subs. (old).—A clergyman: in contempt. [Mass-JOHN.] See JOHN, sense 2.

1

  1772.  G. A. STEVENS, Songs, Comic and Satyrical (1788), ‘The Sweethearts.’

        The next a MESS JOHN, of rank Methodist taint,
Who thought like a sinner, but look’d like a saint.

2

  1785.  D. FERGUSON, ed. A Select Collection of Scots Poems, Chiefly in the Broad Buchan Dialect, ii. 42, ‘The Dominie Depos’d.’

        This breeds ill wiles, ye ken fu’ aft,
                In the black coat,
Till poor MASS JOHN, and the priest-craft,
                Goes ti’ the pot.

3

  1785.  GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. MESS-JOHN, a Scotch Presbyterian teacher or parson.

4

  c. 1786.  BURNS, To a Tailor.

        An’ syne MESS JOHN, beyond expression,
          Fell foul o’ me.

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