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Full Glossary
Aldhelm of a scholar and church-builder of the seventh
alembic an apparatus formerly used in distillation
anchorite one who renounces the world to live in seclusion
arblast crossbow
arbor the pluck of the deer
arrant notoriously or pre-eminently bad
assoilize absolve
Auferte malum ex vobis. Remove the evil from among you.
Baldric belt worn over the shoulder to support a sword or bugle
Benedicite, mes filz Bless you my children.
benison blessing, benediction
biggin child's cap
bucklers kinds of shields worn on one of the arms to protect the front of the body
buckram coarse cloth
byzants a Byzantine gold coin
cabalistic pertaining to mystic symbols
caftaned wearing a long-sleeved gown fastened by a girdle (a caftan)
cap-a-pie from head to foot
capul horse
caracoled half turn to the right and half turn to the left, zigzagged
Cave, adsum Beware, I am here.
chamberlain a steward
chian wine of Chios, an island of Asia Minor
choleric producing biliousness
Clifford's Gate in Clifford's Tower (did not exist in Richard's reign)
cnichts according to Saxon usage a class of military attendants ranking above the ordinary domestic; now spelled "knight" and ranking with Norman chevalier
complaisance disposition to please or oblige
Confiteor. I confess.
cri de guerre war cry
crisping-tongs curling iron
crosier the staff of a bishop or abbot, shaped like a shepherd's crook
curee the portion of the deer given to the hounds
dais a platform above the floor of a large room
damascene to decorate, as iron or steel, with a peculiar marking or "water" produced in the manufacture
de commilitonibus Templi in sancta civitate, qui cum miserrimis mulieribus versantur, propter oblectationem carnis concerning the brethren in arms of the holy community of the Temple who frequent the company of misguided women for the gratification of their fleshly lusts
de lectione literarum on the reading of letters
De profundis clamavi. Out of the depths have I called.
derry-down chorus chorus to the hymns of the Druids
Despardieux! By God!
destrier war horse
Deus vobiscum God be with you; a priest
donative gift or present
doublet a close-fitting jacket
Drinc Hael. I drink your health.
druidical having to do with members of a religious order in ancient Gaul, Britain, and Ire land
dunghills lowbred fellows
ecclesiastica woman devoted to religion, or to the church
el jerrid a javelin used in Oriental games, especially in mock-fights on horseback
embrasure a recess of door or window (machicolles)
en croupe behind the saddle
escutcheons the surface of a shield where armorial bearings are displayed
essoine in this case, excuse
estrada a slightly raised platform
Et vobis; quoeso, Reverendissime, pro misericordia vestra And with you; Omost reverend master, beseech you, in your mercy.
Eumaeus swineherd in Homer's Odyssey
exceptis excipiendis except what is to be excepted
Excommunicabo vos. I will excommunicate you.
exorcism the act of driving off evil spirits
faire le moulinet to twirl about, flourish a quarter staff
Faites vos devoirs, preux chevaliers. Do your duty, brave knights.
Fiat voluntas tua. Thy will be done.
fleurs-de-lis heraldic lilies
flints men of the right sort
Fructus The Chronicles of England with the Fruit of the
gammon a ham or lower half of bacon side,
Gare le corbeau Beware of the raven.
gibbets a kind of gallows where malefactors were left hanging as a warning
grace-cup a cup used in drinking a final health after the grace at the end of a meal, or a health drunk from it
halfling the half of a silver penny
halidom holiness, sanctity; sanctuary, holy relics
harlequin a character in a comedy and pantomime having shaven head, masked face, parti-colored tights, and a sword of lath
hauberk a coat of mail developed into a long tunic of chain mail; part of medieval armor
heathenesse heathenism; heathendom
hengist, or hengst means stallion, the white horse as Saxon ensign
hinds peasants
inter res sacras accounted sacred
karum pie a pie containing nightingales and becca ficoes (blackcaps)
King Oberon fairy king in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream
A la rescousee. To the rescue.
