Middle English Dictionary Entry
heraud n.
Entry Info
| Forms | heraud n. Also herhaud, herald, herrald, herauld, herault & heroud, herroud, herod, herout(e, hereud, horoud & haraud, harraud, harrald, harhald, hauraud & haroud, harroud, harod, harud, harot, harowed, harrould, harrold. |
| Etymology | AF heraud, herald; cp. CF hiraut, heraut & ML heraldus, haraldus, herodius; from Gmc. The senses often represent different aspects or functions of the herald rather than distinct kinds of herald. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An officer of a tournament who makes announcements, introduces knights, reports their actions, awards prizes, etc.; ~ of armes [cp. OF hiraut darmes]; (b) an expert in the records of knights; a historian of wars and tournaments (often itinerant and similar to a minstrel); fig. a spreader of fame, one who praises someone or something; ~ of armes; (c) an expert in heraldry, coats of arms, etc.; the author or keeper of a roll of arms; ~ of armes.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2533 : An heraud [vrr. herowde, herod, herald] on a scaffold made on Oo Til al the noyse of the peple was ydo.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2672 : The heraudes [vrr. heroudis, harawdes], that ful loude yelle and crye, Been in hir wele for ioye of daun Arcite.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2526 : The pris was yove and spoken oute Among the heraldz al aboute.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)21.14 : Then was faith in a fenestre and cryde, 'a! filij dauid!' As doþ an heraud of armes when auntres comeþ to Iustes.
- a1425-a1500(?c1350) Libeaus (Kaluza)983 : Tabours and trompours, Heraudes and gode disours, Har strokes gonne descrie.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)481 : Trumpys blewe; herowdes gred [vr. harawdes cryede].
- c1450 Rich.(Add 31042)428 : Harawdes of armys.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)346/5 : There was herodys with trumpettis commaunded to blow to the felde.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)662/10 : Therewithall sir Galahalte lat blow to lodgynge; and all herrowdis gaff sir Lamerok the pryce.
- a1486 Jousts of Peace (Mrg M 775)39 : We, Herrowdys [vr. herawldes] of Armis, beryng scheldis of deviis, here we yeve in knowlache..That ther ben vj Gentilmen, [etc.]..Then schall be sent an harawde [vr. herowde] of armes up un to the ladys & Gentillwimmen..And when the harrawdis cri 'a lostell, a lostell' then schall all þe vj Gentill men wtin un helme them.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)1109 : Gentyl men to haruds thrange.
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)1177 : Harowdes [vr. Hawrawdes] of armes than they wente For to dyscrye thys turnayment.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)2365 : Harroldys of armes cryed on hight, The prynce and that other knyght, No more juste shall thay.
- a1500(?a1425) Ipom.(2) (Hrl 2252)515/545 : The heraudes gaff þe child þe gree; A Ml. pownd he had to fee.
- 1598(a1475) Flower & L.(Speght)232 : And after hem cam a great company Of herauds and pursevaunts eke.
b
- [ (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.52106/5-6 : Cuidam herald de Almannia per manus Lancastri le heraud ibidem..xx s. ]
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2403 : The vice cleped Avantance..his oghne pris..lasseth When he such mesure overpasseth That he his oghne Herald is.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1632 : He mot travaile for worschipe And make manye hastyf rodes..So that these heraldz on him crie, 'Vailant, vailant, lo wher he goth!'
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)14.24 : Shal none heraude ne harpoure haue a fairere garnement.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)23.94 : Thenne mette þes men..er heraudes of armes hadden discriuede lordes.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)78 : He shal speke but a litil and boost litel..for an huntere shuld not be an harowde of his craft.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)87 : And how fele termes and trewes Where take..Dares, the heraud of Troye, sais.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)13.678 : Of his Manhod & his Chevalrye It were I-nowgh An herowde to discrye.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)3777 : Rychard gaff gyfftes..To herawdes and to dysours, To tabourrers and to trumpours..to bere his los; þorwȝ here cry his renoun ros.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1321 : Thoo atte last aspyed y That pursevantes and heraudes, That crien ryche folkes laudes, Hyt weren alle.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2715 : I haue herd of þi hendlaike of heraudis [Dub: at harhaldes] & of othire.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)108/25 : There was grete ioye of herodes and of mynstrelles withoute noumbre, and Ponthus gave theym grete gyftes.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)347/18 : And all this was marked wyth noble herrodis, who bare hym beste, and their namys.
c
- [ (1393) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.52283/11 : Item, per manus Mowbray le herald, pro viij scochons armorum domini factis. ]
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)3323 : At an herhaud [Cai: heraude] þan asked he, 'This armed folk, what may þis be?'
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1017 : But by hir cote armures and by hir gere, The heraudes [vrr. herowdes, heraulde] knew hem best in special.
