1. The writer of an EPISTLE.
1610. Bp. Hall, Apol. Brownists, § 13. 26. Yet let this ignorant Epistler teach his censorious answerer one point of his owne (that is the Separatists) skill.
1657. Hobbes, Absurd Geom., Wks. 1845, VII. 379. The best of your half-learnt epistlers.
1670. Eachard, Cont. Clergy, 29 (T.). The young Epistler is Yours to the Antipodes.
1876. M. Arnold, Lit. & Dogma, 277. So our Epistler says, ‘God is love.’
2. Eccl. = EPISTOLER 2.
16[?]. Canons Ch. Eng., xxiv. (T.). The principal minister using a decent cope, and being assisted with the Gospeller and Epistler.
1641. Life & Death Wolsey, in Select. fr. Harl. Misc. (1793), 102/1. A sub-dean, a repeater of the choir, a gospeller, an epistler of the singing-priests, and a master of the children.
1667. Answ. Quest. out of North, 9. Gospelers, Epistelers, Virgers.
1721–1800. in Bailey; and in mod. Dicts.
