Searchable Lemmata: bolster (OE), bolster (ME), bolster (AN), bolstera (L), boster (OScots), bolstar (OScots), bolster (MdE).
Alternate Forms: boustur, boster, bolsterum.
1(n.)
Accessory;
pillow or cushion. Specifically, an elongated pillow or cushion placed at the head, foot or end of a bed or couch; a cushion or pillow for leaning or sitting upon. Also, a wooden or metal cushion used for support (as in architecture).(ante 1100 still in current use)
1. et erat ipse in puppi supra ceruical dormiens et excitant eum et dicunt ei magister non ad te pertinet quia perimus & wæs ðe ł he in scipp on ł oferufa bolstare slepende & awhton hine & cuoedon to him laruu ne to ðe byreð forðon ł þæt we sie dead ł ne reces ðu þæt we deado sie
[DOE MkGl (Li) (0147 (4.38))]
5. Be ðæm wæs suiðe wel gecueden ðurh ðone witgan: Wa ðæm ðe willað under ælcne elnbogan lecggean pyle & bolster under ælcne hneccan menn mid to gefonne.
[DOE CP (0661 (19.143.12))]
7. & þa him gebæd & hine gesegnode mid Cristes rode tacne, ond his heafod <onhylde> to þam bolstre, & medmicel fæc onslepte; & swa mid stilnesse his lif geendade
[DOE Bede 4 (0596 (25.348.16))]
9. & þonne hie restað, þonne restað hie buton bedde & bolstre, ac on <wildeora> fellum heora bedding bið.
[DOE Alex (0291 (39.6))]
11. [p. 233]
(PROME item 770) Item, .i. autre pane de blanket, les bordures de rouge baudekyn, furrez de menever pur, pris .iiij.li.
(771) Item, .i. autre pane de taune, furrez de gros menever, pris de tout .xxvi. s. .viij. d.
(772) Item, .i. carpet bien veille contenant .ix. verges .iij. quarters, pris .xiij. s. .iiij. d.
Summa .xiiij. pagine: .viij c vij.li. .ij. s. .i. d.
(773) Item, .i. lite d'arras des cheries, le testour contenant .iiij. verges demi en longure et .iij. verges en large, en tout .xiij. verges demi quarrez. Item, le celour contenant .iiij. verges en longure et .iiij. verges en large, en tout .xvi. verges quarrez. Item, le counterpoynt contenant .vi. verges en longure et .v. verges demi de large, contenant .xxxiij. verges quarrez. Item, .i. tapite d'arras ovec shepeherdes contenant .vij. verges demi en longure et .v. verges de large, contenant .xxxvij. vergez demi quarrez. Item, .i. autre tapite de mesme le suyte contenant .vij. verges demi de longure et .v. verges de large, en tout .xxxvij. verges demi. Item, .i. autre tapite de mesme la suyte contenant .vij. verges demi de longure et .v. verges de large, en tout .xxxvij. vergez demi. Summa des verges .clxxv. verges, pris le verge .iij. s. .iiij. d., .xxix.li. .iij. s. .iiij. d.
[p. 234]
(item 802) Item, .xxij. fethirbeddes ovec taunt de bolsters de plume, pris le pece ensemble .x. s., .xi.li.
...
(820) Item, divers remenaunts de marterons et ventres des ermyns, contenant .liiij., pris ensemble .vi.li. .xiij. s. .iiij. d.
...
(826) Item, .i. lite des plumes ovec .i. bolster, pris .xx s.
...
(828) Item, .iij. tapites de worsted rouge et .i. petite carpet en le chapelle, pris .viij. s.
Legal.
[AND RotParl1 (iv 233-234) 1423]
13. Item, my mastyr paid to Kateryn of Bruges for iij stykkes and halffe of blak chamelet, prise the styk, iiij s.; summa, xv s. ix d. ... The bolstre to the same [federbed] conteynethe in lengthe iij stykes Flemyshe ... Item, the ijde federbed conteynethe of lengthe iij Flemyshe stykes, iij quarters and more, and in brede iij Flemyshe stykes scant ... My mastyr paid for a bordeclothe of Chawmpeyne clothe ... [363] ... Item, for xiij dosen of whigthe teyinge poyn3tes, ij s. ij d. ...
