Surname Origins, Their Source and Significations (1875)

chest and open from the shoulder downwards, gave us our 'Tabards.' It must have had plenty of last in it, for Piers Plowman talks of

A tawny tabard of twelf wynters age.

The variegated dress, much in favour then apparently, still survives in our 'Medlecote' and 'Medlicott.'1 The stuffed doublet gave us 'Thomas Gambeson,'now perhaps 'Gamson,' while the short petticoat is memorialised in 'John Grenecurtel.' 'Alicia Caperon' and 'Thomas Chaperoun' are early found. The chaperon was a hood by which the entire face could be concealed if it were so desired. Taylor, in the seventeenth century, mentions it as but recently out of fashion

Her shapperoones, her periwigs and tires,

Are reliques which this flattery much admires.

It is thus, by a somewhat strange but easy association of ideas, has come our modern protector in society so called.

Excess of apparel has often in olden days been under penal statute. Chaucer, in his time, decried its abuse, and an old rhyme of Edward III. date is still preserved, which is scathing enough

Longbeards, heartlesse,

Painted hoods, witlesse,

Gaycoates, gracelesse,

Makes England thriftlesse.

1 'This may be local.

'NICKNAMES.'

We are reminded in this of 'Gaicote' ('William Gaicote,' A.), which once was a surname, though now extinct. ' Woolward' or 'Woolard' ('Geoffey Woleward,' A., 'Reginald Wolleward,' N.) still thrives. To go 'woolward' was to undergo the penance of wearing the outer woollen cloth without any linen under-dress. It was often prescribed by the priest-hood. Piers, in his Vision, says

Wolleward and weetshoed

Wente I forth;

while another old poem bids us

Faste, and go wolward, and wake,

And suffre hard for Godys sake.'

The name was not an unfrequent one at the time of which I am writing, and I doubt not was oftentimes familiarly applied to friars. We must probably refer to more warlike accoutrements for the origin of our ' Gantletts' or 'Gauntletts' ('Henry Gauntelett,' Z., 'Roger Gauntlet,' Z.), our 'Pallets' and 'Vizards.' The latter was that part of the helmet which was perforated for the wearer to see through, ' pallet' being the general term for the helmet itself. 'Ranulf Strong-bowe' was a likely sobriquet for a brawny-armed bowman to acquire, and, like 'Isabella Fortiscue' (brave shield) and 'Emelina Longespee,' belongs to more general history. 'Sword,' 'Buckler,' 'Lance,'2 'Spear, 'Pike,' 'Bill,' the renowned 'Brownbill,' and others too many

1 We all remember in Love's Labour's Lost' how Armado, being pressed to fight, refuses to undress, and says: 'The naked truth of it is, I have no shirt; I go woolward for penance.'

2 One feels much tempted to add 'Roylance' to this list. It certainly has a most kingly aspect. Still there can be little doubt that it is but a corruption of 'Rylands.'