Middle English Dictionary Entry
marshal n.
Entry Info
| Forms | marshal n. Also marshal(l)e, mareshal(le, mershal(le, mar(e)scal, marchal(le, marchel(e, marechal, marecal, marcialle, martial. |
| Etymology | OF mareschal, marescal, marechal, from Gmc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The chief officer of a kingdom, steward; (b) one of the high officers of the royal court; ~ of (on) engelond; countesse ~, the wife of the earl marshal; erl ~, q.v.; (c) an official who presided over the Marshalsea Court with the steward of the king's household, with responsibility for the custody of prisoners; ~ of the kinges bench (household), kinges ~.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) KAlex.(Auch)434/302 : Tholomeu, mi marchal [Ld: maresshale], Þou schalt haue Portingal And Egypt to Flumiordan.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)165/3507 : Gii, is fader, was me marchal.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)4002 : Tholomeus þe mareschal vp stood, Wiȝth in bataile, in conseil good.
b
- (1258) Procl.Hen.III in PST (1881)*174 : Þis wes don ætforen [vr]e sworen redesmen Boneface, Archebischop on Kanterbur'..Rog' Bigod, eorl on Northfolk' and Mareschal on Engleneloand.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10081 : Þe king..Þut lond..tok to loke william þe mareschal, Þat was erl of penbroc.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10652 : Willam marchal deide..& atte nywe temple was ibured.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.105 : [Þey] monside þe marchall for his myssedede.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)139 : The Counteys Marchalle sate on the lyfte syde of the quene.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)139 : Before the quene..the Erle of Worceter Marchalle of Inglonde.
c
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)805 : Þe Marchales [Hrl: marschals] i-redie weren to prisone him lede a-non.
- (1433) RParl.4.447a : Yef any suche persone be retorned by any Sheref..or by any Minister afore the Steward and Marshall of the Kynges houshold..he maye..be chalanged.
- (1437) RParl.4.509b : Thomas Stamford, beyng at the barre at Westm' before oure Lord the Kyng..was committed to the Marchall, in prison to abide.
- (1439) RParl.5.17a : That the same Justices..have power to committee everiche of hem that so apperith to the Marchall ys Warde of the Kynges Benche, there to abide, [etc.].
- (1449) RParl.5.169a : The same Robt, Thomas Belyngeham..to abyde in the Kyngs pryson, in the kepyng of the Marescall of seyd Benche.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)336/26 : He bounde him-selfe & his godis, londis, & his tenementis..to þe distreininge & constreininge of þe kingis stiward & marchall.
2.
An official in a royal or noble household in charge of ceremonies, protocol, seating, service, etc.; ~ of halle; ~ in the kinges hostel [see hostel 2. (b)]; also fig.
Associated quotations
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.752 : A semely man oure hoost was with alle For to been a marchal in an halle.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.714 : At Soupertime..The king..bad his Mareschall [vrr. marschal, Marchal] of halle To setten him in such degre That he upon him myhte se.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.2662 : Youthe..Of Loves Court was Mareschal.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1930 : He gan to hym calle A squier that was marchal [vr. mastir] of his halle.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)169 : Þe dame Olympyas..hete marshales and kniȝttes Greiþe hem to ryde onon-riȝttes.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)91 : Keppte wern þay fayre..Ful manerly wyth marchal mad for to sitte.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1532 : Þe marchal no lenger list abide Tassigne estatis wher þei schulde be.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)184/27 : Euerych of þeise grete lordes knowen vel ynow the Attendance of hire seruyce: The on is mayster of his houshold..Anoþer is Mareschall.
- c1425 Treat.10 Com.(StJ-O 94)22 : Slowthe..is þe marchel of þat halle.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)396/1080 : Humble compassion was his awmener, Marchal of halle good cher with gentilesse.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.1199 : Abak stood idilnesse ferr from the laboreer, Discrecioun marchall at dyneer & at sopeer, Content with mesour.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)11179 : Þer maistres mareschals ferde aboute Deliuered innes wyþynne & wyþoute.
- (1450) RParl.5.194a : Provided also that this present Act..extende not..unto Rauff Legh Squyer, Marchall of oure Halle.
