Obs. or arch. Forms: 4 chomberier, 4–5 chamberere, chambrer(e, chaumbrere, 5 chambriere, chambryer(e, 5–6 chaumberer, 5–7 chambrier, 6 chambirer, 4– chamberer. [a. OF. chamberier (mod.F. chambrier, Pr. cambrier, It. cameriere):—late L. camerārius chamberlain, f. camera chamber; also a. OF. chambrière, fem. of the same. The two genders early fell together in Eng., with loss of the significance of final e.]
† 1. A woman who attends to a bedchamber; a chambermaid, handmaid. Obs.
The first quot. may possibly belong to sense 3.
1340. Ayenb., 171. Þe ssrifte, þet is þe guode chomberier þet clenȝeþ þet hous.
1395. E. E. Wills (1882), 6. I bequethe to Idkyne my chambrer … a bed couenable for her estat.
1480. Caxton, Ovid’s Met., XIV. iii. Yris, chambrier and messager of Juno. Ibid. (1483), G. de la Tour, G viij b. The ancylle or chamberere of god.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 949/2. Foure gentlewomen that were hir chamberers.
1675. Cotton, Burlesque upon B., 166. They [the Graces] … Shall daily wait upon thy rising, (And never Asian Cavaliers Could boast they had such Chambrieres).
1721–33. Strype, Eccl. Mem., III. I. iv. 36. The Queen’s chamberers, viz. Mrs. Dormer, [etc.].
† 2. A concubine. Cf. handmaid. Obs.
c. 1400. Maundev., ix. 102. Abraham hadde another sone Ysmael, that he gat upon Agar his Chambrere.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 30. Chambreres to Englisshe men … that duellen with hem as her lemmannys.
† 3. A man who attends in the bedchamber of a nobleman or gentleman; a chamberlain, valet. Obs.
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, III. Introd. xviii. And though thy clothing be of purple hewe, With great awaytyng of many chamberers.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 96/3. Thou hast clenly seruantes and nette chambryeres.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., III. 920/2. He kept in his great chamber a continuall boord for the chamberers and gentlemen officers.
1640. Yorke, Union Hon., 71. Thomas, who was Chamberer to King Edward the first.
4. One who frequents ladies’ chambers; a gallant. arch. (Cf. CARPET-KNIGHT.)
1604. Shaks., Oth., III. iii. 265. I … haue not those soft parts of Conuersation That Chamberers haue.
1822. Byron, Werner, IV. i. 404. You bid me turn a chamberer, To pick up gloves, and fans.
1863. Cowden Clarke, Shaks. Char., xvii. 428. Hotspur is no chamberer.
