Now Hist. Forms: 5–6 lollarde, 5 loularde, 5–6 lolarde, 6 lolart, lollerd, lollord, 7 lolard. See also LOLLER1 (which occurs somewhat earlier). [a. MDu. lollaerd, lit. ‘mumbler, mutterer,’ f. lollen to mutter, mumble (for the suffix see -ARD).
The name was orig. applied c. 1300 to the members of a branch of the Cellite or Alexian fraternity (also called lollebroeders), who devoted themselves especially to the care of the sick and the providing of funeral rites for the poor. In the course of the 14th c. it was often used of other semimonastic orders, and sometimes, by opponents, of the Franciscans. Usually it was taken to connote great pretensions to piety and humility, combined with views more or less heretical. Hence early mod.G. lollhart, chiefly applied to the Beghards.]
1. A name of contempt given in the 14th c. to certain heretics, who were either followers of Wyclif or held opinions similar to his.
1390. [implied in LOLLARDY].
1415. Ld. Scrope, in 43 Rep. Deputy Kpr. Rec., 591. Yif he drue to Loulardis thai wolde subuert this londe & the chirge.
c. 1440. Capgrave, Life St. Kath., III. 327. Thow þei ȝow calle lollard, whych or elue, Beth not dysmayd. Ibid. (1460), Chron. (1858), 277. In that same tyme the Lolardis set up schamful conclusiones.
1509. Barclay, Shyp of Folys (1570), 74. They which to such witches will assent Are heretikes, lolardes, and false of their beleue.
1529. More, Dyaloge, III. Wks. 211/1. Not such men as we now speke of, lollardes & heretikes.
1571. Satir. Poems Reform., xxix. 43. Sa, lolarts, ȝor hypocrisy þat sa fane ȝe wald hyde, Ȝe se, wyt tyme, in spyte of ȝow dois peice and peice owt slyde.
1597–8. Bp. Hall, Sat., II. i. 17. Then manie a Lollerd would in forfaitment Beare paper-fagots.
1625. in Crt. & Times Chas. I. (1848), I. 67. Sir Edward Coke refused to take the sheriff’s oath, because of the clause against Lollards.
1853. Marsden, Early Purit., 144. They [Anabaptists] are said to have existed in England since the early times of the Lollards.
1876. A. Laing, Lindores Abbey, etc. xii. 105. The opinions of the Lollards continued to spread.
attrib. and appositive. 1842. Todd (title), An Apology for Lollard Doctrines, attributed to Wicliffe.
1897. Dict. Nat. Biog., LI. 404/1. Jack Sharp, lollard rebel, was a weaver of Abingdon.
1901. T. G. Law, Scots N. Test., Introd. 13. Very little is known of the Lollard movement in Scotland.
¶ 2. [Associated with LOLL v.] Used for: One who lolls; an idler. Obs. rare.
1635. Brathwait, Arcad. Pr., I. 239. He was found choak’t with meat in’s mouth, Fared Lollards in each country so, I wote well how the world would go.
1659. Milton, Hirelings, 84. A pulpited divine … a lollard indeed over his elbow-cushion.
Hence Lollardian a. [-IAN], of or pertaining to the Lollards. Lollardist [-IST], one who holds the opinions of the Lollards; in quot. attrib. Lollardize v. [-IZE.], intr. to follow the practices of the Lollards. Lollardizing ppl. a.
1865. S. Evans, Bro. Fabian, 5. A lurching, lean-lipped, lollardizing loon,… No doubt hath played the spy on us and blabbed.
1882. Lindsay, in Encycl. Brit., XIV. 811/1. Lord Montacute … and several others had chaplains who were Lollardist preachers.
1887. H. R. Haweis, Light of Ages, I. 42. Everything Albigensian, or Lollardian or Lutheran was ultimately cast out of the Roman Catholic Church.
