baldric

plural baldrics · alternative baldrick · alternative baudric · alternative baudrick · alternative baudricke · alternative bauldric · alternative bauldrick · alternative bawdric · alternative bawdrick

1. A broad belt, originally of leather and often richly ornamented, worn diagonally from shoulder to hip (across the breast and under the opposite arm), which was formerly used to hold a sword, a bugle, etc., and is now chiefly worn for ceremonial purposes; also (loosely), any belt.First known use 14th c.

   A radiant Baldric, o'er his Shoulder ty'd, / Suſtains the Svvord that glitters at his ſide.

   1715, Homer, “Book III”, in Alexander Pope, transl., The Iliad of Homer, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC, page 20, lines 415–416

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   But now how many men are there proude of that that is not theyrs at al? Is there no man proude of keping another mannes gate? […] [W]hat a brag-kyng maketh a beareward wͭ [with] his ſyluer buttened bawdrike, for pride of another mannes bere?

   1534 (date written), Thomas More, “A Treatice vpon the Passion of Chryste (Vnfinished) […]. The Fyrst Poynt, the Fall of Aungelles.”, in Marye Basset [i.e., Mary Basset], transl., edited by Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, […], London: […] Iohn Cawod, Iohn Waly, and Richarde Tottell, published 30 April 1557, →OCLC, page 1272, column 2

   Athvvart his breſt a bauldrick braue he vvare, / That ſhind, like tvvinkling ſtars, vvith ſtones moſt pretious rare.

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto VII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 29, page 97

   [B]ut that I vvill haue a rechate vvinded in my forehead, or hang my bugle in an inuiſible baldricke, all vvomen ſhall pardon mee: becauſe I vvill not doe them the vvrong to miſtruſt any, I vvill doe my ſelfe the right to truſt none: […]

   1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, Much Adoe about Nothing. […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], signature [A4], verso

   And from his blazon'd baldric slung, / A mighty silver bugle hung, / And, as he rode, his armour rung, / Beside remote Shalott.

   1832 December (indicated as 1833), Alfred Tennyson, “The Lady of Shalott”, in Poems, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, part the third, page 14

   Fore George, I would not ask thee to buckle my baldrick when the war-steeds were snorting, but I would trust Isabel with the links of my hauberk.

   1843, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], “Earl Warwick, the King-maker”, in The Last of the Barons, volume I, London: Saunders and Otley, […], →OCLC, book II (The King’s Court), page 169

2. broadlyobsoleteA (usually leather) strap from which the clapper of a bell is suspended.

   The Bawdricke of a bell-clapper. Ropalicorigia.

   1615, Thomas Thomas, “The Bawdricke of a bell-clapper”, in Thomæ Thomasii Dictionarium […], 10th edition, London: […] Iohannis Legati, celeberrimæ Academiæ Cantabrigiensis typographi, →OCLC, column 1

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   [P]aid to the Collermaker of Leawsam for a bawdricke for the great bell … … … iijs.

   1585 (date written), J[ohn] C[harles] L[ett] Stahlschmidt, “Part III. Inscriptions.”, in The Church Bells of Kent: Their Inscriptions, Founders, Uses and Traditions, London: Elliot Stock, […], published 1887, →OCLC, page 276

   The Bells were evidently a constant source of expense, and very large sums were spent in their re-casting and re-hanging. Scarcely a year passed without some new bell-wheel, bawdricke, rope or clapper being required.

   1883, Frederick George Lee, “The Church, Its History and Antiquities”, in The History, Description, and Antiquities of the Prebendal Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Thame, in the County and Diocese of Oxford, […], London: Mitchell and Hughes, […], →OCLC, columns 18–19

3. broadlyobsoleteA necklace.

   Baldrike for a ladyes necke carcan s[ubstantive] ma[le]

   1530 July 28 (Gregorian calendar), Iohan Palsgraue [i.e., John Palsgrave], “The Table of Substantyues”, in Lesclarcissement de la langue francoyse⸝ […], [London]: […] [Richard Pynson] fynnysshed by Iohan Haukyns, →OCLC, 3rd boke, folio xix, recto, column 1; reprinted Geneva: Slatkine Reprints, October 1972, →OCLC

4. figurativelyobsoleteThe zodiac (“belt-like region of the celestial sphere, approximately eight degrees north and south of the ecliptic, which includes the apparent path of the sun, moon, and visible planets”).

   [S]he [Astraea] hath novv an euerlaſting place, / Mongſt thoſe tvvelue ſignes, vvhich nightly vve doe ſee / The heauens bright-ſhining baudricke to enchace; […]

   1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, stanza 11, page 190

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   Right fondly haue the Poets pleaſ'd to ſay, / From earth the faire Aſtræa’s fled avvay, / And in the ſhining Baudrike takes her ſeat, / To make the number of the ſignes compleat.

   1621, Fra[ncis] Quarles, “Sect[ion] 13. Meditatio decimatertia.”, in Hadassa: Or The History of Queene Ester: With Meditations thereupon, Diuine and Morall, London: […] Richard Moore, […], →OCLC, signature K, verso