adder
NOUN
A small venomous Eurasian snake which has a dark zigzag pattern on its back and bears live young. It is the only poisonous snake in Britain.
alms
PLURAL NOUN
money or food given to poor people.
anchorite
NOUN
A religious recluse.
avarice
NOUN
Extreme greed for wealth or material gain.
bairn
NOUN
(Northern English, Scottish)
A child.
beadle
NOUN
A ceremonial officer of a church, college, or similar institution.
bell the cat
Take the danger of a shared enterprise upon oneself.
bindweed
NOUN
A twining plant with trumpet-shaped flowers, several kinds of which are invasive weeds.
blazon
NOUN
A coat of arms.
brickbat
NOUN
a piece of brick, when used as a weapon.
buffet
VERB
to strike repeatedly and violently.
bull
NOUN
An edict.
burgher
NOUN
a medieval, early modern European title of a citizen of a town, and a social class from which city officials could be drawn.
calrop
NOUN
iron snares with four prongs, one of which always points upwards when they are placed on the ground.
Canon Law
NOUN
Ecclesiastical law, especially (in the Roman Catholic Church) that is laid down by papal pronouncements.
catpurse
NOUN
A pickpocket or thief.
cavil
VERB
Make petty or unnecessary objections.
chausuble
NOUN
An ornate sleeveless outer vestment worn by a Catholic or High Anglican priest when celebrating Mass.
churl
NOUN
1 A rude and mean-spirited person
2 A peasant.
coney
NOUN
A rabbit
contrition
NOUN
The state of feeling remorseful and penitent.
dissension
NOUN
Disagreement that leads to discord.
dissolute
ADJECTIVE
overindulging in sensual pleasures
duffer
NOUN
An incompetent or stupid person.
epistle
NOUN
A book of the New Testament in the form of a letter from an Apostle.
Evensong
NOUN
A sunset evening prayer service, also called Vespers
flagon
NOUN
A large container in which drink is served, typically with a handle and spout.
flux
NOUN
Dysentery
funk
VERB
Avoid something out of fear
furrow
NOUN
A long, narrow trench made in the ground by a plough, especially for planting seeds or irrigation.
furze
NOUN
A yellow-flowered shrub of the pea family, the leaves of which are modified to form spines, native to western Europe and North Africa.
Also known as gorse.
gowk
NOUN
An awkward or foolish person (often used as a general term of abuse).
grace
NOUN
(in Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.
haversack
NOUN
A small, strong bag carried on the back or over the shoulder, used especially by soldiers and walkers.
heath
NOUN
An area of open uncultivated land, typically on acid sandy soil, with characteristic vegetation of heather, gorse, and coarse grasses.
indulgence
NOUN
historical (in the Roman Catholic Church) a grant by the Pope of remission of the temporal punishment in purgatory still due for sins after absolution. The unrestricted sale of indulgences by pardoners was a widespread abuse during the later Middle Ages.
jape
NOUN
A practical joke.
knout
NOUN
a whip used to inflict punishment.
leonine
ADJECTIVE
Of or resembling a lion or lions.
lissom
ADJECTIVE
(of a person or their body) thin, supple, and graceful.
lodestone
NOUN
1. A piece of magnetite or other naturally magnetized mineral, able to be used as a magnet.
2. A person or thing that is the focus of attention or attraction.
louvre
NOUN
Each of a set of angled slats fixed or hung at regular intervals in a door, shutter, or screen to allow air or light to pass through.
lubberly
ADJECTIVE
Big and clumsy.
Malvern Hills
PROPER NOUN
A range of hills in western England, in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
manumit
VERB
Release from slavery; set free.
mangonal
NOUN
A military device for throwing stones and other missiles.
Middle Earth
NOUN
The world, the earth, regarded as a middle region between heaven and hell, or as occupying the center of the universe.
ostler
NOUN
A man employed to look after the horses of people staying at an inn.
palsy
NOUN Paralysis, especially that which is accompanied by involuntary tremors.
peasecods
NOUN
The pod or legume of the pea plant; a pea pod, especially one still containing the peas.
phalanx
NOUN
A body of troops or police officers standing or moving in close formation.
pikestaff
NOUN
The wooden shaft of a pike.
popinjay
NOUN
1 A vain or conceited person, especially one who dresses or behaves extravagantly.
2 A parrot.
puce
ADJECTIVE
Of a dark red or purple-brown colour.
remonstrate
VERB
Make a forcefully reproachful protest.
repine
VERB
Feel or express discontent; fret.
rest-harrow
NOUN
A sticky Old World plant of the pea family, which has pink flowers and creeping woody stems with spines.
riposte
NOUN
A quick, clever reply to an insult or criticism.
roister
VERB
Enjoy oneself or celebrate in a noisy or boisterous way.
salubrious
ADJECTIVE
Health-giving; healthy.
Saracen
NOUN
An Arab or Muslim
shrive
VERB
1 (of a priest) hear the confession of, assign penance to, and absolve.
sendal
NOUN A fine, rich silk material, chiefly used to make ceremonial robes and banners.
snipe
NOUN
A wading bird of marshes and wet meadows, with brown camouflaged plumage and a long straight bill.
sozzled
ADJECTIVE
Very drunk.
sheaf
NOUN
A bundle of grain stalks laid lengthways and tied together after reaping.
suppurate
VERB
Undergo the formation of pus; fester.
swag
NOUN
A decorative garland or chain of flowers, foliage, or fruit fastened so as to hang in a drooping curve.
tabernacle
NOUN
1 (in biblical use) a fixed or movable dwelling, typically of light construction.
1.1 A tent used as a sanctuary for the Ark of the Covenant by the Israelites during the Exodus and until the building of the Temple.
2 A meeting place for worship used by Nonconformists.
3 An ornamented receptacle or cabinet in which a pyx containing the reserved sacrament may be placed in Catholic churches, usually on or above an altar.
3.1 (archaic) A canopied niche or recess in the wall of a church.
thralldom
NOUN
The state of being in someone's power.
toft
NOUN
A homestead.
tonsure
NOUN
A part of a monk's or priest's head left bare on top by shaving off the hair.
in singular: An act of shaving the top of a monk's or priest's head as a preparation for entering a religious order.
VERB
[WITH OBJECT] often as adjective "tonsured"
Give a tonsure to.
traduce
VERB
To speak badly of or tell lies about (someone) so as to damage their reputation.
turn-key
NOUN
A jailer.
usury
NOUN
The action or practice of lending money at unreasonably high rates of interest.
victuals
NOUN
Food or provisions.
vitiate
VERB
Spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of.
welkin
NOUN
The sky or heaven.
toft
NOUN
a small hill
assize
NOUN
a court which formerly sat at intervals in each county of England and Wales to administer the civil and criminal law.
the Cardinal Virtues
The basic virtues required for a virtuous life, according to the Bible, Old Testament, classical antiquity and in traditional Christian theology:
Prudence, Courage, Temperance, and Justice
hoary
ADJECTIVE
(of a person) old and having grey or white hair.