Accounts.
[MED Acc.Howard in RC 57 (360-363) 1466]
c.f.: bedbolster,
bolster,
cervical,
cervicarium,
gobennydd,
head-rail,
pillow,
plumacius,
pulvillus,
pulvinar,
wanger
Sex: Male, Female Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
2(n.)
Garment;
padding in a garment (from c.1460); a surgical stupe.(circa 1462)
2. [505a] ... And also to ordeyn and stablissh that noo man, but such as have possessions to the yerely value of .xl.li. or above, use or were, fro the seid fest, eny furres of martirons, funes, letyce, pured grey, menyver, nor noo wyf, sonne, doughter or servaunt of eny such man, the same sonne and doughter beyng in his rule and governaunce, nor noo woman wydowe, but such as have possessions of the seid yerely value of .xl.li., use or were eny of the seid furres, or eny girdell harneysed with gold or with silver in eny part therof overgilt, or eny corse of silke made oute of this reame, or eny kerchef wherof the price of a \plyght/ shall excede the somme of .iij. s. .iiij. d. uppon peyn to forfeit to your highnes, for every defaute therof, .v. marc. Provided alwey that the forseid squiers menialx, sergeauntez, officers of youre seid houshold, yomen of the coroune, yomen of youre chambre and squiers and gentilmen havyng possessions of the seid yerely value of .xl.li.; and the forseid maires, recorders, aldermen, shirrefs and baillyfs of every of the seid citees, tounes and boroughs, and the seid barons of the .v. portes, and their wyfes, may use and were the forseid furres of mattrones, funes, letyce, pured grey or pured menyver; and also that \their seid wyfes may/ use and were gilt gyrdils and kerchiefs of the price of a plyte of .v. s.
And ferthermore to ordeyn and stablissh that noo man, but such as hath possessions of the yerely value of .xl. s., use nor were in aray for his body, fro the seid fest, eny fustian, bustian nor fustian of napuls, scarlet cloth engreyned; nor noo pellure but blak lambe or white lambe; all maiers, aldermen, shirrefs, barons of the .v. portes, baillifs of citees and boroughs, and other afore provided, and their wyfes, and the meniall servauntez of yomens degree of lordes, knyghtes, squiers and other gentilmen, havyng possessions of the seid yerely value of .xl.li., except; uppon peyn to forfeit to youre highnes, at every defaute, .xl. s.
And also to ordeyn and stablissh that noo yoman, nor noon other persone under that degree, fro the fest of Seint Peter called thadvincle next commyng, use nor were in the aray for his body, eny bolsters nor stuffe of wolle, coton nor cadas, nor other stuffer in his doublet, save lynyng accordyng to the same; uppon the peyn to forfeit to youre highnes, at every defaute, .vi. s. .viij. d.
And ferther to ordeyn and stablissh that noo knyght under thastate of a lorde, squier, gentilman nor other persone, use or were, from the fest of All Halowen next commyng, eny gowne, jaket or cloke, but it be of such lengh, as hit, he beyng upright, shall covere his pryve membres and buttokkes, uppon the peyn to forfeit to youre highnes, at every defaute, .xx. s.
And also to ordeyn and stablissh that noo taillour make, after the same fest, to eny persone, eny gowne, jaket or cloke of lesse lengh, or doublet stuffed contrarie to the premissez, uppon the same peyne at every defaute.
And also to ordeyn and stablissh that noo knyght under thastate of a lorde, squier, gentilman or other persone, use nor were, from the seid fest of Seint Peter, eny shoes or boteux, havyng pykes passyng the lengh of .ij. ynches; uppon the peyn to forfeit to youre highnes, at every defaute, .xl. d.
