Middle English Dictionary Entry
baneǒur, -i)ēr n.
Entry Info
| Forms | baneǒur, -i)ēr n. Also baniour. |
| Etymology | AF baneur, baneor, baneour, baner(e, banier. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A banner-bearer; the standard-bearer of a king; a standard-bearer in the van of battle; meister ~, chief standard-bearer; (b) a knight banneret.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)7458 : Taylefer..slou anon an engliss mon þat a baner ber, & ef sone anoþer baneur [B: baner].
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)6023 : King Bohort..Met Sarmedon, þe gomfanoun bere..Þe paiems seiȝe..þe baneour Sormedon.
- c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)p.645 : Þe stiward was sconfited þere, Abated was þe meister banere.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12723 : He come be-for wit his baner..For sant iohn com als baneur [Frf: baniour] Befor þat hali sauueur.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)12913 : [John] Als baneur [Frf: baner] befor þe king, Als bedel gais be-for iustis.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)141/17 : For schrift is baneoure [Ancr.(Nero): gunfaneur] & bereþ þe baner bifore goddes ferde.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.428 : Of hem of holycherche þat..go bifore as a good baneoure [vrr. banner, banyer].
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)3386 : Agamenon..Bad vnto his banyour Thorow the toun that he schulde crye [etc.].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)23 : Banyowre or bannerberere: Vexillarius, vexillifer, primipilus.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)149/2515 : Coveytyse! banyour a-vaunt! here comyth a batayl nobyl & newe.
- a1456(a1402) *Trev.Nicod.(Add 16165)95b : Þe baneours lowted..and worshiped Ihesus.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)2014 : My lord and fader hath ben Banyere, And in the formest batell for to be he and his ayeris claymeth it of dewte.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)2055 : Ser Abell..was baneer.
b
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11417 : In þe castel of bristowe hii come atte laste, Wel an seuene baners..sir warin..Of bassingbourne & sir Ion de muchegros..& oþer mor & hor wiues.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11496 : Seue baners [vr. banerettes] also þat aȝe sir simond were..As sir warin of bassingbourne..& þe oþer banerets & kniȝtes mani oþer.
2.
One who is in the van; a leader, ring-leader.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.215 : But allas, þat so noble a banyour [L signifer] fil so sone.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.445 : Þo was hope to scape þis mescheef, þere þe bannyour [vr. banyour] Ancelm..was i-made archebisshop.
- (c1400) Higd.(1) (Hrl 1900)505 : The banyour of this evel doyng fil dede by wreche of God.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.68 : Thowe cruwelle Judas, of all Traytoures banyoure.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- 1459 *Vegetius(1) (LdMisc 416)23a : Baners [Lnsd: banners; Roy: banners; Sln: baners; De: þe banereres & pynnoneres and þe comyng oost schal pycche here tentes].
Note: New spelling. The forms in ban(n)er, though perhaps belonging to baner n. and acceptable as a kind of metonymy (banner for banner-bearer), and perhaps originating in a simple error (baner for banerer), belong as they stand to this word.