Obs. Also 5 bolyon, -en, 6 bulion, bullyon. [app. a. F. boulon (spelt bouillon in Cotgr.), f. boule ball; assimilated in form to prec.]
1. A knob or boss of metal; a convex ornament on a book, girdle, harness or ring. Also attrib.
1463. in Bury Wills (1850), 36. I beqwethe to Anne Smyth a ryng of gold with bolyonys.
1464. Mann. & Househ. Exp., 254. My mastyr payd to Martyn Goldsmythe, for bolyons gyldynge, ij.s.
1517. in Glasscock, Rec. St. Michaels, Bp. Stortford (1882), 35. Item pd for x bolyens and claspis, viijd.
1523. Skelton, Garl. Laurel, 1165. The claspis and bullyons were worth a thousande pounde.
1538–48. Elyot, Dict., Bulla, a bullion sette on the cover of a booke, or other thynge.
1562. Phaër, Æneid, IX. B b ij b. Bulions broad of gold, and girdling girthes miraclose fyne.
1611. Cotgr., Bossette … a bosse or bullion set on a booke.
1706. Phillips, Bullion of Copper is Copper-plates set on the Breast-leathers, or Bridles of Horses for ornament.
1707. Earl Bindon, in Lond. Gaz., No. 4339/3. To Prohibit … all Coachmakers … that they do not use Varnish’d Bullion-Nails.
2. ? = Bull’s eye in glass.
1834. Specif. Hartley’s Patent, No. 6702. 2. When the table of glass is complete there are … more or less waved lines for some inches round the ‘bullion’ or the centre of the table of glass, which lessens the value.
3. = bolien, BOLLEN sb., BULLEYN.
1589. Fleming, Virg. Georg., I. 9. She [the pine] beareth balls or bullions of chesnut colour.
