Forms: 1 carles-wǽn, 4 Cherlemaynes-wayne, 5 Charlmons wayn, carle wensterre, carwaynesterre, Charelwayn, Charlewayn, 6 Charle wane, 6–7 Charles wayne or waine, 7 Charles or Carol’s wain(e, Charlemagne or Charles his wane, wain(e, Charle-waine, Charlmaigne Wain, 7– Charles’s Wain. [OE. Carles wæʓn the wain (ἄμαξα, plaustrum) of Carl (Charles the Great, Charlemagne). The name appears to arise out of the verbal association of the star-name Arcturus with Arturus or Arthur, and the legendary association of Arthur and Charlemagne; so that what was originally the wain of Arcturus or Boötes (‘Boötes’ golden wain’ Pope), became at length the wain of Carl or Charlemagne. (The guess churl’s or carle’s wain has been made in ignorance of the history.)]
The asterism comprising the seven bright stars in Ursa Major; known also as The Plough.
As the name Arcturus was formerly sometimes applied loosely to the constellation Boötes and incorrectly to the Great Bear, the name Carlewayne-sterre occurs applied to the star Arcturus.
a. 1000. Ags. Man Astron., in Wright, Pop. Treat. Sc., 16. Arhcton hatte an tungol on norð dæle, se hæfð seofon steorran and is ʓe-haten septemtrio, þone hatað læwede menn Carleswæn.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VIII. xxxv. Arcturus is comynly clepid in Englis Cherlemaynes wayne.
1468. Medulla Gram., in Cath. Angl., 59. Artophilaxe, the carle wensterre. Arturus, quoddam signum celeste: anglice, a carwaynesterre.
1483. Cath. Angl., 59. Charelwayn [v.r. Charlewayn], arthurus plaustrum.
a. 1491. J. Rous, Hist. Regum Angl. (1716), 30. Ursæ majoris, vulgariter dictæ Charlmons wayn.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VIII. Prol. 151. The son, the sevin sternis, and the Charll wane, The elwand, the elementis, and Arthuris hufe.
1593. T. Fale, Dialling, 56. The greater Beare called also Charles Waine, and of country men, the plough.
1600. Tourneur, Transf. Met., ii. Now are they mounted into Carols waine.
1606. Holland, Sueton., 74. The starres of the celestial beare [marg. note, Charlemaine his waine].
a. 1626. Davies, Poems (Grosart), II. 237 (A. S. Palmer). Those bright starres … Which English Shepheards, Charles his waine, do name; But more this Ile is Charles, his waine, Since Charles her royall wagoner became.
1630. J. Taylor (Water P.), Wks., 234/2 (N.). Charles his Cart (which we by custome call Charles his Waine) is most gloriously stellifide.
1652. Urquhart, Jewel, Wks. (1834), 248. He had fixed them in their stations after the fashion of a Charlewaine.
1654. R. Vilvain, Epit. Ess., III. 74. Sevn Stars … Which are by vulgar Charlmaigne Wain named.
1832. Tennyson, New-Year’s Eve, 12. Till Charles’s Wain came out above the tall white chimney-tops.
1876. J. F. Blake, Astron. Myths, 59 (A. S. Palmer). In England it goes by the name of ‘King Charles’ Wain.’
