Uh-oh. Didn't recognize Gardner's name in the "Tom..." context. And forgot that the "Siege" had a "Brian." Too much information to keep track of while working on other things.

So far all references are to "Tom" forms. Especially interesting is the 1621 remark that Tom a Lin is "the supposed devil's bastard." (Like Merlin.) There must have been some folklore tradition behind this, possibly related (by confusion?) with the "Tam Lin" ballad.

(Might as well remind everyone that the Irish reel "Tam Lin" was composed ca1974 by Davey Arthur and has nothing to do with the present discussion.)

I have so many "Brian O'Linns" that I'll have to list them separately - if I can find time.

They begin in the late 18th C. and are mentioned (no text) in America in 1793. I believe that the "Siege" version of the previous decade is the earliest.