Obs. exc. Hist. Also 5–6 barde. [a. F. barde horse-armor, also ‘a long saddle for an ass or mule of canvas’ (Cotgr.); cf. It. barda horse-armor, also pack-saddle, and F. bardelle pack-saddle. These, and the existence of a dial. F. aubarde, seem to identify the word with Sp. and Pg. albarda pack-saddle, referred by Devic to Arab. al-bardasah, i.e., al the + bardasah ‘stuffed pack-saddle for ass or mule’ (Bocthor), ‘covering placed over the back of a beast to alleviate the pressure of a pack-saddle’ (Freytag). Whether the Fr. sense ‘defensive armor for a horse’ arose out of this is doubtful. Diez has compared ON. bard the beak of a ship, barđi a beaked ship, a ‘ram,’ also (poet.) a shield. Also erroneously called BARB, q.v.]
1. (Usually pl.) A protective covering for the breast and flanks of a war-horse, made of metal plates, or of leather set with metal spikes or bosses, but sometimes (e.g., in tournaments) merely ornamental, and made of velvet or other rich stuff.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., VII. (1520), 82/2. Stedes … trapped with yron bardes.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., III. 803/1. [The] bards of their horsses white veluet.
1611. Gwillim, Heraldry, IV. xv. 232. The Shafron, the Cranet, and the Bard.
1727–51. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The barde is an armour of iron or leather, wherewith the neck, breast, and shoulders of the horse are covered.
1830. G. P. R. James, Darnley, xix. We shall find bards, if we want them.
2. pl. Armor composed of metal plates, formerly worn by men-at-arms.
1551. Edward VI., Lit. Rem. (1858), II. 375. Men of armes … some with sleves and hauf cotes, some with bards and staves.
1570. Holinshed, Scot. Chron., II. 129. A gentleman trimlie trapped with bards of steele.
1603. Florio, Montaigne, II. ix. (1632), 225. A compleat French man at armes, with all his bards.
3. Comb. bard-wise adv., as if with bards.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., III. 801/2. The kings spare horsse trapped bardwise, with harnesse brodred with bullion gold.
¶ By confusion (or misprint) for BARB sb.1 4.
1653. Consid. Dissolv. Crt. Chancery, 24. To cure the Mallender, Farses, Trunchions, Bards … in a horse.
