Obs. Also 5 soomeer, summer, 5–7 sommer. [a. OF. somer, sumer, somier, sommier SOMMIER1 (mod.F. sommier, = Prov. saumier, It. somiere):—late L. sagmārius (equus, caballus), f. sagma horseload, whence OF. some, somme (see SEAM sb.2).]

1

  1.  A pack-horse; a sumpter-horse.

2

  Freq. in the 15th cent.

3

  α.  13[?].  K. Alis., 827 (Laud MS.). He hote hem charge seuen somers Wiþ riche rede itried golde.

4

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 3140. xxiiij. Vytaylers … By-fore hymen dryue þay somers.

5

c. 1430.  Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, I. cxlvii. (1869), 75. Thou hast … thin soomeer that after thee shal come bihynde, which shal bere thin armure.

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1454.  Acts Privy Counc. (1835), VI. 213. To the same Maistre Henry ij. karre horses, v. somers, and j. hak.

7

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cxlv. 174. Some of the englysshmen … wanne somers, cartes, and caryages.

8

1577.  Holinshed, Desc. Brit., III. i. The ancient use of somers and sumpter horses is in a maner utterlie relinquished.

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  β.  1404.  Durh. Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 397. In Stabulo, ij. palafridi, j. sommer.

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c. 1470.  Love’s Bonavent. Mirr., xiv. (Sherard MS.). Where bene ȝoure … knyghtes,… horses and herneyes, charyotes and summeres.

11

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 283. Some of the Englishmen … wanne Sommers, Cartes and cariages.

12

1592.  Wyrley, Armorie, Ld. Chandos, 88. Foure vittailed sommers going vnto the same We met.

13

1601.  F. Tate, Househ. Ord. Edw. II., § 56 (1876), 40. A serjant herbergeour of sommers & cart-horses.

14

  b.  In collective singular.

15

c. 1330.  Arth. & Merl., 4710 (Kölbing). Þai seiȝen hem com swiþe ner Seuen hundred charged somer, & seuen hundred cartes al so.

16

  2.  A pack or burden, esp. one which is carried by a pack-horse.

17

13[?].  K. Alis., 5109 (Laud MS.). Ten thousande mules the kynges tresours,… berande heuy somers.

18

1426.  Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 8706. I pray yow … To ordeyne me a somer, Myn harneys ther-in for to karye. Ibid. (1430–40), Bochas, IV. xxiii. (1554), 120. [To] stuffe their somers with outragious pillage.

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1525.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. xxiii. 24 b. I am content that ye bere with you as moche as ye may beare in males and somers.

20

  3.  attrib., as somer-horse, nag, -saddle.

21

1384–5.  Durh. Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 133. In uno Somersadell empt. pro hostilar. Ibid. (1404), 397. j. haknay sadyll, ij. somersadyll.

22

c. 1450.  Erle Tolous, 817. Somer-horsys he let go before, And charyettys stuffud wyth store.

23

1503.  Will of Etton (Somerset Ho.). A somer bay nag.

24

a. 1513.  Fabyan, Chron., VII. (1811), 306. Kynge Rycharde … toke ye kynges sommer horse, with parte of his tresoure.

25


  Somer, obs. form of SUMMER sb. and v.

26


  Somer castell: see SUMMER CASTLE.

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