Middle English Dictionary Entry
botelē̆r n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | botelē̆r n.(1) Also botailler, -eil(l)er, -elar(e, -eller, -iller, -oler, botler(e, botteler(e, boitellare, buteler, -eilli(e)r, -il(l)er, -ul(l)er, butler(e, butt(e)ler, boutiler. |
| Etymology | OF boteillier, bout-, buttiler; ML botellarius. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The chief servant in charge of wine or other drink, the cupbearer of a king or nobleman; (b) chief servant in charge of food and drink; (c) fig. a provider, dispenser.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)254 : Hit fel in one niȝte þe botiler feng to slepe, A swiþe muri sweuene him þuȝte þat he gan mete, Þat in þe winȝarde þe kinges coupe he ber.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)49/73 : I-redi was þe Botiler and brouȝte him drinke a-non.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2055 : Ðo seide he to ðe butuler, 'Tel me ðin drem!'
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1960 : Whanne men..habbeþ þe pycher & þe coppe & þe botyler to schenche.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)2262 : Þis ich douke Tintagel Hadde a boteler hiȝt Bretel, þat him serued..At his bord.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.257 : Neemyas..kyng of Artaxerses his boteler [L pincerna] come by leue of his lorde.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4324 : Looke of Egipte the kyng daun Pharao, His bakere and his butiller also.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.345 : Jupiter..Hath in his celier..Tuo tonnes fulle of love drinke..Cupide is boteler of bothe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)111a/a : Fables meoueþ þat þat signe aquarius is þe boteler of goddes and ȝeueþ hem a watur potte.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4447 : Þe spenser and þe botelar [Göt: botoler; Trin-C: botillere; Frf: botiler]..þe king self wit þaim was wrath.
- (1402) Let.Zouche in RES 8 (PRO E 101/512/10)260 : I prey ȝow..þat ȝe wyl thenke on my botelere.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)20/53 : Þe butler..Vnto hys countenaunce toke tent.
- (1429) Will Braybroke in Ess.AST 5305 : To Herry Enfelde, my botiller, xx li.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)45 : Botlere: Pincerna..propinator, acaliculis.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)592 : Ganymede, That was ybore up..And mad the goddys botiller.
- c1460 Ipom.(3) (Lngl 257)325/25 : When he come into the cellar and shuld serve, he toke of his mantle and gave it to the boitellare.
- a1475 Ordin.Househ.Grossetest (Sln 1986)217 : Command the panytrere with youre brede, & the botelare with wyne and ale, come togedur..at the tabulle.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)449 : The butteler hym the cuppe betoke.
b
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)45 : Botlere [Win: Buttelere]: promus.
- (1466) Paston (Gairdner)4.227 : To the Priors boteler for bred, ii s. x d.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)20a : A Butlere: promus.
c
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.273 : Þere is þe faire floure, þe citee of Parys, norice of þewes, botiller of lettres [L pincerna literarum], schynynge in Europa.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.1297 : Weel tymed mesour was for his mouth botleer, And his tastour was attemperaunce.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.696 : Glaad beth they [bulbes of colcases] to stonde abowte a welle, That humor euer may ther butler be.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.1123 : Glotonye is keruoure and boteler alsoo.
- a1500 Moste glorious lord (Voss Germ.Gall.Q.9)128 : [S]ouereyn lady..That arte of pety Botelere, On-to the..I recomaund my preyer.
2.
(a) A servant who works in the wine cellar or the butlery; one who serves wine at table; draft of botelers, a group of butlers; maister of botelers, the head servant in charge of drink; (b) ~ purveiour, one of the officers in charge of supplying the royal court with wine; chef ~, maister ~, the chief servant in charge of drink.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)833 : Alisaundre..afenge faire þat present, And departed..Sum to kniȝttes..Sum mareschales and botlers, To ȝoman, page, and joglers.
- c1425 Liber de Hyda in RS 45157 : I grawnte..to all my ȝymen, and to myn horsmen, and to my botelerys, syxthi hundryd handfullys of goold.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.40.20 : Pharao..recordid..of the mayster of botlers [WB(2): boteleris].
- a1450 Terms Assoc.(1) (Rwl D.328)604 : A kerfe of panters. A draufthe of botelers.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2934 : Butlers [Dub: Botlers] full besyly broȝt vp þe wyne.
- (1474) Stonor1.144 : Item, Cokis. Item, Botilers.
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)75 : The buttlers and keepers of the Kinge's sellers..the yoman pantrer or buttler of ale.
- c1450(?a1400) Chestre Launfal (Clg A.2)64 : The botelers sentyn wyn To alle þe lordes þat were þeryn.
b
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)188 : Sir Amis, as ȝe may here, He made his chef botelere.
- c1450 WBible(2) (Bod 277)Gen.40.23 : Maistir boteler.
