Middle English Dictionary Entry
hẹ̄r(e n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | hẹ̄r(e n.(2) Also hēr(e, heare, eare & hair(e, haier(e, haigre, hare, heir(e, heier, heiȝre. Pl. hẹ̄res & hẹ̄re(n. |
| Etymology | OE (WS hǣre, A hēre) & OF haire, from Gmc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A stiff and coarse cloth made of hair, haircloth; (b) ?pl. for sg.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)214/16 : Sum wummon..wereð þe brech of here [Nero: heare; Tit: haire] ful wel icnottet.
- (?1303) in Gras Eng.Cust.Syst.160 : Hayre ob.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)394 : We mowe al þe day were..an girdil of heire.
b
- (1397) in Gras Eng.Cust.Syst.438 : Item i pecia de hairys val. iiii s.
- (1397) in Gras Eng.Cust.Syst.439 : Item iii rollis de hairys val. x s.
2.
(a) A garment of haircloth; a shirt or breech of haircloth worn next to the skin by ascetics or penitents; (b) beren (the) ~, usen the ~, weren (the) ~, to wear such a garment; weringe of heres; (c) ~ made of lether, a garment of leather.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)17697 : Ðer ufenen he hæfde ane ladliche here.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)19707 : Alle heo beoð iferen, iscrudde mid heren [Otho: mid herde here].
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)10/7 : Monie oþre swucc hewepmen [read: swucche wepmen] ba & wummen wið hare greate matten & hare hearde heren [Cleo: hearen; Recl.: hayren].
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)2159 : A-mong is tresor heo founden al-so tweie wel stronge heren [Corp-C: here].
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(LdMisc 108)433/54 : Euere ȝwane heo sende heom cloþes..Þare-with heo wolde herene sende, faste i-seuwede with-inne.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1977 : His cloðes rent, in haigre srid, Lond grot and sorge is him bi-tid.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11735 : Þe harde here was is lich þe nexte wede.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)227/2 : Hy hire ssredde mid þe here and ueste eche daye.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)4778 : Þei hent hem on heiȝresse ful rowe next here bare bodi.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.133 : She ful deuout..Hadde next hir flessh yclad hire in an haire.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.37.34 : Þe fader..was cloþid with ane heyre, weylyng his sonn mych tyme.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.11.21 : Sum tyme thei hadden don penaunce in haire [WB(2): heyre] and asch.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.109 : Þere Marcellus deide y-cloþede in heer [Higd.(2): coverede..with an hair; L cilicio tectus].
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)93/16 : Leide him in askes and in an here.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)29090 : Þis ferth point..Es discipline..in askes and in hare.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)5.48 : Heo shulde vnsewe hire serke & sette þere an heire [vrr. hayre, heare, here, hare].
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)373 : Heter hayrez þay hent þat asperly bited.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4530 : Þai sal be, als þe appocalips spekes, In harde hayres clende [?read: cledde] and in sekkes.
- a1425 St.Anthony (Roy 17.C.7)119/18 : In slepyng-tyme he lay in a hayre, & oþer-wylle nakyd opon þe bare grond.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)6/9 : The fende also has many..with hayer cled & penance ponyschid.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)927/26 : I requyre you take thys hayre that was thys holy mannes and put hit nexte thy skynne.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)43/5 : Manyfolde martyrdome that he Sufferid..In doubill here [vr. heer] about his body, -- that on in styd of shyrt, that othyr in styd of breche.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)725/25 : Hoc cilicium, a hare.
b
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)67/28 : Iudith..leadde swiðe heard lif, feaste, & werede here [Nero: heare].
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)214/3 : Nest lich nan ne gurde hire wið na cunne gurdles, bute þurh schriftes leaue, ne beore nan irn ne here.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)17695 : Nexst his liche he werede þe eare [Clg: ane burne].
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(LdMisc 108)31 : Þe moder werede þe strongue here.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)90/25 : Yef he deþ workes gostliche, ase byeþ uestinges, benes, ssrede þe poure, bere þe here.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.459 : Sche werede þe heyre under þe real array.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)8.215 : Sche usede þe heire [vr. here] and an haubergeoun.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.1052 : Also in werynge of heyres or of stamyn or of haubergeons on hire naked flessh for Cristes sake and swiche manere penaunces.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)23/35 : Ȝe schul haue mor mede in Heuyn þan ȝyf ȝe weryd an hayr or an haburgon.
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)92/96 : Recke noght of slepe; were þe hayre [vr. hayer] and þe habirion.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)39/22 : Euery friday he wered the hare.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)71/2 : Hayir wered he non, ne lynand wold he non were.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)13/34 : He weryd next his flesche an heere that he myght by that way tame his flesche fro vices and his fals desires.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)239/20 : When he sate in his preuy studye, he vsid euer vpon hym an heere.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)367 : He asked if she vsed the hayre.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)395 : She..toke penaunce, that Euery friday that she shulde were the heyeer.
c
- a1425 St.Anthony (Roy 17.C.7)129/23 : Wen þis precius tresor was fone, it was clothed wyt hayre made of leþer, & obowne wyt a clothe of palme won.
