Obs. Forms: 1 ǽrendwreca, érendwrica, érendwreca, ǽrendraca, ǽryndraca, 2 erndraca, ærndrache, 3 erndrake, ærendrake, (herindrak), 2–3 erendrake. [OE. ǽrendwreca (= ON. eyrindreki), f. ǽrende ERRAND + wrecan to tell. The form -raca perhaps represents a different ablaut-grade of the same root.] A messenger, ambassador.
c. 825. Vesp. Psalter lxvii[i]. 32. Cumað erendwrecan of Ægyptum.
c. 890. K. Ælfred, Bæda, V. xxi. Sende he ærendracan.
c. 900. Bede Glosses, 10. Legatis, erendwrica.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Luke xiv. 32. He sent ærynd-racan [c. 1160 Hatton erendraken] and bitt sibbe.
a. 1175. Cott. Hom., 231. Þa sende se King his aerndraches of fif ceðen to alle his underþeoden.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 31. On holie erndrake brohte þe holie godspelle fram heuene.
c. 1205. Lay., 660. Heo nomen ænne ærendrake [c. 1275 herindrak].
