Middle English Dictionary Entry
armille n.
Entry Info
| Forms | armille n. |
| Etymology | OF & L |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A bracelet; (b) ?a hair clasp, diadem or similar ornament.
Associated quotations
a
- a1475 Asneth (Hnt EL 26.A.13)123 : Clothed comely..With armillis aboute here handis and here feet also.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)43bb : He gaf her ij rynges to hange on her eeris weyeng ij sycles & as many armyllis weyeng x sycles.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.68vb : I .. slewe hym .. and I toke the dyademe from his heed and the armylle [L (Vulg.2 Sam.1.10): armillam] fro hys arme, whiche I haue brought hether to the, my lord.
b
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.138r : In a ernes neste was founde a fayre childe wel arayed with riche stones and and armilles in the heres and bracers in the armes and other kyngus ornamentes in tokne that hit was of summe gentil kynde.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: The example in sense (b) appears to reflect either a mistranslation or a corrupt text of William of Malmesbury (Stubbs, 176, n.5): "inventus est puerulus formae elegantis, geminis armillis in brachiis et aliis ornamentis regiis insignitus." If so, 'geminis' is translated as if it were 'gemmis', and 'armillis' ("bracelets") is in effect translated twice, once oddly as 'armilles in the heres' and once correctly as 'bracers in the armes.'