Middle English Dictionary Entry
bouer n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bouer n. Also bawer, bewer, bowier, boghiare, bogh(i)er, bogiere, bougher, bouwyer, bouyo(u)r, boweyer, bowȝere, bowi(ȝ)are. |
| Etymology | From boue n.(1). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A maker or seller of bows, a bowyer; (b) an archer, a bowman; (c) personal name [?usually = (a)].
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11222 : Þe bowiares [vr. bowiȝares] ssoppe hii breke & þe bowes nome.
- (1377-99) Oath Bk.Colchester11 : Bakerys, Barkors, Bowyers, Flechers.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.722 : Þer wer also crafty armoureris, Bowers, and fast by fleccheris.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)652/1 : Nomina Artificiorum..Hic archarius, Anglice bowere.
- (1434) Will York in Sur.Soc.3025 : Ego Ricardus Clynt, civis et bower..lego..j thyn flote and j gravour.
- a1450 Cat.Plays Yk.p.xxiii : Bowers, Flecchers.
- (1458) Will York in Sur.Soc.30218 : Johannes Snayth de Doncastre, bower..Ricardo de la Stede, apprenticio meo, xl s., j flote, ij gravors et ij cultellos pro arte sua.
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57367 : I payd to the bower fore dyverse gere, vj s.
- (1467) Acc.Howard in RC 57591 : My master must yeff to Melsam..as good a bowe as he cane chose in a boweres shoppe.
- (1472-5) RParl.6.156a : The Boweyers myght aforthe to selle a Bowe..for viii d.
- (1480) Let.Cely (PRO S.C.1 53/38)p.73 (83/15) : As for John Rawns mater, I haue spokyn wyth the Kyngys bowȝer, and a sayes he has sent the syngnete to Calles.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)7/138 : You ffletchers, bowyers, Cowpers, stringers, and Iremongers, see soberly ye make of Christes dolefull death.
b
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3302 : Noot Ich no tale of his squyers..Ne of bewers [LinI: bowiers], ne of arblasters.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)46 : Bowȝere: Arcuarius, architenens.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3960 : Þire baratours, bawers, ere bremly reioyed.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)23 : Thay cam till a place wher was set ane heghe ynstrument of tymbire, upon which balastriars and bowyers usyn to hong thare harnysshid bowes to drie ayanst the sunne.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)17a : A Bowere: hic Arcuarius.
c
- (1187) in Pipe R.Soc.3741 : Ailwardus le Bogiere.
- (1223) in Fransson Surn.154 : Pet. le Bouer.
- (1255) in Fransson Surn.154 : Jord. le Bowyere.
- (1275) Hundred R.Tower 2209 : Willielmus le Boghyere.
- (1280) in Fransson Surn.154 : Henr. le Bowyere.
- (1296) in Fransson Surn.154 : Sim. le Bouiere.
- (1297) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 16151 : Hugo Bogher.
- (1301) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 2166' : Johanne Bouer.
- (1305) in Fransson Surn.154 : Ric. le Bogyere. Will. le Bower.
- (1307) in Fransson Surn.154 : Rog. le Bouwyer.
- (1313) Sub.R.Glo.(1) in BGAS 19244 : Petrus le Boghiare.
- (1316) in Fransson Surn.154 : John the Bougher.
- (1327) in Fransson Surn.154 : Will. Bouyour. Will. Le Bowyor.
- (1332) in Fransson Surn.154 : Godefr. le Boghier. Walt. le Boweyer.
- (1357) Reg.Edw.Blk.Pr.3.261 : [In consideration of the good service rendered by William Flecchere and] John le Bowere [in Gascony and especially at the battle of Poitiers].
- (1332) Sub.R.Lan.in LCRS 31.2120 : Willelmus le Bower.
- (1428) Feudal Aids 1226 : Johannes Bawer.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1390) Doc.Beverleyin Seld.Soc.1433 : Ordinatum est..quod quilibet artifices ville Beverlaci, viz. mercers et drapers..fletchers, bowers, cordewaners, baksters..and workmen habeant suos ludos et pagentes paratos..qualibet die in festo Corporis Christi.
Note: Modify gloss for sense 1.(a) to include "a member of the craft guild of bowyers."
- (1416) MSS Beverley in HMC98 : [The craft purports to include] Bowers, Fletchers, Cowpers..and Joynners.
- (1456) Doc.Beverleyin Seld.Soc.1450n : Subnominati concesserunt ad premissa die et anno supradictis. [Then follow the names of 267 persons 9]..barbours, [8] flechers, [15] bowers..[4 ]litsters.
Note: Additional quots. for sense 1.(a).
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED.--all notes per MLL