La Royne de Beaulte et des Amours the Queen of Beauty and of Love
lac acidum sour milk
lac dulce sweet milk
Laissez aller! Let go! Away!
largesse a gift
latro famosus famous robber
lazarus Biblical beggar
le don d'smoutrux merci the highest favor that love can bestow
levin-fire lightning
loadstar (lodestar) a star that leads, especially the polestar
malapert bold, impudent; saucy, pert
Malmsbury century
mantelets temporary and movable defenses formed of planks
manus imponere servos Domini in to lay hands on the servant of the Lord
maroquin Morroco, goat's leather
matins morning prayers
morat drink made of honey flavored with the juice of mulberries
morion a foot soldier's visor-less high crested helmet
mort a bugle call at the death of a stag
Mort de ma vie! Death of my life!
Mount Joye Saint Denis a war cry of the French Crusaders
murrain a pestilence or plague
nebulo quidam good for nothing fellow, scamp
nidering infamous, base, cowardly
nocturnal potations night of drinking
nombles the entrails of the deer
objurgations denouncement
Odin Norse god of war; of those slain in battle; and of wisdom, and of poetry
oubliette a dungeon, deep pit or shaft in a dungeon
outrecuidance insolence, presumption
panegyric eulogistic oration
par amours illicitly, unlawfully
Partizan any member of a military body harassing an enemy
Patrimony an estate inherited from one's father or other ancestor
pavisses species of large shields covering the whole person
Pax vobiscum. Peace be with you.
peccadillo slight offenses; petty faults
phalanx body of troops closely arrayed (here, birds)
phlebotomy the practice of opening a vein for the letting of blood
physiognomists persons who attempt to discover temperament by the outward appearance, especially of the face
pigments highly spiced wine sweetened with honey
pouncet-box a box for carrying pornander (perfume)
primogeniture firstborn child of the same parents
propter necessitatem et ad frigus depellendurn in case of necessity and to drive away the cold
pursy short-winded because of overweight
purveyors caterers, officers who exact provisions
Quare fremeurunt gentes? Why do the heathen rage?
quondam having been formerly; former; sometime
recheat a signal to the hounds to return from following a false scent
refectories dining halls in a monastery or convent
reliquary small box, casket, or shrine for keeping a relic
rere-supper late night meal after the regular meal
Rex delectabitur pulchritucine tua. The king shall rejoice in thy beauty.
runlet a small barrel
sallyport a rear gate, or an underground passage
Semper percutiatur leo. The ravening lion is ever to be beaten down.
Shadrach, Meshech, Abednego Bible characters who abstained from the heathen king's meat and drink
shekel an ancient weight and money unit, or coin. Hebrew shekel for gold about 252 2/3 grains (about $10.88)
Shylock Jew in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice
si quis, suadente diabolo If anyone at the persuasion of the devil
Sibyl prophetess; fortune-teller
simarre a woman's light, loose robe
Sir Bevis of Hampton, a hero of a medieval romance
Sir Guy the hero of a medieval romance
slot-hounds a sleuth hound, bloodhound
smoked or dried
solere a garret or upper chamber
soul-scat a funeral due paid to the church
St. Dunstan Saxon saint and archbishop of Canterbury in the tenth century
stoup a small cask
surquedy insolence, or presumption
talents a unit of money, worth about 50 Hebrew shekels
te igitur the servicebook, on which oaths were sworn
Temporum Times
theow and esne thrall and bondsman
Thor Norse god of thunder, god of strength, and helper in war
Tracy, Morville, Brito slayers of Thomas-a-Becket
transmew change
tregetour conjuror
truncheon a short staff or cudgel
unguent a salve for sores, burns, or the like ointment
unhouseled not having had the Eucharist administered
Ut leo semper feriatur. Let the lion always be beaten down.
Ut omnium mulierum fugiantur oscula. Let all kissing be avoided.
varlet attendant, servant
Vinum Loetificat cor hominis. Wine maketh glad the heart of man.
Vizard mask or visor
Waes hael. To your health.
Watling Street an old Roman road from Dover to the neighborhood of Newcastle-on-Tyne
witenagemotes the Anglo-Saxon great council or parliament
Woden, or Odin the chief god of ancient Teutonic mythology
Wot ye? What do you think? What do you know?
yeoman in this case freeborn men, or freedmen
zecchins a Venetian coin, about 9s.4d.
Zernebock the black god or Devil of the Wends and Prussian Slavs