Middle English Dictionary Entry
hauberk n.
Entry Info
| Forms | hauberk n. Also -berc, -brek, -brecke, -bark, -brak, -birk, -brik, -berg, -bergh, -bert, auberk, -berc, haberk, heiberk, hamberk, -bark. |
| Etymology | OF hauberc, -berg, -bert, auberc, from Gmc. Also cp. OE halsbearh, healsberga & ML halsberga. Forms in ham- show influence of ME hāme (1). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A coat of mail; also, plate armor or a coat of mail reinforced with plates; -- sometimes used interchangeably with habergeoun; (b) chain mail worn over a hair shirt as a form of penance; (c) fig. part of the armor of a Christian; ~ of penaunce, ~ of right; (d) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2200 : Ȝe beþ men bet iteiȝt to ssofle & to spade..Þan wiþ suerd oþer hauberc [vrr. hauberk, hamberk] eny bataile to do.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3609 : Þe king was aboue yarmed wiþ auberc [vrr. haubert, haubrec, hawbrek] noble & riche.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3840 : Is hauberc [vr. haubrecke] & is sseld.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6017 : Euere eiȝte hide lond an man him ssolde finde, Wiþ helm & hauberc [vrr. haubert, haubrek, haubryk hamberk].
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)2777 : Bitvene þe hauberk and side Þe dart þurch out ran.
- c1330 KTars (Auch)36/141 : Þai schul ben alle redi diȝt Wiþ helme & hauberk of meile.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)552 : Bi side þe heued þe dent wente, & þe hauberk he to-rente, Fram þe hepe bon an heiȝ Þat alle þe pece out fleiȝ.
- (1346) Will York in Sur.Soc.420 : Item, Johanni Courcy, unum hauberk.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)632 : Helmes & hauberkes [orig. draft: Helm & haberke] þay kutte a two.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)881 : Þorw haberke & þorw is aketoun, attes nauel þe dent a-stod.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2500 : The sheldes brighte, testeres, and trappures, Gold hewen helmes, hauberkes, cote armures.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.2053 : And next his sherte an aketoun, And ouer that an haubergeoun..And ouer that a fyn hauberk..Ful strong it was of plate, And ouer that his cote armour.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.3170 : He the bryhte helm behield, The swerd, the hauberk, and the Shield.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)1458 : Þe swerd..share þe hambark [vr. hauberk] an hond brood.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2368 : Þere was many stede yschent, And many gode hauberk to-rent.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)268 : I haue a hauberghe at home, & a helme boþe.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4697 : Nor he no mor shal his hauberk shake.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)10a/a : Bilix: an haubrek, on [read: or] cloþ with two þredes weuen.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)21017 : Þe blode fra his fronte doun ran, Ouer rin his helme and his auberk.
- ?c1425(c1380) Chaucer Form.A.(Benson-Robinson)49 : Unforged was the hauberk and the plate.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)220 : Haburyone, or hawberk: Lorica.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2552 : They..Hittes one hellmes..Hewes appon hawberkes.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)442 : Þe Jewes assembled wer..with hamberkes [vrr. haweberkes, armour] a-tired.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)5828 : He..Hurlet þurghe the hawbergh.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)6184 : Vnarmyt were þai all..No helmys ne hawberghes ne no hard shildes.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)1195 : One he dide ane hawberke schene.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)6052 : Hys armour was passand to prays..hys heyberke held of heuy pas vi C to wey with brase.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)160/37 : They bresed their helmys and hawbirkes and woundid eyther other.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)518/2 : The stroke brake hys shylde and the hawbarke.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)1596g : Many an haweberke there was to-hewyn.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)3262 : Ipomadon þer haubrakes rente.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)3906 : The naylis off his haubreke berste.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)901 : In a cantel of hys scheld ys tok þe spere long, That the double hauberk al to-sprong.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)118 : Thei henten speres..and smyten hym on the shelde and on the haubrek.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(LdMisc 108)32 : Þe moder werede þe strongue here, for ore louerdes loue, Fram þe scholdre to þe hele, and on haubark [Hrl: & harde hauberk] þare-a-boue.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.1054 : Clothe yow..in herte of misericorde, [etc.]..and swich manere of clothynge of which Iesu Crist is moore apayed than of heyres or haubergeouns or hauberkes.
c
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)180/13 : Nou hest þou yherd þe þri þinges þet heleþ þet hauberk [Vices & V.(2): haberioun] of penonce.
- c1350 Ayenb.App.(Arun 57)265/26 : Cloþeþ you mid godes armes: þe hauberk of ryȝt, þane sseld of beleaue.
d
- (1230) Close R.Hen.III396 : Willelmum Hauberge.
- (1284) Feudal Aids 411 : Willelmus Hauberge.
- (1319) Pat.R.Edw.II393 : Simon Hauberk.