Middle English Dictionary Entry
wāferer n.
Entry Info
| Forms | wāferer n. Also waferere, waferare, wafirer, wafirar, wafur(r)er, wafrer(e, waff(e)rer, waifrer, waufrere, waufroer, whaferer & (in surnames) wafror, waf(f)rour, wafrur, waverer & (errors) wafer, wafenour; pl. waferer(e)s, etc. & waforeres, waufereres & (error) waffres. |
| Etymology | AF waferer, waf(f)rer, ONF wauf(f)rier; also cp. AL wafrarius, waferarius & ME wāfer n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A maker or purveyor of wafers; also, a household official responsible for the making or obtaining of wafers;
(b) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1340) in G.Otto Handwerkernamen88 : Waferer.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.479 : Thanne comen tombesteres…and yonge frutesteres, Syngeres with harpes, baudes, wafereres [vrr. waifrers, waferers, wafreris, waforeres, wafferers, waffreres, waffres, waufereres], Which been the verray deueles officeres To kyndle and blowe the fyr of lecherye That is annexed vn to glotonye.
- (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.52109/28,33 : Item, ministrallis et wafrers per manus Roberti Waterton eodem die, vj s. viij d…eodem die a j wawfroer, j flor.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)16.199 : Mynstralcie can ich nat muche, bote make men murye, As a waffrer [vrr. wawfrere, wafer, wafrrer] with waffres.
- a1456(a1426) Lydg.Mum.Hertford (Trin-C R.3.20)126 : Nexst Colle Tyler…Compleyneþe on phelyce his wyff þe wafurer; Al his bred with sugre nys not baake, Yit on his cheekis some-tyme he haþe a caake.
- (1426) in G.Otto Handwerkernamen88 : Wafenour.
- (1428-9) Doc.in Wasson Devon90 : Soluto quinque admi[n]strallis & vno whaferer ex dono iiij s.
- ?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)12 : Þei ben made wafreris ȝeuynge lordes, ladies, and riche men a fewe peris, appelis, or nottis to haue huge ȝiftis.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)513 : Waferare, or waferere [Win: Wafyrar, or wafyrer; KC: wafurrer]: Gafrarius, gafraria.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)154 : I loue him so michel that j waxe a fool…And go dispoiled and naked as a wafrere doun the strete.
- (1472-74) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31533 : Payed..for ringyng of the waserer [?read: waferer] wyfes knell, iiij d.
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)22 : For his [King’s] souper by hymself…ii gallons ale, besides the fruter and waferer.
- (1478-80) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.3236 : Resceyued of the waferer for the wast of ij Torches, xij d.
b
- (1212) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames367 : Simon le Wafrer.
- (c1227) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames367 : Ralph le Waverer.
- (1250) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames367 : Le Wafrur.
- (1255) in Fransson Surn.63 : Rad. le Wafrer; le Wafror.
- (1301) in Fransson Surn.63 : John le Wafrer.
- (1316) in Fransson Surn.63 : Joh. le Waffrour.
- (1336) in Fransson Surn.63 : Mich. le Wafrour.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1472-74) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31531 : Resceyued of the Waserer for ryngyng of the grete bell for his wyf, iij s. iiij d.
- (1472-74) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31533 : Paied..for ringyng of the waserer wyfes knell, iiij d.
- (1478-80) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.3236 : Resceyued of the waferer for the wast of ij Torches, xij d.
- (1478-80) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.3236 : Payde to the washerer for a quarter that she was behynde also, x d.
- (1478-80) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.3239 : Payde to the waserer for a hangyng lokk, ij d.
Note: These examples from the churchwardens' accounts of St. Andrew Hubbard (two of which are also placed in their appropriate place in sense (a)) pose a conundrum as to how many words are represented in them, and what they mean. Is there indeed a word 'waserer' (as opposed to an error for 'waferer')? And is the odd example 'washerer' a spelling of this mysterious word? In 1472 the 'waserer' loses his wife and pays for her knell. In 1478 the 'waferer' pays for some use of candles (reason and sex not given). Also in 1478 a female 'washerer' is paid for her services, and a 'waserer' of unspecified sex supplies a padlock. The placement of the examples here under waferer awaits resolution of this conundrum. Note also the existence of a 'wasrere' in a King's Bench roll of 1342: "Johannes le Wasrere .. Thomam le Wasrere." http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT1/E3/KB27no329/aKB27no329fronts/IMG_0010.htm