- (1454) Proc.Privy C.6.232 : Appointementes..for ye Kinges honeurable houshold..Marshall: John Hende, Raaf a Legh.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)379 : Now of marschalle of halle wylle I spelle, And what falle to hys offyce..In absence of stuarde he shalle arest Who so euer is rebelle in court or fest.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)403 : In halle, marshalle alle men schalle sett After here degre.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)420 : When brede faylys at borde aboute, The marshalle gares sett..More brede.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)1105 : To the birthe of vche estate a mershalle must se, and þen next of his lyne for þeyre dignyte.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)1161 : Soche poyntes..belongethe to a mershall.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)337 : A marcialle hyr mette..And with reverence a rowme he raȝt hyr for ever.
- a1500 Rule Serve Ld.(Add 37969)15/26,33 : Þe marshall and vssher shall dayle reken all þe messes wythin þe howse..þe marshall hath poure to correcte all suche as dothe grete offences wythin þe howse or wythoute.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)252 : Ye may nat let To be your owne marchall at your owne banket.
- ?a1500(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Antq 211)p.130 : Kinges of armez, heroldez, and purseuntes, comyng to this royall courte to the wurshupp of thes v festes in the yere, sitting at metes and soupers in the hall; and to begynne that one end of the table togyder vppon dayes of astate, by the martyalles assignacion, at on mele.
3.
A military commander, general of an army; also fig.; ~ of Fraunce, the title for the commander in chief of French forces.
Associated quotations
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7630 : Saul..made him [David] ledder and marscal [Göt: marschale; Trin-C: marchale].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7898 : Þe king a pair o letters writte Did, and gaf him-self to ber, Vnto þe marscal o þe her.
- a1400 12 PTrib.(1) (Roy 17.B.17)46 : God hym-selue is leeder & marchal of his hoost, ordynande al to þo delyueraunce of his frendis.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.124 : Þe marschalle of þam alle..To ded þan gon he falle doun of his destrere.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2238 : Antigon, ouere al, Was Alisaunders mareschal.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)3.200 : Had I ben Marschal [C: mareschal] of his men..I durst haue leyde my lyf.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)882 : To þe kyng wer called constables þanne, Marchals..þe walles to kepe.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)16/5 : The king of Hungry..is of right marschall of cristendom in the werres ayenst the hethen.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)205/24 : Evyn at the mete-whyle come two messyngers; that one was the marchall of Fraunce.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) Ctn.(Hrl 2261)432 : Syr Walter Bentele..hade victory ageyne the marcialle off Fraunce.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)14 : Also taken that day..the erle Nanson, ser Arnolde of Doneham, mareshalle of Fraunce.
4.
A farrier, a horse doctor; also, a stable officer, master of horses.
Associated quotations
- (1350-51) Freeman R.in KRec.18203 : Willelmus de Charryng, mareschal.
- c1400(?c1308) Davy Dreams (LdMisc 622)113 : Adam, þe marchal, of stretford-atte-bowe..He hym-self mette þis metyng.
- (1409) Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.125176 : Thise are the ordenauncez underwryten that are made, graunted and stabled be the assent..of all the hale crafte of the marsshals in the cite and the subbarbes of Yorke.
- (1428) Doc.in Sur.Soc.851 : Rumour sprang..yat yar was in cite of York now makers and utterers of fals osmundes, and yat Burn, smyth in Bouthum, and John Holgate, marsshall..suld make yam.
- (1464) Will York in Sur.Soc.30263 : Uxori Johannis Henrison, marsshall, unum annulum auri.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)77b : A marshall of horse: Agaso, marescallus.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)1432 : Þanne wyll we seye..Þat þou hast be yn Artourys halle Hys prys marchalle.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)264/198 : I hope that I be the best mershall ffor [to] clynke it right.
5.
(a) In surnames; (b) in place name.
Associated quotations
a
- (1218) Justice in Eyre R.in Seld.Soc.53202 : John Marshal.
- (1222) in Fransson Surn.144 : Hugh le Mareschall.
- (1242) in Fransson Surn.144 : Alina la Mareschale.
- (1270) Doc.in Bentley Excerpta Hist.271 : Willielmus le Mareschal.
- (1287-8) Leet R.Norwich in Seld.Soc.53 : Rogerus le Marechal.
- (1314) Feet Fines Kent in Archaeol.Cant.12290 : Matilda le Marchale.
- (1333) in Fransson Surn.144 : Walt. le Mareschal.
- (1355) R.Arms Norwich in Nrf.Archaeol.14297 : Johannes Mareschal cum gladio baculo & cutell'.
- (1386) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)7.500 : Johannes Marchall.
b
- (1393) Doc.Thaxted in Ess.ROP 3335 : [In one piece of land next] Maresschallhegge.