[WRITING vbl. sb. 12 b + PEN sb.2 4.] A pen suitable or adapted for writing.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. xxxi. (Addit. MS.). A wrytinge penne hatte Calamus scripturalis.
1535. Coverdale, Judges v. 14. Out of Zabulon are there become gouernours thorow the wrytinge penne [Luther Schreibfeder].
1656. Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini, Pol. Touchstone, 410. He bore in his chief Standard … a writing Pen.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury (Roxb.), III. xv. 20/1. The Pen Knife is that with which we make the Pen, or writting Pen.
1831. Patents (1869), 30. Certain improvements in the construction of writing pens. Ibid. (1866), 390. To utilize writing pens which are … worn out.
