Forms: α. 6 vantcorrour, -currour, -curor, 6–8 -ourror, 7 -curreur, -currer; 6 vauntcurrour, 7 -curror, 6–7 vauntcurrer. β. 6 vaunte-, 6–7 vauntcurrier, 7 -currior, 6–7 vantcurrier, 7 -curier. γ. 7 vantcourier, vauntcourrier, 7, 9 vauntcourier. δ. 7 vauntcourer, vantcourrer. ε. erron. 7 vaunt carrier. [ad. F. avant-coureur AVANT-COURIER, with assimilation to forms in VANT-, VAUNT-, and to COURIER. Cf. VAN-COURIER.]
† 1. One of the advance-guard of an army or body of troops; a soldier or horseman sent out in advance of the main body. Usually in pl. Obs.
α. 1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 433 b. He by his vauntcurrers levied as muche power as he possible mighte.
1569. Stocker, trans. Diod. Sic., II. x. 55. The vauntcurrers of eche side gaue intelligence of the approch of one an other.
1570. R. Hichcock, Quintess. Wit, 68 b. In the spyes, in the guides, in the vantcorrours, in the principall officers.
1601. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw., 184. Vpon the head of the battell ranged 200 thousande horsemen in small troupes, like our vantcurrers.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, III. x. II. 114. On the sodaine one of their Vaunt-currors brought newes of the King’s approch.
1650. R. Stapylton, Strada’s Low C. Wars, IX. 50. Some Vantcurrers advancing a little before the Army.
β. 1579–80. North, Plutarch, Publicola (1895), I. 275. Lucretius … was appointed to make head against the vauntcurriers of the Sabynes.
1600. Dymmok, Ireland (1843), 31. The rebel … deliveringe some few shott out of the woods and ditches upon our vaunt-curriers.
a. 1642. Kynaston, Leoline & Sydanis, 1265. How as the swift vant-curriers rode about As sentinell perdue.
a. 1670. Hacket, Abp. Williams, I. (1692), 190. Unless the leader look about him in his march and search every hedge by vant-curriers.
γ. 1609. Dekker, Gull’s Hornbk., Wks. (Grosart), II. 219. Thou dost not only send out the lively spirits, like vauntcouriers, to fortify and make good the uttermost borders of thy body.
δ. 1604. R. Cawdrey, Table Alph., Vauntcourers, forerunners.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, V. iii. II. 449. The Carthaginian Horse, and light Armature, fell vpon the Roman Vant-courrers.
ε. 1677. W. Hubbard, Narrative, 73. A party of Indians … fired upon the front and mortally wounded two of the vaunt Carriers.
2. transf. One who goes or is sent out in advance in order to prepare the way or to announce the approach of another; a forerunner.
α. 1567. Daus, trans. Bullinger on Apoc. (1573), 177. And this latter so impugned the supremacie of the Patriarch of Constantinople, that he sticked not to call hym the vauntcurrour of Antichrist.
1567. Drant, Horace, Ep., iii. cv. And those that wil vauntcurrers be Not I wil draw theim backe.
1607. Dekker, Northward Hoe, II. Wks. 1873, III. 29. Ile send my vant-currer presently.
1709. Strype, Ann. Ref., I. II. xliv. 479. All such as had been vantcurrors in private colleges to enter into this apostasy.
β, γ. 1603. Harsnet, Pop. Impost., 12. The harbinger, the host, the Steward, the Vauntcourrier.
1606. Dekker, News from Hell, Wks. (Grosart), II. 137. To all which questions the vant curier answers briefly.
1886. R. F. Burton, Arab. Nts. (abr. ed.), I. 4. He despatched vaunt-couriers and messengers of glad tidings.
b. Of things.
1598. Barkcley, Felic. Man, V. (1603), 472. The crying and lamenting of a childe when hee first entereth into this world, doth seeme to presage his painefull life, as a vauntcurrer of his miseries to come.
1605. Shaks., Lear, III. ii. 5. You Sulph’rous and Thought-executing Fires, Vaunt-curriors to Oake-cleauing Thunder-bolts.
1639. Chapman & Shirley, Chabot, III. ii. I will relate to your honours his most cruel exactions upon the subject—the old vantcouriers of rebellions.
1821. Milman, Fall Jerusalem, 39. And gloom of deepest midnight the vaunt-courier Of your dread presence.
1849. Longf., Kavanagh, xix. These were the vaunt-couriers and attendants of the hot August.