3.
Haircloth, or a piece of haircloth, used: (a) for a shroud; (b) for drying the malt in kilns; (c) for an awning of a boat; (d) for an altar cloth; (e) for other purposes.
Associated quotations
a
- a1300 Wanne mine eyhnen (Trin-C B.1.45)17 : Þanne y schel fflutte ffrom bedde te fflore, ffrom fflore to here, ffrom here to bere.
- ?c1335 Swet ihc hend (Hrl 913)p.83 : Whan þou list on bere..Nastov bot a here.
- (a1333) Herebert Soethþe mon (Add 46919)20 : Þy gost shal wonye þou ne wost nout where, Þy body worth wounde in grete oþer here.
- a1400 Thurwe my ryȝt (Cmb Mm.4.41)7 : Þis werld..wil leue me nouȝt on, But a hayre or a schete to hile withal my bon.
b
- (1313-14) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100512 : In 4 hayres empt., 5 s.
- (1335-6) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100528 : In 1 hayr pro Toral. de Eluethal.
- (1367) Doc.Finchale in Sur.Soc.6p.lxxviii : j canvace pro pastu in pistrino, j hoper, j hayer pro braseo.
- (1377-8) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103586 : In 18 uln. de Hayr pro thorali.
- (1425) *Indent.Elyngham (Add Charter 62408) : A wyndocloyth, xij sekkys, an hayre, wyth scotelys, redels, & Ryingseues.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)12/31 : Þan sche gat hir an hayr of a kylne swech as men dryen on malt, & leyd it in hir kyrtylle.
- (?c1450) Will York in Sur.Soc.4588 : De pari del heyrs pro thorali.
c
- [ (1207) Close R.Tower 188a : In cariagio j mille cere et cordis et heyris et ligaturis. ]
- (c1295) Doc.in HMC Rep.9 App.1258a : In Heyres emptis pro dicta bargea cooperienda.
- (1346) *Acc.Exch.(PRO) 25/7 [OD col.] : Duobus haires voc' tild'.
- (1353) *Pipe Roll (PRO) 32 Edw.III m.36 [OD col.] : Computat in CCxvij tildes et hayres.
d
- (1400-1) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103923 : Hayre pro altaribus.
- (1446) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 856 : Halso for a heyr to ye hey awter.
- (1463) Acc.St.Margaret Southwark in BMag.32645 : Paid for the hayere vpon the high Awte[r], x d.
- (1478-80) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.3237 : Payde for..ij yerdis and di. of here to Sir Johns awtir xj d.
e
- (1388) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)5.70 : [In the well-equipped granary..a] skep, [4 d., a] heire, [3 s. 4 d.].
- (1423) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.170/948 : Yn rewarde ȝoven for hayres, to stoppe owte þe sonne yn þe grete wendowe.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)97b : Þerfore hit nedeth þat þere be good plente of Targattes..to hele or stoppe þe gappes of þe enbatelmentis of þe walles fro schot or elles dubbled sages of heer [L duplicia saga cilicia] hanged byfore þe opoun bataillynge.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)102a : Þe gyn þat is cleped þe snail..is a frame Imade of good tymber..I-keuered & heled al aboute wiþ rawe hides or wiþ veltes & heyres for drede of brennynge.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2295 : The multitude of shot is to repelle With sheeld, pavice, an here and duble say.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2387 : The bak of this tortoys..With felt & heere & hidis rawe or crude, Lest theron fier doun cast, brenne vp the frame.
4.
In cpds.: ~ cloth, haircloth, a piece of haircloth; ~ clout, a shroud of haircloth; ~ maker, ~ wright, a maker of haircloth or hair shirts; ~ monger, a seller of haircloth.
Associated quotations
- (1279) in Fransson Surn.99 : Ric. le Hayrwrithe.
- (1281) Hundred R.Tower 2628 : Hugo le Hermonger.
- (?1283-4) in Fransson Surn.99 : Rich. le Hayrewritte.
- (1298) Close R.Edw.I228 : William Hairmaker.
- (1328) in Fransson Surn.98 : Alex. Hayremakere.
- (1337) Court R.Colchester 1150 : John le Hayremaker.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.736 : With yow wolde I chaunge my cheste..Ye, for an heyre clowt to wrappe me!
- (1410) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)8.634a : De qualibet Tela vocata Sakcloth vel Heirecloth.
- (1436-7) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7840 : An here clothe to seynt Kateryne auter.
- (1453-4) MSS Penshurst in HMC1.192 : [Seven yards of] hayre cloth [for the altar].
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1464) *Acc.R.Goring : Heirepypec' in quodam loco voc' delle ad capiend cuniculos.
Note: New cpd.: horsehair trap.
Note: New spelling