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)74 : Office of Purveyours of Wyne..one indenture..to remayne with these Butlers purveyours.
3.
(a) A nobleman of the royal court having various duties, including that of supervising the king's butlery and that of acting as royal cupbearer on ceremonial occasions; ~ of Engelond, kinges ~; also, a similar officer at a nobleman's court; (b) chef ~, gret ~, the butler of England; under ~, an assistant to the butler of England.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3867 : [Arthur] ȝef þat lond of normandye bedwer, is boteler, & þat lond of aungeo kaye, is paneter.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9034 : Boþe willam & Richard is sones adreint were, & is paniter & is chamberlein & is botiler al so.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.47 : The emperour schulde be ichose by þe officers of þe empere; þese officers beeþ sevene..Boteller kyng is of Beeme.
- c1425(?a1400) Arthur (Lngl 55)486 : Also he buryed Bedewere Hys frend and hys Botyler.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)1665 : Þe pantelere and þe botelere And þe Erles awene sqwyere, þay lay slayne alle in fere.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)29/30 : Brastias behelde Lucas the Butler, that lay lyke a dede man undir the horse feete.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)533/11 : Turstan, the kynges botelere [L dispensator] of Englond..confermed..the yifte of his aunceturs.
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)73 : Office of butler of Englond capital, unto whome the Styward and Thesaurer of houshold make yerely warrant.
- a1486(a1460) Coron.Kings Eng.in Archaeol.57 (Mrg M 775)54 : The erle of Arundell schall that day be botelere.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)2631 : With A knyght full sone she mette, hyght Syr lucan de bottelere.
b
- (1462) Let.Bk.Lond.L (Gldh LetBk L)5 : The chief buttler of Englond.
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)73 : This chief Butler and under Butler..taketh his resceytes of money..of the Thesaurer.
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)74 : It hathe lyked the Kinge..to discharge this greete Butler of all the pourveyaunces of wynes..and to exempt him from this courte, lyke as is nowe the office of Privey Seale.
- a1600(1472) Rec.Bluemantle (Jul C.6)383 : Therl of Wylshyre wayted on the Kinges coberd as chef boteler for yat day.
4.
(a) As an occupational term and personal name [some examples may be boteler bottlemaker]; (b) ?name given to a horse used for transporting wine [cp. botel hors].
Associated quotations
a
- (1171-83) Anc.Chart.in Pipe R.Soc.1073 : Alexander le butiller.
- (1200) CRR(2) 1366 : Willelmus le Butler.
- (1200) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms120 : Bald. le Buteillier.
- (1202) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms120 : Elye le Butiler.
- (1208) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms120 : Ric. le Boteler.
- (1210) Lib.R.King John (PRO 62)198 : Willielmus le Buteler.
- (1225) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms120 : Cicely la Butyllere.
- (1227) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms120 : Elyas le Boteyller.
- (1228) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms120 : Hug. le Butteler.
- (1240-1) Select Pleas Forest in Seld.Soc.1372 : Willelmus le Boteiler.
- (1247) Feet Fines Oxf.in ORS 12134 : Willelmus le Botiler.
- (1249) Inquis.PM Hen.III37 : Theobald le Butiler alias le Botiller alias Pincerna.
- (1268) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms120 : Elias le Butuller.
- (1272) Close R.Edw.I515 : Hamo le Butelir.
- (1275) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms120 : Will. le Botellir.
- (1285) Feudal Aids 213 : Johannes le Buteyllir.
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1064 : Ada Botelyr.
- (1297) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms120 : Walt. le Boutiler.
- (1310) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms120 : Edm. le Boteller.
- (1311) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms120 : Rob. le Botteler.
- (1332) Sub.R.War.in Dugd.Soc.613 : Sarra le Bottler.
- (1333) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms120 : Joh. Buteller.
- (1337) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms120 : Geoffr. la Bottiller.
- (1339) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms120 : James le Botailler.
- (1376) Will York in Sur.Soc.496 : Lego Johanni clerico, buteler, xl s.
- (1397-8) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103601 : Item Jacopo Boteler pro stoppes correi empt. pro camera d'ni Prioris.
- (1400) Will York in Sur.Soc.4262 : Lego Thomae botiller unum lectum.
- (1411) EEWills19/24 : Thomas Boteler, vj s.
- (1428) EEWills83/17 : William Boteler.
- (1444) in Gras Eng.Cust.Syst.638 : De Ricardo Botiler indigena pro v pannis curtis sine grano.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)533/12 : Ser Raaf Boteleré..person of the chirch of Rollendrith.
- (1478) Rec.Crondal in Hamp.RS 3445 : Inquisicio capta apud Wyntoniam..coram Johanne Boteler, armigero.
b
- (1420) EEWills53/9 : Gerard and Iohn my brethir, liard botiller and a sorede horse þat was bought off Henuden.