Searchable Lemmata: roba (L), robbe (AF), robe (AF), rob (ME), robe (ME), rob (W), rob (OScots), robe (MdE).
Alternate Forms: robam, robbe, robes.
NOTE(n.)
Garment;
either a single garment (as in MdE), or a to a standardised or official suit of garments, including livery. The term had a wide range of applications.
In the fourteenth century, the term robe often referred to a set of garments worn on formal occasions (cf. senses 2a/b below). Typically the woman's robes comprised a kirtle and an open surcot or a mantle, while the man's comprised a cote and surcot (see coat and surcoat). In the same century, the king's robe royal included four garments, probably not worn all together: a cote, a closed surcot, an open surcot, and a 'housse' (see house 1d and huke). On the grandest occasions additional garments such as the mantle were added.(ante 1400 still in current use)
Sex: Male, Female Ceremonial: No
Body Parts:
1(n.)
Garment;
long, loose outer garment; a draping overgarment, a gown; also, clothing in general (with figurative uses).(circa 1200 still in current use)
1. facias habere ... valetto nostro unam ... robam de viridi vel burnetta (cf. ib. 61b: de burneto)
Accounts.
[DMLBS Cl (3) 1204]
5. [441] ... Asneth ... caste on þe white robe with precious parementis ...
[444] ... Asneth hasted forth ... & on þe lendis gird on here garnementis, A lynen newe theustre vail with riche ornamentis.
Biblical/Hagiographic, Poetic, Romance.
[MED Asneth ((Hnt EL 26.A.13) 441-4) ante 1475]
Sex: Male, Female Ceremonial: No
Body Parts:
2a(n.)
Garment;
set of coordinated garments.(ante 1300 still in current use)
1. qe nostre marescal face garnir nos esquiers par matin qe il prengent robes de une suyte ... [246.17] ... ij robes de color ové les forures d’aygnel ...
Nostre mere, une robe ové la pelure qe apent ... . Un legistre, a deus robes enteres ové les pelures
[AND Westm (246) circa 1285/1307]
2. Eidem: ad una[m] robam de tot garniament[es] ut sup[ra] p[ro] eod[e]m d[omi]no rege cont[r]a d[i]c[tu]m f[estu]m natal[is] d[omi]ni de lib[er]at’ R[eg]is F[ra]nc’ faciend[am] 7 furrurand[am] 7 capuc[io] cloc’... d[i]c[t]e rob[e] c[ir]cumligand[um] cu[m] rub[ant]’ auri strict[i]
xj. uln’ pann[i] mixt’ long’ de ----- Brucell de dono R[eg]is F[r]anc’
iij. q[u]art’ uni[us] uln’ pann[i] sanguin’ ----- in G[r]ano de empt[o]
ij. furrur’ ut[er]q[ue] de ciiij xxiiij ventr[es] ----- m[i]n[iver] pur’ de dono Reg[is] Fr [a]nc’
j. cloc’ de Dcxl ventr[es] ----- m[i]n[iver] pur’
j. mantellett’ de ciiijxx ventr[es] ----- m[i]n[iver] pur’
j. capuc[ium] de cx ventr[es] ----- m[i]n[iver] pur’
xxvj. best’ Ermyns ----- ermyns de empt[i]o[n]e
iiijor uln’ j. q[u]art’ rubant aur[i] strict[i] ----- rubant aur[i] strict[i]
Accounts.
[LexP NA [PRO] E 101/393/15 (m. 1, item 2) 1361/1362]
Sex: Male, Female Use: n/a Status: n/a Rank: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
2b(n.) ;
garments worn on formal occasions; royal robe or robe of Parliament; a garment or (more frequently) a set of clothes betokening a particular rank, position, profession, or office; livery; garments or set of garments worn by a specific religious order, etc.(circa 1289 still in current use)
5. [224] ... John Slytherst, yoman of þe Robes ... [225] ... Thomas Carre, grome of þe robes ... [231] ... Thoffice of the lauendrie: Walter Merston, yoman; Stephen Merston, Thomas Merstone, gromes; Edmunde Rampton, page
Legal.
[MED Proc.Privy C. (6.224-231) 1454]
Ceremonial: No
Body Parts:
2c(n.)
Garment;
set of clothes given in lieu of monetary payment, a fee, etc. (cf. following sense); also, a robe taken as plunder (also used figuratively).(ante 1340 - ante 1500)
3. That the Baylyffs ... take for the tyme that they been Baylyffs ... an c s. for his fee, and eyther of hem a robe.
Legal.
[MED RParl. (4.477a) 1433]
Sex: Male, Female Use: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
3(n.)
Personal Name;
appears in surnames (Radulfo Robbemuster, 1221-2; Johannes Robechild, 1243).(circa 1220 still in current use)
Sex: Male, Female Use: n/a Status: n/a Rank: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
