Obs. Also 4–6 forward(e, 5 fowarde. [f. FORE- pref. + WARD sb.]

1

  1.  The first line of an army, vanguard, front. In foreward: in the van.

2

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, iv. 1148.

        Nestor with a nombur of noble men all,
ffare shall before the forward to lede.

3

c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, i. 41. Fyrste of alle came the forewarde wyth the Oryflame.

4

1548.  W. Patten, Exped. Scotl., in Arb., Garner, III. 62. Some will have it Fauxside Bray Field, of the hill (for so they call a Bray) upon the side whereof our Foreward stood, ready to come down and join.

5

1631.  J. Weever, Ancient Funerall Monuments, 617. After a short resistance hee discomfited the Foreward of King Richard, whereof a great number were slaine in the chase, and no small number fell vnder the victors sword.

6

1664.  Flodden F., vi. 52.

        That he from sea descended was
  With all his total pow’r and might;
And that in foreward with his Grace
  He should him find fit for to fight.

7

  fig.  1566.  T. Stapleton, Ret. Untr. Jewel, III. 90. M. Iuell hath made but a simple brauerye in this forewarde of his doctours.

8

1589.  Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xii. (Arb.), 176. This one word [perst] placed in the foreward, satisfieth both in sence and congruitie all those other clauses that followe him.

9

  2.  The command of the van; a position in the van.

10

c. 1400.  The Sowdone of Babyloyne, 501.

        King Lukafer with Baldeseynes,
To venge all, shalle have the Fowarde.
    Ibid., 731.
Sir Roulande þ worthy knighte,
He ladde the Fowarde,
And Sir Olyuer, that was so wighte,
Gouerned the Rerewarde.

11

c. 1460.  Otterbourne, 102, in Percy’s Reliq.

        The yerle of Mentayne, thou arte my eme,
  The forwarde I gyve to the.

12

1570–6.  Lambarde, A Perambulation of Kent (1826), 7. The forward in all battels belongeth to them (by a certain pre-eminence) in right of their manhood.

13

  fig.  1555.  Hooper, Lett., in Coverdale, Lett. Mart. (1564), 122. Doubtles it is a singuler fauour of God, and a special loue of hym towardes you, to geue you this foreward and preeminence, and a signe that he trusteth you before others of hys people.

14

  Hence Fore-warder, one of the foreward or vanguard.

15

1611.  Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., VI. v. § 5. 192. Caligula turning suddenly aside into a narrow Cloister to see certaine boies sent him out of Asia, lost the defense of his fore-warders, and the straitnesse of the place permitted not his gard to follow.

16