Obs. Forms: see LEG sb. and HARNESS sb. Armor for the leg.
1388. Wyclif, 1 Sam. xvii. 6. And stelyn legharneis [1388 bootis of bras] he [Goliath] hadde in the hipis.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 8178. Legharneys ys lefft be-hynde, That thow mayst, at lyberte, Hyr dartys and hyr brondys fle.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XII. vii. 114. Hys lymmis in legharnes gold begane, Claspyt full clos.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 514. Nailes, studs and tackes imploied about greeues and leg-harneis.
a. 1653. Gouge, Comm. Heb. x. 36. Shooes, or legs-harnesse, whereby men are enabled to hold out in their way.
1828–40. Tytler, Hist. Scot. (1864), II. 67. Armed with … leg-harness, sword, spear, and dagger.
fig. 1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., xxvii. (Percy Soc.), 130. Good hope his legge harneys sholde be.
