Surname Origins, Their Source and Significations (1875)

Lastly, our 'Spurriers' were there ready to supply him with his rowel, and thus in warlike guise he was prepared either for adventurous combat in behalf of the distressed damsel, or to seek favour in the eyes of her he loved in the more deadly lists.'

I must not forget to mention our 'Kemps' while upon military affairs, a general term as it was for a soldier in the days of which we are speaking. I believe the phrase 'to go a kemping' is still in use in the north. In the old rhyme of 'Guy and Col-brand' the minstrel says

When meat and drink is great plentye,

Then lords and ladys still will be,
And sit and solace lythe:

Then it is time for mee to speake,

Of kern knightes and kempes greate,
Such carping for to kythe.

How familiar a term it must have been in the common mouth the frequency with which the name is met fully shows.

Our 'Slingers' represent an all but forgotten profession, but they seem to have been useful enough in their day and generation. The sling was always attached to a stick, whence the old term 'staffsling.'Lydgate describes David as armed

With a staffe slynge, voyde of plate and mayle;

cuishes (''ne seit arme fors de mustilers e de quisers ").' (Stat, of Realm, vol. i. p. 231.)

1 The obselete 'Bucklermaker' must be set here. Our Authorized Version has made us familiar with ' sword and buckler.' 'Item: Payd to Phillip Tynker and Mathou Bucler-maker, for drawyenge of the yron and makynge of the stapuls, iis.' (Ludlow Churchwardens'Accounts, Cam. Soc.)

SURNAMES OF OFFICE.

while in 'Richard Coeur de Lion' we are told

Foremost he sette hys arweblasteres,

And aftyr that hys good archeres,

And aftyr hys staff-slyngeres,

And other with scheeldes and speres.

But we must not forget old England's one boast, her archers, and our last quotation fitly brings them to our notice. They, too, in the battle-field and in the rural list, maintained alike their supremacy. If we would be proud of our early victories, we must ever look with veneration on the bow. 'Bowman' and 'Archer' still represent the more military professional, but not alone. Even more interesting, as speaking for the more specific crossbow or ' arbalist,' are our 'Alabasters,' 'Arblasters,' 'Arblasts,' and

Balsters.' In Robert of Gloucester's description of the reign of the Conqueror, it is said

So great power of this land and of France he nom (took)

With him into England, of knights and squires,

Spearmen anote, and bowemen, and also arblasters.

Chaucer, too, describing a battlement, says

And eke within the castle were

Springoldes, gonnes, bowes, and archers,

And eke about at corners

Men seine over the wall stand

Grete engines, who were nere hand,

And in the kernels, here and there,

Of arblasters great plentie were.

In the Hundred Rolls he is Latinized as 'John Alblastarius,' and in the York Records as 'Thomas Balistarius.' The Inquisitiones style him 'Richard le Alblaster,' while the Parliamentary Writs register him as 'Reginald le Arblaster.' It was to this