I think it would better to say the meaning not only varied over time and
according to circumstances, but has been constructed through institutions,
so 'Ar' was not as 'class' or 'sort'.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gerard McSweeney" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, December 31, 2004 6:03 AM
Subject: Re: armiger
> Thank you. That satisfies both camps! We have come across it as a noun in
> the later use.
> G McS
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Postles, Dr D.A." <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, December 30, 2004 2:20 PM
> Subject: armiger
>
>
> The status of armiger relates to the person who carried the knight's arms
> (arma), his esquire. The use of armigerous to indicate having a coat of
> arms is a later use and I have never come across the noun's use in this
> sense, although it does occur in some dictionaries. Gentleman is a very
> broad status, distinguished usually by the title Master, and which became
> increasingly contested as many aspired to it, including non-armigerous
> families - thus Mayors and Aldermen insisted on being addressed as Master
> and as Gentleman.
> DP
>
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