Middle English Dictionary Entry
bel(le-man n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bel(le-man n. |
| Etymology |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A man who goes about ringing a bell and making announcements; a town crier; an officer who announces funerals, summons guild members, etc.; (b) a bell founder; (c) as a personal name.
Associated quotations
a
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.31 : Ye comoun belleman schal gon thurghe ye cite on ye gilde day..and recomandyn al ye brethere soules and systeres of ye gilde be name, and alle crystene soules.
- (1391) Will York in Sur.Soc.4163 : Le belman portand' campanam per villam, exitandum populum ad orandum, ij d.
- (1410) Will York in Sur.Soc.4551 : Expensae funerales..Soluti le belman..civitatis Ebor., x d.
- (1415) Rec.Norwich 1104 : Ye hool assemble shal chese ye Recordour, Belleman, and Dykkepere.
- (1420) Rec.Norwich 2396 : For the belleman, 4 d.
- (c1425) *Oath Bk.King's Lynn3a : Ȝe shal chese..a comyn clerk, a sergeaunt, iij porters..and a belle man.
- (1433) Will York in Sur.Soc.3043 : Lego le belman iiij d.
- (?a1450) Stonor Suppl.6 : The bellman ij d. In brede and ale for þe Ryngers, iij d.
- (1458) Will York in Sur.Soc.30218 : Et le belman per villam transeunte.
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4917 : I wele the ij bellemen haue ij gownys.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)12a : A Bell man: polictor.
- ?c1500 Oath Sanct.in Archaeol.17 (Hrl 4292)199 : Ye shalbe redy at the obite of Kyng Adelstan..at the warnyng of the belman of the town.
b
- (1451) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 492 : For caryage of the belle to Redecleve..for the furste payment for the belle at Brystowe to the bellman..for the takyng adowen of the old belle and the hongyng up of the newe belle, to the bellman iiij s.
- (1468) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 4105 : To the bellmanys man to wene the bell, j d.
c
- (1317) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms153 : Thom. Belman.
- (1341) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms153 : Joh. Belleman.
- (1346) Feudal Aids 2285 : Ricardus Belmen.
- (1485) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms153 : Eustace Belman.
- -?-(1436) Reg.Freemen York in Sur.Soc.96150 : Willelmus Kynge, belman.