayne.

1612 J. Davies Discouerie Causes Ireland 191 Ouer that, 4.d. or 6.d. daily to euery of them to be had and paide of the poore Earth-Tillers.

1674 N. Fairfax Treat. Bulk & Selvedge To Rdr. Off-cast words in the mouths of Handy-crafts-men and Earth-tillers.

1851 T. Sternberg Dial. & Folk-lore Northants. 140 Before the day of meeting the canny earth-tiller procures a number of iron bars, which he strews among the grass to be mown by his opponent.

1890 Scribner's Mag. Mar. 299/2 Her head played her false enough to picture..the poor earthtillers lying stark and stiff among the cotton-stalks.

1906 C. M. Doughty Dawn in Brit. II. vi. 79 Now king, in Britain's isle, o'er Belges' nation, Are those earth-tillers and, in arms, proud warriors.

1995 Atlanta Jrnl. & Constit. (Nexis) 26 Apr. f1 There is..a small cadre of career earth tillers left in my neck of the woods.