or spring, springer, subs. (old).—A youth.
1535. COVERDALE, trans. Bible [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, i. 443. Among his Romance phrases Coverdale has … SPRYNGALD (juvenis).]
1549. LATIMER, Sermons, 190 b. Joseph, when he was sold to Potiphar, that great man, he was a faire young SPRINGOLD.
1570. P. LEVINS, Manipulus Vocabulorum [E.E.T.S.], 16. A SPRINGALD, adolescens.
1578. T. NORTH, Plutarch, 90 E. He commaunded the women to departe, and in steade of them he put lusty beardles SPRINGALLES into their apparell.
1585. FLEMING, The Nomenclator. Adolescens, … Un jouvenceau. A lad; a youth; a SPRINGALL.
1590. SPENSER, Muiopotmus, 292.
| The one his bowe and shafts, the other SPRING | |
| A burning Teade about his head did move. | |
| Ibid. (1596), The Fairie Queene, V. x. 6. | |
| Amongst the rest, which in that space befell, | |
| There came two SPRINGALS of full tender yeares. |
1606. Wily Beguiled [HAWKINS, The Origin of the English Drama, iii. 332]. Pray ye, maid, bid him welcome … he’s a good proper SPRINGOLD.
1611. BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, The Knight of the Burning Pestle, ii. 2. Wife. Sure the devil (God bless us!) is in this SPRINGALD!
1657. MIDDLETON, More Dissemblers besides Women, v. 1. Ha, well done! excellent boy! dainty, fine SPRINGAL.
1661. DAVENPORT, The City Night-Cap iv. 1 [DODSLEY, Old Plays (REED), xi. 325].
| Tim That lusty SPRINGAL, Millicent, is no worse man | |
| Than the duke of Milan’s son. |
1692. DRYDEN, Juvenal, x. 479.
| Go, boast your SPRINGAL, by his beauty cursed | |
| To ills, nor think I have declared the worst: | |
| His form procures him journey-work; a strife | |
| Betwixt town-madams, and the merchant’s wife. |