And also to ordeyn and stablissh that yf eny corvyser make eny pykes of shoen or boteux, after the seid fest ...
Legal.
[LexP PROME (Ed. IV: Parl. of April 1463, item 20 cont. (505a-b)) 1463/1464]
3. [401] ... Et auxi ad ordeigne & establie, q’ nułł vadlet ne nułł autre p[er]sone desoub[z] cełł degre, a le fest de Seint Père appelles ladvincle q’ s[er]ra en lan de n’re ſr Mille CCCClxv. use ne were en araie pur son corps ascuns bolsters ne stuffe de laine, Coton ne cadas, nautre stuffure en son perpoint sauf linure accordant al mesme ; sur peine de forfeire au Roy al cħun defaute vj s. viiij d.
Et oultre ad ordeigne & estaplie, q’ nułł Chevalier desoubz lestate de ſr esquier gentilhōme nenautre p[er]sone use ou were a le fest detoutz seintz qi s[er]ra en lan n[ot]re Mille CCCClxv. ascun govne Jaket ou cloche, sil ne soit de tiel longeure com cełł, celuy esteant toutdroit, cov[er]a sez privez membres & buttoks ; sur peine de forfeire au Roy a cħun defaut xx s :
et auxi ad ordeigne & establie q’ nułł Taillour face apres mesme le fest au ascun p[er]sone ascune govne Jaket ou cloche de meindre longeur, ou perpoint stuffe, contarie a les p[er]messes, sur mesme la peine, a cħun defaute :
et auxi ad ordeigne & establie q’ nułł Chevalier, desoubz lestate de ſr, esquier gentil hōme ou autre p[er]sone, use ne were a le dit fest de Seint Peere ascuns solers ou boteaux eiantz pikes passantz la longeur de deux pountz, sur peine de forfeire au Roy al chescun defaute quarant deniers ;
et auxi ad ordeigne & establie q’ si ascun Corueser ascuns pikes de solers ou boteaux apres le dit fest de Seint Peere au ascun des ditz p[er]sones contrarie a cest ordenance, forface ensement au Roy a cħun defaut qarant deniers.
Et auxint ad ordeigne & establie p[ar] la dit actorite q’ nułł s’vant de husbondrie, ne cõe laborer ne s[er]vant au ascun artificer enhabitant hors del Citee ou Burgħ, apres le dit fest de toutz seintz use ne were en leur vesture ascun drap’, dount le brodeyerde passera en price ij s. Ne q’ ascun mesmes les s[er]vantes ou laborers suffre ascune de leurs femmes duser ou were a mesme le fest ascun vesture de pluis hault price q’ est devant limite a lour Barons, Ne q’ ceux suffrent ascune de leurs ditz femmes apres mesme le fest duser ou were ascuns couv[er]chiefs dont le price del plite passera dousze deniers ; Ne q’ ascun de les mesmes s[er]vantes ne laborers puis mesme le fest use ou were ascuns chausez closez, ne ascuns chauses dont le paire passera en price xiiij d ; Ne q’ les mesmes s[er]vantes ne laborers ne nułł de leurs femmes a mesme le fest were ascun ceincture garnisse dargent, su peine de forfeire pr cħun defaute au Roy xl. deniers :
et pur ceo q’ les cov[er]chiefs journement apportez en cest Roialme enducent gaund charge & cost en le mesme, & en effect en gast, N’re dit ſr le Roy p[ar] lactorite suisdit ad ordeigne & establie, q’ nulle p[er]sone aps le fest de Seint Michełł larchangel w’ s[er]ra en lan de ſr Mille CCC lxv vende en ascune part dedeinz cest Roialme ascune lavne Nifels umple ou ascun autre man[er]e dez couv[er]chiefs dount le price dun plite passera x s. sur peine de forfeire au Roy pur cħun plite venduz a pluis haulte price xiij s. iiij d.
Legal.
[AND Stats (ii 401) 1463/1464]
Sex: N/A Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