- a1425 Macaron.Serm.(Bod 649)2:232 (p.67) : Excedit artem of herowtes numerare populum peccatricem .. in hanc ciuitatem.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2294 : Thane harawdez heghely at heste of the lordes Hunttes vpe the haythemen that on heghte lygges.
- c1450(?a1400) Siege Milan (Add 31042)1468 : Als an harawde hym by-helde, He lukede vp in to his schelde.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)351/11,14 : But at the laste an herrowde rode nyghe sir Gareth as he coude..than the heroude cryed as he were woode, and many herowdys wyth hym; 'This is Sir Gareth of Orkenay in yealow armys!'
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)1117 : Grete lordys made to crye: 'What maner of man ys hee That beryth the grype so bryght?' Harowdes [vr. Harawdis] of armes conne them telle.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)1711 : An harood said anon right: 'You I se an armed knyght.'
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)179 : Þer is none heraud þat haþ half swich a rolle.
2.
A maker of proclamations, a crier; a distinguished messenger, king's messenger; also, a go-between for lovers [quot.: 1467]; ~ of armes.
Associated quotations
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)237 : Herowde of armys: Curio.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3013 : An hawrawde hyes before..and to the kynge telles All the tale sothely and how they spede hade.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3029 : Harawde, be Criste, Thow has helyd myn herte.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)1157 : A hauraud [Cmb: an heroud] faste gane crye, And prayes alle þat cheualry To souppe at þat maungery.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)8064 : Ordenyd mote hit be Herewdes [vrr. Herowdes, Herodes] to ryde in euery contree..To proclayme..A ryall turnement.
- (1467) Paston4.271 : I alweys schall be your herault bothe her, if sche com hydder, and at home when I kome hom.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)341 : Heraudis he dyd go and Ride, Another turnamente for to Crye.
3.
(a) A diplomatic messenger, an envoy, an agent; also fig.; ~ of armes, kinges ~; (b) a military officer concerned with numbering and arranging troops, etc.; ~ of armes; (c) an attendant upon a king; ~ of armes; king ~, ? = king of armes [see armes 3].
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)16.177 : I am feith..And of Abrahames hous an heraud of armes.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)19.267 : Thus haue ich beo hus heraude her and in helle.
- (1410) Let.Bugge in Spec.14 (Vsp F.7)24 : The herault of the same Duc cleped Albany hath moeved..to our forsaid lord the kynge, [etc.].
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)883 : Come driuand fra Darius..Heraudis [Dub: Harraldes] on heȝe hors..To ser Philip þe fers to feche þar trouage.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)383/10,25 : Þe Kinge sent his heroudes vnto þe Capten of Towke..And anon he sent his heroddez vnto þe Capteyn, and Chargyd hym to delyuer þe toun and his Castel.
- (1460) Let.Warw.in EHR 37545 : Item, Syr, a Corpus Xti even came to Cales the Capten of Ardre and a harrowde of þe dukis of borgon; whotte þere menyng is it sall be kende and ȝe sall haffe knowlage.
- c1475(c1420) Page SRouen (Eg 1995)p.34 : The herrowdys of armys..went by twyne, Kyngys herrowdys [vr. the Kyngis horoudis] and pursefauntys In cotys of armys suauntys.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)719 : Me seemeth conuenyent an herowde to ryde To Vertew, & byd hym to batayll make hym bone.
- a1600(1472) Rec.Bluemantle (Jul C.6)381 : The King..sent a right worshipfull man in his embassat to..the Duc of Bourgoyne, called Mr. Willm. Hatcleff, and to wayte vpon hym an harroulde called Lancaster and a pursuyvant called Blewmantell.
b
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.1576 : Bi an heraud that dide his host conveye..Bi straunge desertis fond out a froward weye.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)390/23 : And at þe first comyng of oure King, þere were noumbred be heroudes ynto an cccml. of men, wymmen, & childryn.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)555 : That other half, to dike foot by foote, Be sette, and an heraude expert by roote, The Centrions other the Centenaryis In ordre forth hem calle, as necessary is.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)177 : An Harott of harmes: bellicrepa.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)2249 : Thanne was ther on not ferre owt of ye prese; lyke a harowed he semyd for to be.
- a1500 Parton.(1) (Add 35288)3050 : The herodes ther nummberyd wyth spere and schylde ij hunderyd Mli., wyth-owten alblasterys.
c
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)1035-6 : A herrowd of Armes as gret a dygnyte has; Specially kynge harrawd must haue þe principalle place.
- a1600(1472) Rec.Bluemantle (Jul C.6)384 : The King..was well accompanied to his loging wt therl of Essex..and dyuers other nobles, and these heroudes [vr. herauldes] before hym, Mr Garter, principall King of Armes..Marche, King of Armes, Wyndesore herralde, Smowden herroude [vr. Herrauld] to ye King of Scotes, Blewmantell purseyvant.
4.
?As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1204) CRR(2) 3105 : Willelmus Haroud.
- (1304) Close R.Edw.I148 : John Heraud.