a. Hist. A maker of ‘linen armour’ (i.e., gambesons and similar adjuncts to armor); in mod. renderings of the original title of the guild now known as the Merchant Taylors’ Company. † b. Allusively used in jest for: A tailor. Hence † linen-armo(u)ress.
In AF. the guild was called ‘La Fraternite des Taillours et Armurers de Lynge Armurie,’ anglicized as ‘The Fraternite of Taillours and Lynge Armurers’; the Latin charters were addressed ‘Cissoribus et Armurariis Linearum.’ (See Clode, Mem. Guild Mercht. Taylors, 58–9; Herbert, Guilds, II. 385.)
1603. Stow, Surv. Lond. (ed. 2), 542. I finde that king Edwarde the first, in the 28. of his raigne, confirmed that Guild by the name of Taylors and Linnen Armorers.
1630. J. Taylor (Water P.), Praise Clean Linen, Ded., Wks. II. 105. You are the only Linnen Armouresse, Cap a pie from the declination of the Stocke to the exaltation of the Nightcap.
1687. Hist. Sir J. Hawkwood, i. § 1. 1. The Merchant-Taylors, then called Linnen-Armourers, were eminent not only in Peace, but War.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Linnen-armorers, Tailers. So 1785 in Grose, Dict. Vulgar Tongue.
