OED antedating -- nick v2

[Robin Hamilton]

OED has:  NICK v2

 8. trans.

    a. To designate or call (a person or thing) with (occas. by, in, etc.) a
particular name. Obs.

1589 J. LYLY Pappe with Hatchet B iv, If anie be vnchristened, Ile nicke him
with a name.
...

    b. To call by some name; to nickname. Obs.

1634 J. FORD Chron. Hist. Perkin Warbeck IV. sig. Hv, Warbecke as you nicke
him, came to me.

        -- While possibly falling within 8a., the following from _Westward
Ho_ (c. 1604) would seem to be closer to 8b., and thus antedate the Ford
citation:

"
Goz.:  I wud proue 'hem Mother best be trust: why doe not I know you Granam?
and that Suger-loafe? ha! doe I not _Magera_.
Bird.:  I am none of your Megges, do not nick-name me so: I will not be
nickt.
"

[Gozling is a knight, and Birdlime a [disguised] bawd.  There's probably a
double allusion around "Megges" above  -- "Meg" as a woman's name (Long Meg
of Winchester had been mentioned in the play not long before)  and "meg" as
a cant term for a guinea.]

Robin

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